letter from
Cairo
Bi-monthly Perioidical/ 13th Issue / June 2016
Editorial
Bi-monthly
Bi-monthly
Perioidical/
Perioidical/
Eleventh
13th
Issue
Issue
/March
/July 2016
Table of contents
President El-Sisi marks two years in office
p.4
Letter from Cairo
A bi-monthly periodical on the
current political, economic, and
cultural developments in Egypt
Egypt after two years of
Sisi’s rule...racing against
Issued by Foreign Information Sector
State Information Service
Arab Republic of Egypt
time
Chairman of SIS
p.10
Ambassador
Grand Imam of
Salah A Elsadek
Al-Azhar discusses
perceptions of Islam
with France’s Hollande
Editor-in-Chief
Abdel Mo'ti Abu Zeid
p.13
p.15
Executive Editor
Nashwa Abdel Hamid
Editor
Mostafa Ahmady
Holy Family’s Flight in
Egypt celebrated
Layout
Ramadan: A month of
fasting, introspection
p.20
Nisreen Ahmed
EgyptianAfrican
P
resident Abdel Fattah El-Sisi was sworn into office on the 8th of June 2014. Two
years ago on that day, the event was marked with festivals held nationwide as
the President took the oath in the Supreme Constitutional Court. Over the past two
years, Egypt completed the political roadmap drawn after the 30th of June revolution,
by carrying out parliamentary elections and reinstating the new parliament, the last
step towards restoring all elements of the modern state. Egypt also adopted a new
approach in its foreign policy and restored its leading regional and international role.
In the first two years in office, the President launched a number of mega national
projects with the aim of improving the country’s infrastructure and serving low-income
earners. President El-Sisi opened 34 new projects carried out by the Engineering
Authority of the Armed Forces and the ministries of Housing, Communication, and
Youth and Sports with total investments of LE 16 billion, in the framework of the state
plans to continue the process of comprehensive development and improve living
conditions of the citizens. It included purification and water treatment plants, and
establishment of units of social housing projects, as well as many of roads, bridges,
traffic projects, and the establishment of the headquarters of the National Council
for Women, in addition to the development of the Egyptian postal sector, a number
of Notary Offices and social services centers. Also, developing a unified sign language
dictionary for the deaf and dumb, as well as the establishment of sports complexes
and youth development centers.
The President pointed out that in two and a half years the state will be able to
serve 2300 villages of sewage service, while only 15% of the total 4700 villages were
covered over the past twenty years. The President stressed the importance of setting
up tripartite wastewater treatment plants, which allows re-use of treated wastewater,
pointing to the need for about 3 billion m3 / year of treated water at a cost of about
LE 25 billion annually. Moreover, President El-Sisi inaugurated the New Suez Canal
which is a symbol of the new Egypt, representing the energy, resourcefulness and
determination of the Egyptian people, and is one of the most significant projects to
come out of Egypt in modern times. It will enrich our economy and society for decades
to come. A new project was also added to the list of the major enterprises initiated
by President al-Sisi, the Jabal al-Jalalah project which will be implemented by civilian
companies under the supervision of the Engineering Authority of the Egyptian Armed
Forces. The project includes the establishment of the Jalalah City, the King Abdullah
University and a tourist resort overlooking the Gulf of Suez in addition to al-Ayn alSokhna-al-Zaafaranah road. The government is exerting relentless efforts for achieving
progress and realizing development in a record time in all sectors.
relations
SIS Website:
http://sis.gov.eg
2
Email: [email protected]
3
Egypt after two years of Sisi’s
rule...racing against time
The Egyptian people, under
the leadership of President Abdel
Fattah El Sisi, who assumed power
after an overwhelming popular
support hitting 96.9 percent in
elections on June 8, 2014, are
engaged in a fateful battle.
battle of self-determination for
cementing the state of stability
towards a state of building and
reconstruction in an effort to
launch the bases of modern
Egypt that is adopting the stateof-the-art scientific methods.
This battle is the most
important and decisive in their
modern history for steering the
homeland away from the black
and painful future that plagued
several peoples in the Middle
East. This battle is aimed at
uprooting terrorism which is
disguising under the cloak of
religion while it tarnished the
image of religion through its mean
bloody acts of terrorism. It is a
A first quick look at the
numerous achievements that
were realized over the past
two years attests to a clear
vision of the requirements
of the current stage and high
capability of planning and swift
implementation of projects to
overcome crises and redress
imbalances to go ahead with
the process of reconstruction.
