A new year

By Naguib Mahfouz

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One of the things for which I wish most dearly in the new year is that we find a way out of this economic crisis which is casting a pall over the aspirations of future generations. Any society that cannot provide its citizens with a future is a sick society. There can be no hedging around that.

So I hope that we take serious steps towards economic reform. I don't imagine that we'll solve all our economic problems in 2005, all I ask is that we begin to tackle the most pressing and then people will at least see a glimpse of light at the end of the tunnel even if they are not able to reach the light quite yet.

Economic reform, after all, is a long-term project. It can be pursued vigorously only when people know the positive results from the very beginning. If they are reassured that they will eventually see improvements in their standard of living then people will be willing to accept the measures that need to be taken.

I hope, too, that we make genuine progress towards political reform, and by this I do not mean simply meddling with the constitution. Political reform concerns vital issues that affect the very fabric of society.

There are signs that the economy is slowly improving, and meaningful political reform is increasingly within our grasp. This makes me feel a little optimistic.

Based on an interview by Mohamed Salmawy.