DELEGATES from Egyptian expatriate associations and entities will gather in Cairo for the second edition of their international conference on August 15. The marked event is of special significance to the quality and scope of links between the state and the millions of Egyptians living or working abroad, given that the conference is one of the key arrangements that have been introduced over the past few years to consolidate ties between Egyptians abroad and their native homeland. Convening the conference in its second edition at this time when countries of the world are still engaged in the battle against Covid-19 and its variants implied one more evidence of the profound keenness of the state on putting links with expatriates right and lively on the path for growth and enhancement, in addition, of course, to reflecting the consistency, steadiness and efficiency of the state’s measures and precautions against the pandemic. From another angel, expat participation in the work of the conference points to their willingness to support the ongoing national efforts to achieve development and also to reflect their backing to the political leadership’s vision on building the new republic, as Emigration Minister Nabila Makram noted in published statements the other day.
In this connection, Minister Makram made special reference to the National Scheme for Countryside Development, now being carried out within the framework of the Hayah Karima (Decent Life) presidential initiative. With conference coinciding with the peaking of efforts to implement this giant national project, it will represent an opportunity for expats to get acquainted with the progress of moves to upgrade and modernise multiple facets of life in Egypt. In this regard, the Emigration Ministry has commendably organised successive visits by groups of Egyptian expats to the homeland. Such visits help keep ties between expats and the homeland alive, offer expats the opportunity to get direct information on efforts to build Egypt as a new and modern state and encourage them to contribute ideas and proposals to enrich developmental planning and action.
Keenness to convene the conference on a regular basis has yet one more advantage by serving as a platform for liaising and communication between expatriate associations and entities, no matter how far apart they are located. Such an advantage acquires special weight and value at this time when spreading the true image of developmental and modernisation action can bolster the national economy particularly insofar as the attraction of investments and promotion of tourism are concerned. Fortunately, the convening of the conference comes a few months after the Golden Parade which dazzled the world and drew attention to the richness and depth of Egyptian civilisation through the ages as showcased by the National Museum for Egyptian Civilisation (NMEC) to which the royal mummies were moved. And it also came just one day after transporting King Khufu’s first solar boat, which had been restored in co-operation with Japan, to the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) in the vicinity of the Giza Pyramids plateau.
In an insightful perspective, the Golden Parade, the NMEC, the marvelous moving of Khufu’s ship and GEM, which is being readied for opening, help highlight the country’s tremendous potentials for the growth of the tourism industry, in addition to the impressive chain of gigantic projects to build new and modern cities, renew the entire infrastructure and upgrade the countryside. In this context, the convening of 2nd conference of expat associations and entities would widen the scope of knowledge on the diverse efforts now under way to achieve comprehensive and sustainable development.
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