4
Egypt has managed over
the past two years to achieve
a remarkable level of security
and stability ending five years
of chaos during the transitional
period that did not take long
thanks to the awareness of
the Egyptian people and the
valor of the sincere Egyptian
soldiers under the then defense
minister Abdel Fattah El Sisi.
They managed to end the rule of
a radical group that worked to
polarize the Egyptian society and
change its cultural, religious and
social identity. After this group
was removed from power, it
joined hands with other terrorist
groups in a bid to undermine the
homeland and kill members of the
army, police and judiciary. At the
same time, the Egyptian people
have given the best example for
fighting terrorism nationwide
out of their faith that the road
to stability and development
starts with achieving security.
Egypt has focused over the
past two years on modernizing its
Armed Forces through providing
the army with the most recent
weapons in a way that enables
the army men to defend all
the Egyptian territory. This
state of affairs took the rank
of the Egyptian army on the
international rating list to be
number 14 worldwide.
Meanwhile, the hand that is
carrying the weapon to defend
the homeland, was accomplishing
several achievements at the level of
development and reconstruction.
These achievements included
ending the crisis of electricity that
has gripped the country since
2011 until 2014, through setting
up several power stations. Also,
about 5,000 kilometers of roads
were established while other
roads are being improved. The
sector of housing was not an
exception as it has seen remarkable
improvement through setting up
several housing projects, atop
of which comes the low-cost
housing units, in an effort to
end the problem of slums. Also,
the State is working to set up
several new cities atop of which
comes the new administrative
capital.
The State is also working
to maintain the value of the
local currency and minimize
the effect resulting from any
increase of the exchange rate
on the prices of commodities
on the local market through
providing basic commodities
at affordable prices.
Achievements over the past
two years cover also the sectors
of water with the government
establishing many water and
sanitary sewage stations in
all parts of Egypt. Also, one of
the most salient and important
projects is that of reclaiming 1.5
million feddans to increase the
arable land in Egypt together
with setting up more than 70
grain silos.
The government of president
Sisi managed over the past two
years to protect Egypt against
chaos that plagued several
countries in the Middle East
causing dire consequences in
these countries. This administration
also managed to reformulate
the Egyptian foreign policy so
that Egypt was able to restore its
active regional and international
role. Foreign Minister Sameh
Shoukry said that Egypt’s foreign
policy after 30 June was based
on a balance of interests.
Presidential media office issues
report on Sisi’s achievements
The Presidency’s Media Office
issued a report on President Abdel
Fattah El- Sisi’s achievements in
two years. The report reviewed
the main axes through which
Sisi’s administration worked to
5
mothers imprisoned for failure
to pay back money they had
borrowed or repay for items
they had bought. According
to the report, a presidential
program on leadership aims
to qualify some 2,500 young
people annually for leadership
posts.
As for the system of security and
terrorism-combat, the Egyptian
State, through its army, launched a
wide-scale operational campaigns
that managed to control terror
and all illegal activities at all
strategic levels. The Egyptian
Armed Forces also signed a raft
of arms agreements aiming to
stabilize its rank regionally and
internationally, the report said.
face many social, economic and
political challenges. President Sisi
was always keen on meeting the
needs of Egyptian citizens and
improve all services provided
to them, the report said. The
president also was eager to
make all his pledges a reality, it
added. Completing Egypt’s future
political road-map came also
high on the president’s agenda,
besides maintaining open and
healthy diplomatic relations
with the West, it said. Egypt’s
foreign policy is based on mutual
respect and non-interference in
the affairs of other countries, it
noted. The report highlighted
two main axes as regards national
development; the first is launching
mega projects and the second is
providing the resources needed
to support small and mediumsized enterprises.
President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi
launched a package of social care
projects aiming to secure an
appropriate standard of living for
all Egyptian citizens, according
to a report on the president’s
achievements in two years. The
6
report, issued by the Media Office
of the Egyptian Presidency, said
the package involved 11 axes
through which a large number
of development projects were
launched.
The Ministry of Social Solidarity
launched two cash initiatives
to help the poorest brackets,
especially in Upper Egypt village.
Takaful and Karama (Solidarity
and Dignity) Program provides
financial support to 1.5 million
poor families across the country.
Social care projects included a
system to provide subsidized
bread, the development of
hundreds of villages and sports
facilities as well as helping release
Mistral-class helicopter
carrier 1st of its kind in
Middle East
As for education, the State
launched a series of projects
aiming to develop and reform
the current educational system,
including technical education.
