Peace for development

THE ARAB International Women's Conference that took place in London last week featured high-level discussions regarding the need for the world's governments to avoid conflicts in order to facilitate development. Mrs Suzanne Mubarak was one of the two-day conference's keynote speakers. Mrs Mubarak stressed that in the Middle East, development and conflict could not go hand in hand. "The devastating human cost of military and political conflicts as we have been seeing it around us cannot be ignored. I believe that without strong economies it is very difficult to address the inequities, and build strong civil societies."

Mrs Mubarak also provided an overview of Egypt's quest for peace and development, stressing that by choosing peace, Egypt had made development more plausible. If peace was to prevail in the entire region, she said, increased development would follow suit.

"Having just returned from a visit to one of our rural governorates, I saw women trying to make do with the opportunities they are offered. We are exerting every effort to secure opportunities and benefits across the board in society so as to make change sustainable," Mrs Mubarak said.

Mrs Mubarak was one of several Arab first ladies taking part in the conference, which was hosted by the Arab International Women's Forum (AIWF). Established just a few years ago, AIWF is an NGO whose objective is consolidating relations among women's groups that work to serve an agenda of peace and development worldwide. The London conference offered an opportunity for high-profile women from the Arab world to provide their perspective on recent developments in the Middle East, as well as the impact of armed and political conflicts on development levels and the lives of innocent people, particularly women and children.

Journalists protest

THE PRESS Syndicate council urged writers and journalists not to deal with the American Ambassador in Egypt David Welch and to consider him persona non grata due to his "bold interference in the affairs of the Egyptian press".

In a lecture at the American University in Cairo on 20 October, Welch said that, "On a few occasions, I've made a point to challenge pieces that went beyond any reasonable standard of responsible journalism. On such occasions I have called for journalists, writers and editors to demonstrate some responsibility and exercise sound judgment before allowing hostile and unprofessional attacks into print". For example, he said, "When a major Egyptian newspaper [Al-Gomhouriya] called the horrific bombing of a restaurant in Haifa two weeks ago a brave commando operation rather than a purely terrorist act, that's both hostile and dishonest."

The Press Syndicate contacted the Foreign Ministry to express its dismay. Commenting on the incident, Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher told reporters that the Egyptian press is respectful, and attacking it contradicts the values of democracy and freedom of expression. He also said that attempts to steer journalism in a certain way are unacceptable because the press expresses its own vision and opinion.

Dangerous roads

SIX POLISH tourists and an Egyptian driver were killed when their bus overturned as they were heading to the Red Sea resort of Hurghada. Twenty-six other passengers were injured.

The accident occurred after the driver lost control of the vehicle at high speed. Ongoing road-works and a lack of traffic warning signs were also cited as factors in the accident.

Road accidents in Egypt are common because of dangerous roads and lack of traffic control. About 6,000 people die each year in traffic accidents in Egypt, according to official statistics.

More children

AN EGYPTIAN woman gave birth to six children on Monday, without the help of fertility drugs. One child died at birth, while the other infants -- two girls and three boys -- are in good health. The parents from Benha, north of Cairo, were expecting a multiple birth, but not six. Their mother, 32-year-old Manal Salah Abdel-Hakim, and their father, a technician, already have a daughter and two sons. The boys are named Mahmoud, Sayed and Hani; and the girls are Hanem and Hebatallah. Their weights ranged from 1.55 to 1.75 kilogrammes.

Al-Ahram Weekly Online : 30 October - 5 November 2003 (Issue No. 662)
Located at: http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2003/662/eg2.htm