Mixed signals
While Culture Minister Farouk Hosni was nominated for the post of UNESCO director-general, writes Nevine El-Aref, two of his closest aides are arrested on charges of bribery
Yet another public controversy has caught the Ministry of Culture, though this time it does not involve the person of Minister Farouk Hosni -- one of the most controversial figures in the cabinet over his 20-year tenure. Frequently, during this time, Hosni was locked in conflict with National Democratic Party and other politicians over what were seen as excessively liberal positions he held.
This time the furore involves, rather, two of his aides: the head of the Nubian Antiquities Salvage Fund Hussein Ahmed Hussein; and Ayman Abdel-Moneim, who is both director-general of the Cultural Development Fund and general supervisor of the Historic Cairo Development Project. Both were arrested on charges of bribery: Hussein was caught red-handed with an LE10,000 bribe from a contractor vying for the Nubian Museum restoration project; Abdel-Moneim was accused of amassing possessions from contractors working in Ministry of Culture restoration projects. Early investigations have revealed that both defendants unlawfully received a range of gifts from luxuriously furnished apartments in Cairo's fashionable districts and plots of land to rugs and meals of fish. Together with three contractors involved in the case, they will be in detention for 15 days pending the results of further investigation. The allegation that expenses of contractors working on archaeological sites were being disbursed in return for bribes taken by some of the ministry's top officials were first made in 2006, when the Administrative Control Authority (ACA) started on the case. As a result of investigations made since, all five defendants may face trial at the formidable Supreme State Security Court.
Shortly after serving as assistant to Abdel-Halim Noureddin during the latter's tenure as secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA), Abdel-Moneim became Hosni's Antiquities Department secretary, where he showed great talent for improving archaeological and historical sites, taking on development projects in the Abu Simbel and Kalabsha Temples and in the Manesterly Palace on the Cairo island of Roda; as Historic Cairo Development Project supervisor, he also oversaw the restoration of 200 Islamic monuments including mosques, sabil-kuttabs, mausoleums and wikalas. He also oversaw the restoration of the Mohamed Ali Palace in Shubra and the Sayed Darwish Theatre in Alexandria, and worked on the National Museum of Civilisation project.
The case has put a temporary end to further progress on that front, but more importantly it will have major implications for Hosni's nomination by the Egyptian government for the post of UNESCO director-general in the 2009 elections in Paris -- which has raised questions about the timing of the case and whether or not Hosni's opponents are behind the drive to diminish his chances of holding it by forcing him out of his position prior to 2009, perhaps in the reported upcoming cabinet reshuffle. At a press conference held on Sunday at the ministry headquarters, Hosni rejected the notion of a conspiracy directed against his person, describing it as far-fetched and inconsequential to his nomination for UNESCO. "Such efforts would be indecent indeed. Corruption can be detected everywhere around the world," he said. "Investigations are underway and they will prove whether Abdel-Moneim is innocent or guilty." He also described the allegation as a government employee going about his business as usual but "in an evil manner", and insisted that whoever engaged in wrongdoing should be punished. "The ministry welcomes ACA investigations. We're not going to protect anybody," he added. "It's ultimately in the ministry's benefit to root out what corrupt elements may be found in it; as an individual you reap what you sow. And when it comes to responsibility, it will be each man for himself."
Hosni went on to explain that the ministry's records are beyond reproach, whether or not employees have misused funds: "commissioning contractors for restoration or development projects in Historic Cairo is not only approved by one person but by several legal and archaeological committees as well." He also expressed the hope that Abdel-Moneim will turn out to be innocent "for the sake of the ministry, the country and his children". Hosni also affirmed that works in Historic Cairo and the National Museum of Civilisation will not, under any circumstances, be halted; the mega-projects, which were described as lying under his own direct responsibility, will continue regardless of the presence or absence of any one person. Hosni was prompted to consider that, five years ago, his own press secretary Mohamed Foda was found guilty of brokering deals between senior officials and private companies, thereby abusing his position to receive commissions and bribes; the court pointed out that Foda, 32, had begun his career as an office porter only to be promoted to the position he then held. "Foda abused this position to develop in four years strong crony connections with several ministers and ex-Giza governor Maher El-Guindi. This helped him secure almost LE7 million in illicit gains in a record time," the court said. Perhaps, following the present case, the public will be angry with Hosni for selecting and trusting crooks, generating an atmosphere ripe for corruption. In response, Hosni insisted that Foda's corruption had nothing to do with the ministry per se. "I select people according to their skills and efforts in the work that I need to get done -- nothing else. I'm not going to stick my hand into people's pockets to find out what they're doing outside the ministry. Foda was delivering perfectly as far as his job was concerned; so, and I think many people have noticed this, was Abdel-Moneim. Anyway," he commented, "the brouhaha around this case merely proves the Ministry of Culture's high profile, affirming that it is indeed a very important ministry for the people who want to know about its achievements and mistakes."
The press conference was held after Hosni conferred with his candidacy committee, whose members -- intellectuals, top officials and diplomats -- will be helping him succeed Koichiro Matsuura as UNESCO director in 2009; and he announced that the committee will be meeting periodically to draw up a strategic plan in collaboration with the ministries of foreign affairs and higher education. He also asserted that, during President Hosni Mubarak's last visit to Paris, French President Nicolas Sarkozy agreed in principle to support the Egyptian candidate. Other European countries have also showed positive reactions, while others still are being contacted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; the Arab League should be garnering the support of Arab countries.
Since the conference, Hosni has told Al-Ahram Weekly that the nomination is not only an honour but a great responsibility as well. He added that the choice of an Arab figure for such a post would be an achievement for the Arab world and requires much effort to draw up new plans, visions and policies for UNESCO. "My nomination is really a great honour but Egypt will always be in my heart and my first and last priority," Hosni said. He also called on Arab countries to pool efforts rather than divide the votes among more than one candidate from the Arab world. "We must learn from the Arab experience in holding similar posts such as that of Boutros Boutros- Ghali who became the sixth secretary-general of the United Nations and Mohamed El-Baradei, director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency," Hosni added, pointing to the meeting of the Arab cultural ministers in Algeria next November as an occasion for promoting his electoral campaign.
Caption: Abdel-Moneim discussing with Hosni and other guests one of the historical Cairo projects during his golden days
C a p t i o n 2: Abdel-Moneim discussing with Hosni and other guests one of the historical Cairo projects during his golden days
Al-Ahram Weekly Online : Located at: http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2007/858/eg19.htm