Regarding medical care, the
establishment and rehabilitation
of some 186 hospitals, medical
centers and health care units
had been already completed.
For small and medium-sized
enterprises (SMEs), the State
allocated EGP 200 billion to
implement a comprehensive
program to support this sector.
Loans for SMEs are expected
to constitute 20 percent of the
loans offered by Egyptian banks,
the report said.
The amphibious assault ship/
helicopter carrier of the French
Mistral class, named after late
president Gamal Abdel Nasser,
is the first of its kind to arrive
in Egypt and the Middle East,
said Commander of the Navy
Osama Rabea said.
During the official ceremony held
for handing over the Mistral-class
helicopter carrier from France
to Egypt, Rabea stressed the
importance of the ship in light of
the sharp political, geostrategic
and security changes that have
swept the Middle East region
over the past five years.
Egypt and France agree
that terrorism is a real threat
to all world countries, he said,
adding that security challenges
are no longer constrained to
military threats but are now
covering those posed by terrorist
organizations and organized
crimes. The challenges made
it a must to the Egyptian Navy,
which is an inseparable part of
the Armed Forces, to start a
strategy for construction and
development, he added. The
constant cooperation between
Egypt and France is a reflection
of the strong military relationship
between them, he said, pointing
out to the purchase of a French
multi-mission frigate “FREMM”
and a deal to build Gowindclass corvettes.
Mistral carrier enhances
Egypt’s armament system
globally
Egypt’s armament system has
developed globally after receiving
the amphibious assault ship/
helicopter carrier of the French
Mistral class. Commander of the
Navy Osama Rabie accompanied
by his French counterpart raised
the Egyptian flag on Mistral during
the official ceremony held for
handing over the Mistral-class
helicopter carrier from France
to Egypt.
The carrier was named after
late president Gamal Abdel
Nasser. The carrier includes
integrated operation center. It
could host up to 16 helicopters,
up to 70 armored vehicles and
450-700 Marines in line with the
duration of sailing. In October
2015, Egypt and France signed
a deal to purchase two Mistralclass helicopter carriers during
French Prime Minister Manuel
Valls’s visit to Cairo.
77
Parliament Speaker : Receiving
Mistral helicopter carrier
positive addition to Egypt’s
naval ability
always proud of our Armed
Forces who sacrifice their lives
to defend Egypt’s security and
stability, he added.
Speaker of the House of
Representatives Ali Abdel-Aal
voiced appreciation for the efforts
exerted by President Abdel Fattah
El Sisi and the Armed Forces.
Receiving the amphibious assault
ship/helicopter carrier of the
French Mistral class is considered
a key positive addition to Egypt’s
naval ability, Abdel-Aal said in
his speech delivered by the
parliament’s deputy speaker
Mahmoud el Sherif. We are
Egyptian navy showed highlevel technical competence
during training on Mistral
French Navy Commander
Admiral Bernard Rogel said that
the Egyptian navy showed highlevel technical competence during
the training on the Mistral-class
helicopter carrier in France. In
statements during the official
ceremony held for handing over
the Mistral-class helicopter
carrier from France to Egypt,
Rogel said the receiving of the
carrier reflects the deep-rooted
relations between Egypt and
France especially in defense
field.
Rogel also pointed out that
Egypt and France are facing the
joint threat of terrorism which
is threatening Africa and the
Middle East. He hailed Egypt’s
role in facing such threat and
the importance of holding
joint strategic partnership that
helps in combating terrorism.
Meanwhile, French DCNS Group
said Egypt will receive 7 naval
ships by the year 2020.
Grand Imam of Al-Azhar
discusses perceptions of
Islam with France’s Hollande
Egyptian Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Ahmed Al-Tayeb
said that Al-Azhar would support French president
Francois Hollande in correcting the perception of Islam
after recent terrorist attacks in France and Belgium.
Al-Tayeb, who met with the French president in Paris,
added in a media statement that he agreed with
President Hollande on an official exchange between
Azhar Grand Imam, Pope
embrace in historic Vatican
meeting
Pope Francis embraced the
grand imam of Cairo’s Al-Azhar
Mosque at the Vatican in a historic
encounter both sides hope will
lead to greater understanding and
dialogue between the two faiths.
The first Vatican meeting between
8
Islamic institutions in France and Al-Azhar in order
to educate a new generation of Islamic scholars and
leaders about the religion in true and objective way.
In the meeting with the French President, Al-Tayeb
explained how Al-Azhar supported international
peace in communities worldwide, giving special
attention to France.
the leader of the world’s Catholics
and the highest authority in Sunni
Islam marks the culmination of
a significant improvement in
relations between the two faiths
since Francis took office in 2013.
“Our meeting is the message,”
Francis said in a brief comment
at the start of his meeting with
Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb, shortly
after he had hugged and kissed
his guest, Vatican officials told a
small pool of reporters covering
the event.
In a statement on the trip,
Al-Azhar, an institution that also
comprises a prestigious seat of
learning, said the two sides had
agreed to convene a “peace
conference”. The statement
quoted Tayeb as telling Francis:
“We need to take a joint stance,
9
hand in hand, to bring happiness
to humanity. Divine religions were
revealed to make people happy,
not to cause them hardship.”
Vatican spokesman Federico
Lombardi said in a statement
that the pope and the imam had
“mainly addressed the common
challenges faced by the authorities
and faithful of the major religions
of the world.” These included
working together for world peace,
rejecting violence and terrorism,
and the situation and protection
of Christians against a backdrop
of conflict and terrorism in the
Middle East.”
The pope presented the imam
with a copy of his recent encyclical,
Laudato Si’, a letter to the faithful
in which he urges the world to
wake up to the threat posed by
climate change and economic
inequality.
Al-Tayeb in France
The French presidency welcomed
El-Tayeb’s visit to France in a statement
by the Elysee palace. According to
the statement, Hollande and ElTayeb discussed French priorities
in fighting radicalism as well as the
situation in the country following
the Paris attacks. President Hollande
praised the efforts of Islamic
leaders in fighting radicalism. AlTayeb’s meeting with President
Hollande was also attended by
French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc
Ayrault and Minister of Interior
Bernard Cazeneuve.
Immediately after his arrival in
Paris, the Grand Imam attended
the second forum of eastern and
western elders where he addressed
Europeans and all Muslims around
the world, stressing the importance
of dialogue and building trust
between religions and cultures.
During his speech at the forum,
Al-Tayeb stressed the importance
10
of how people of every nation
should adopt ideas of coexistence
- which will in the future lead to
maintaining the identity of any
religion - rather than thinking
to preserve minorities’ rights.
“I call on all Muslim citizens in
Europe that they must know
they are native citizens in their
communities, and that full citizenship
will never contradict the idea of
coexistence,” said El-Tayeb.
Al-Tayeb arrived in the French
capital following a historic meeting
with Pope Francis in the Vatican.
The unprecedented meeting of
the two religious leaders signaled
the renewal of relations between
Al-Azhar and the Vatican following
five-years of suspended relations.
France is home to 4-5 million Muslims
out of a population of 66 million.
In March, El-Tayeb visited Berlin
where he met with top clerics in
Germany’s Catholic Church and
addressed the Bundestag, urging
religious tolerance. Last November,
Al-Azhar grand imam denounced
the deadly terror attacks carried
out by Islamist militants in Paris,
describing them as “hideous”
and “hateful” and urging the
international community to work
towards combating terrorism.
Islam has ordered that people
should live together in peace.”
Al-Tayeb in Nigeria
Sheikh Ahmed el-Tayeb who
doubles as the President of the
Muslim Council of Elders visited
Nigeria last May. Dr. el-Tayeb said
that the Al-Azhar Institution was
looking forward to collaborating
with the Nigerian Supreme Council
of Islamic Affairs in the area of
the propagation of Islam and
correcting the misconceptions
people have of the religion. He
made these remarks at a press
conference marking his 3 day
visit to Nigeria at the invitation of
Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu
Buhari.
Dr. el-Tayeb said, “This visit is
an answer to a call by President
Buhari and the aim is to enlighten
people on the true message of
Islam and correct the misconception
people have of Islam. So far, our
cooperation with the Nigerian
Supreme Council of Islamic affairs
is mainly in the academic field but
after this visit, we look forward
to expanding it to cover other
aspects”
The President of the Muslim
Council of Elders also spoke out
against terrorism in the name of
Islam. According to him, “The Holy
Qur’an has laid down a very clear
policy of calling to Islam. Islam has
prohibited using force or weapons
against any person. Anybody who
uses a weapon against any people
should repent because that is
contrary to the teachings of Islam.
The Grand Imam made a
speech, addressed to the people of
Africa and the Islamic community
in all parts of the world, at the
International Conference Centre in
Abuja entitled, “Islam is a religion
of peace: challenges to confront the
extremist ideology and terrorism”.
It was attended by senior scientists
and a large number of officials and
public figures. Sheikh Ahmed AlTayeb said that his visit to Nigeria,
which is his first since taking up his
post as Grand Imam of Al-Azhar,
comes within the framework of
its efforts, in cooperation with
the Muslim Council of Elders,
to promote the Islamic values
of peace and spread the Islamic
culture of tolerance, coexistence
and dialogue. He added that AlAzhar and all Muslims must work
to establish the sound concepts of
religion, the emphasis on the right
meaning of the Islamic religion
and the renunciation of violence
and terrorism.
The Muslim Council of Elders is
an independent international body
that was established in July 2014 in
order to promote peace in Muslim
communities. The Council consists
of Muslim scholars, experts and
dignitaries known for their wisdom,
sense of justice, independence
and moderateness. They work
together to promote peace,
to discourage infighting and to
address the sources of conflict,
divisiveness and fragmentation in
Muslim communities. Based in Abu
Dhabi, the council was formed as
a result of the recommendations
of the Forum for Promoting Peace
in Muslim Societies. Its SecretaryGeneral, Dr. Ali Rashed Al Nuaimi,
is also chairman of the steering
board of Hedayah, the International
Centre of Excellence for Countering
Violent Extremism.
11
Holy Family’s
Journey in Egypt
celebrated
m.touregypt.net
Arise, and take the young
child and his mother, and flee
into Egypt, and be thou there until
I bring thee word: for Herod will
seek the young child to destroy
him.” (Matthew 2:13). In a grand
celebration, Egypt marked the
anniversary of Jesus Christ
and Mary the Virgin’s Flight
into Egypt at el-Maghara and
Martyrs Sergius and Waskhos
Church. The event brought together
ministers, politicians, members
of the House of Representatives,
ambassadors, actors, and other
dignitaries. In his speech on the
occasion, Bishop Demetrios said
Egypt carried the spirit of Christ
and Mary the Virgin and therefore
it will be safe and secure forever.
Egypt prides itself on celebrating
this occasion and it will remain
an oasis for peace and stability
for eternity, the participants
confirmed.
then they headed to Upper Egypt,
where they lived for four years.
The Holy Family moved into many
places in Egypt, particularly the
el-Maghara and Martyrs Sergius
and Waskhos Church, the first
ever church in the world and they
stayed there for several months.
In their journey, the Holy
Family stopped at a place called
el Mahamma (literally the bathing
place) because Mary the Virgin
bathed Jesus Christ there. There
remains a well in that area up
to the present day. The Family
sought a shelter from the scorching
sun and they find shade under a
tree which came to be known as
“Mariam’s Tree”, and has evolved
into an engrossing attraction for
religious tourists. The holy oil or
the “Chrism” is nowadays prepared
from the oil of the tree. From
Cairo, the Holy Family continued
their journey into Upper Egypt
and they stayed for six months
in a cave that now became the
Virgin’s Church. There, “an angel
of the Lord appeareth in a dream
to Joseph in Egypt, Saying, Arise,
and take the young child and his
mother, and go into the land of
Israel: for they are dead which
sought the young child’s life.”
Then, the Holy Family began the
return trip that took three years
and almost 2000 kilometers to
accomplish.
The flight of the Holy Family
into Egypt has started when “the
angel of the Lord appeareth to
Joseph in a dream, saying Arise
and take the young child and his
mother and flee into Egypt, and
be thou there until I bring thee
word: for Herod will seek the
young child to destroy him.” The
Holy Family first landed in the
Egyptian city of Al-Arish, and
12
13
RAMADAN: A MONTH OF
FASTING, INTROSPECTION
were put up in the streets. Then the city’s
judges inspected all the decorations. At the
beginning of the month, the Caliph rode in a
grand procession around Cairo. He was dressed
in wonderful white clothes, embroidered with
gold threads. Five thousand soldiers walked
before him, and horsemen rode behind.
The “Messaharati” used to go around the
streets before dawn to remind people to have
their Sohour “Supper”. The tradition started
in Baghdad in the 8th century and then spread
to most Islamic countries. The “Messaharati”
usually beats a drum and calls out people’s
names. “Messaharatis” are still found in some
parts of Cairo and in the villages.
Muslims around the world anticipate the
arrival of the holiest month of the year. During
Ramadan, Muslims from all continents unite
in a period of fasting and spiritual reflection.
Ramadan is the ninth month of the 12-month
Islamic calendar, which is lunar and based on
the phases of the moon. The lunar calendar
falls short of the solar calendar by 11 days. As
a result, Ramadan doesn’t start on the same
date each year and instead passes through all
the seasons. During Ramadan, Muslims fast
from dawn to dusk each day. Ramadan is a time
to practice self-restraint and self-reflection.
Fasting is seen as a way to cleanse the soul
and have empathy for those in the world who
are hungry and less fortunate. Muslims go to
work and school and take care of their usual
activities during Ramadan and also read the
entire Quran, say special prayers and attend
mosques more frequently during this time.
Each year, Muslims spend the ninth month of
14
the Islamic calendar observing a community-wide
fast. The annual fast of Ramadan is considered
one of the five “pillars” of Islam. Muslims who
are physically able are required to fast each
day of the entire month, from sunrise to sunset.
According to the Holy Quran, “The month of
Ramadan is that wherein was revealed the Qur’an,
as guidance to mankind, and clear proofs of the
guidance, and the Criterion. So, whoever among
you witnesses the month should fast.” (Surah
II “The Cow”, 184.) Several traditions of the
Prophet enjoin Muslims to observe fasting as
one of the five basic pillars of Islam, of which
we quote the following:
Like all Islamic months, Ramadan starts
when the new moon is born. Although nowadays
advanced equipment are used to determine the
date of the new moon, a number of Muslim
countries still stick to the old tradition of spotting
the moon. If the new moon is seen on the 29th
day of “Shabaan”, then Ramadan starts the next
day. If not, then “Shabaan” completes 30 days
and Ramadan starts the day after. Spotting the
moon has always been an important event. In
Cairo, from the 7th to 10th centuries, the chief
judge used to go to the “Moqattam” hills to
view the new crescent. Later, an observatory
was built on the hills, in order to watch the
moon. During the Fatimid period, Mosques were
always repaired and thoroughly cleaned before
the advent of Ramadan, lights and decorations
During the rest of the month, special breakfast
“Iftar” and supper “Sohour” are provided by
the Fatimid Caliph and by the big mosques,
where everyone, regardless of their social
standing, can eat for free. In the 13th century
the kitchens of the Mamelouk Sultans used
to make food for the poor. Servants carried
trays of food around the city. Many prisoners
were also set free each Ramadan. Since the
Fatimid times, the streets of Egypt in Ramadan
have always been decorated with lanterns. The
lanterns or “Fanous” were an important part
of the celebrations. They were used to light
the procession which went to spot the crescent
and to announce the start and end of each
day’s fasting. Today, lanterns are hung over
the streets and in people’s houses, and children
are given a small lantern. Free “Iftar” meals are
served outside the main Mosques, and are also
- “Every deed of the Son of Adam is for
himself, except fasting - it is for me, and I
shall reward it.” [Reported by Muslim, Abu
Dawud, Nasa’i, Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah]
- “Whoever fasts Ramadan with faith and expectation
[of reward], his previous sins are forgiven.” [Reported
by Bukhari, Muslim and Abu Dawud]
15
provided by wealthy people. The evenings are
spent enjoying family and community meals,
engaging in prayer and spiritual reflection, and
reading from the Quran.
The Prophet Muhammad broke his fast by
consuming a few dates soaked in milk; he
then prayed the Maghrib prayer and continued
consuming the rest of his Iftar. “Iftar” starts
with a sweet juice such as “Kammruddin”,
or apricot juice or “khushaf”, which is dried
dates soaked in water with sugar. After the
juice the soup is served, followed by meat,
rice and salad dishes. Families often eat a lot
of sweets during the evening too. “Sohur” is
the last meal for a Muslim before starting a
new day of fasting at dawn. A typical Egyptian
“Sohour” includes “foul” beans or lentils, yoghurt,
cheese, vegetables or salad, bread and dessert.
Together, these provide a balanced meal, and
prepare the body for a new day of fasting.
All Muslims who have reached puberty and
are in good health are required to fast. The
sick and elderly, along with travelers, pregnant
women and those who are nursing are exempt,
although they are supposed to make up for
the missed fast days sometime in the future
or help feed the poor.
In addition to the five daily prayers, during
Ramadan Muslims recite a special prayer called
the “Taraweeh” prayer (Night Prayer). The
length of this prayer is usually 2-3 times as long
as the daily prayers. Some Muslims spend the
entire night in the mosque praying “Taraweeh”.
The evening of the 27th day of the month
marks the most special day of the year due to
some people’s beliefs that “Laylat-al-Qadr” (the
Night of Decree) is observed. It is believed that
on this “Laylat-al-Qadr” Prophet Muhammad
received the first revelation of the Holy Quran.
Any prayer or deed preformed on that day is
returned manifold and all sins are forgiven.
Breaking the Ramadan Fast: Eid Al-Fitr
The conclusion of Ramadan is marked with
a major celebration known as “Eid al-Fitr”,
the Feast of Fast-Breaking. It starts the day
after Ramadan ends and lasts for three days.
Eid al-Fitr includes special prayers and meals
with friends and relatives, and gift are often
exchanged.
Egypt hosts
Très Court
International
Film Festival
for 1st time
"Très Court" – The Very
Short Movies International
Festival 18th edition was
held in Egypt for the first
time June 3-12, 2016.
Très Court International
Film Festival is an event
without borders, with
screenings during 9 days
simultaneously in nearly one
hundred cities in France and
28 other countries. The major
program of the festival is the
international competition.
Fifty films of less than 3
minutes (excluding title
and credits) representing
the best and especially
the shorter of the global
audiovisual production
year are presented each
16
year. Paroles de Femmes
(Women's Words) is a
competiton created by
Très Court Montpellier
and distributed in the
network of the festival.
This international program
is especially dedicated
to women. Très Court
International Film Festival
is an event organized by
the Paris-based Nanosphere
Productions.
A "Très Court" is a 3
minutes maximun short
movie, excluding titles
and credits. All kinds
are represented: fiction,
animation, documentary,
music video, video blog
etc. It's a movie format
expending strongly, on TV
and particularly on the
Net. It's now common to
use tablet computers or
mobile phones to watch
these very short videos.
The Magic Diner, Niclas
Larsson (United States)
won the Grand Prix of the
International Competition.
Bla Bla Bla, Alexis Morante
(Spain) won Originality Award.
Rollin' Safari, Anna Habermehl,
Constantin Päplow, Kyra
Buschor (Germany) won
Animation Award. Je suis
le machisme ordinaire,
Fabrice Roulliat (France)
won Women's Right Award.
17
Sumo wrestler Osunaarashi becomes
tourism ambassador for Egypt
Egyptian-African Relations
Abdelrahman Shaalan who goes by the ring
name of Osunaarashi, (which translates into
Great Sandstorm in Japanese) has become
the first Arab and muslim to compete as a
professional sumo wrestler in Japan. He is
also the first Egyptian and African to achieve
the feat.
Egypt is closely connected to her mother
continent Africa as the country’s strategic location
in northeastern Africa and southwestern Asia
has empowered it to be Africa’s gate to Asia
and Europe, North and South America. EgyptAfrica bond goes beyond the geographical and
demographical dimensions, however. Historically
speaking, ancient Egyptians sought to discover
the River Nile’s sources and this helped them to
explore other prospects of relationship with then
kingdoms in the Continent. Africa has, therefore,
been a pivotal element in building the Egyptian
personality and shaping its identity. Hence,
different Egyptian constitutions, particularly
the 2014 Constitution, have confirmed the
African nature of Egypt, being “the head of
Africa on the Mediterranean and the estuary
of its greatest River: the Nile”.
Egypt’s Osunaarashi became a tourism
ambassador for Egypt, in a campaign to
encourage Japanese to visit his native country.
“I want to contribute in various ways for the
sake of Egypt,” the 24-year-old wrestler,
whose real name is Abdelrahman Ahmed
Shaalan, said at a press conference in Cairo.
He recalled a meeting with Egyptian
President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi during the
latter’s visit to Japan earlier this year, saying
the president had at that time invited him to
expand his contributions beyond the world of
sports.
Osunaarashi’s current trip marks his first
return to Egypt in about three years. “Next
time I come back to Egypt, I would like to make
the trip together with a group of Japanese
travelers,” he said.
Barcelona football legend Carles Puyol
visits Giza pyramids, new museum
Indeed, Egypt’s policy towards Africa reflects
the country’s priorities, sense of pride and deeprooted affiliation. These principles were rendered
into practical steps under one of the fathers
of modern Africa: late President Gamal Abdel
Nasser. Under Nasser, Egypt heavily supported
the struggle battles against imperialism and
foreign occupation that most African nations
were suffering from in the 1950s and the 1960s
of the past century. Egypt was also one of
the founding members of the Organization of
African Unity that later turned into the African
Union, the resounding voice of all African
peoples in the international forums.
Following the June 30th Revolution in Egypt,
Egyptian foreign policy has placed Africa at
the center of its agenda to restore the country’s
old vibrant role in promoting and supporting
African issues. President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi
has repeatedly confirmed in his speeches that we
are “determined to restore Egypt’s position in
Africa,” and to effectively “participate with other
African countries in confronting the surrounding
challenges, particularly terrorism, organized
crime and diseases.” Actually, the President’s
speech was a plan of action. In June 2014,
President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi participated in
the African Union Summit held in Malabo,
Equatorial Guinea,and he stressed that Egypt
would “continue its role towards promoting
cooperation among the African peoples.”
Egypt welcomed Former FC Barcelona football captain Carles
Puyol who visited the country on the 27th of May. The former
Spanish football player chose to visit Egypt, considering its
famous touristic attractions. The former Barcelona football
club captain visited the Giza pyramids and the as-yet-unopened
Grand Egyptian Museum. Guided by Tarek Tewfik, the museum's
supervisor, the former European and world champion was
shown the state-of-the-art laboratory at the museum and
informed about the details of its coming collections. Tewfik
said that Puyol expressed his desire to attend the museum's
upcoming official opening.
During his visit, Puyol watched the final championship
league at a private event. He also gave a speech, in which
he expressed his admiration for Egypt and its friendly people
during a press conference at the Nile Ritz Carlton, located
in the heart of Cairo, between the majestic Nile river and
Tahrir square.
18
18
19
He also vowed that the country would
“do its utmost in collaboration with African
brothers to settle disputes in the Continent.”
During his participation in that summit, el-Sisi
met with the Ethiopian Prime Minister Haile
Mariam Desalegn, signaling a new era in the
Egyptian-Ethiopian relationship as the two
leaders issued a joint statement in which the
Egyptian government recognized Ethiopia’s
right to development, while Ethiopia made a
commitment to avoid any harm on Egypt’s uses
of water during the process of constructing the
Renaissance Dam. In January 2015, President
el-Sisi led Egypt’s delegation to Addis Ababa,
Ethiopia to participate in the African Union
Summit. In that summit, Egypt’s candidacy
for a non-permanent seat in the UN Security
Council was endorsed by the African countries.
Thanks to the African support, Egypt won the
seat in October 2015.
In March 2015, el-Sisi made a historic visit
to Ethiopia and he addressed the Ethiopian
Parliament where he called for drafting a “new
page in the history of the Egyptian-Ethiopian
relationship to realize the aspirations of our
peoples.” In June 2015, Egypt hosted the Tripartite
African Summit (COMESA-EAC-SADC) that
brought together 26 member states in order to
establish the free trade zone among the participant
countries. This summit was a “turning point in
the history of economic integration in Africa,”
as President el-Sisi put it, given that the free
20
trade zone agreement would open the way
before the integration of 625 million people in
the region whose GDP hits USD 1.2 trillion.
In February 2016, Egypt hosted the “Africa
2016 Investment Forum”, which was another
step towards economic integration with the
Continent. President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi said
in the summit that “realizing development
remains the main challenge facing all of us
which requires that all mechanisms of the joint
African action be developed.” In fact, this Forum
was held to promote the competitiveness of
African economies in the international arena
and introduce the huge potentials, abundant in
Africa, to the foreign investors. It also wanted to
enable African businessmen and entrepreneurs
to better communicate with their counterparts
in the world.
the Egyptian Fund for Technical Cooperation
with Africa and the Egyptian Fund for Technical
Cooperation with Commonwealth States. The
EAPD supports the development aspirations of
African countries through capacity building,
transfer of knowledge, skills and expertise. It
also works on promoting the private sector’s
role in the overall economic development of
the continent. The EAPD is also responsible
for providing technical and financial assistance
for brothers and sisters in Africa; providing
training courses and workshops for African
professionals in all fields; mobilizing resources
for African development projects, and working
with Asian and South American countries to
realize the best interests of African nations.
The Egyptian Agency of Partnership for
Development deploys 61 experts in 21 African
countries in the fields of health, engineering
and education with the aim of advancing the
causes of development in those countries. The
EAPD works on establishing medical centers,
particularly in Nile Basin countries, to help
provide up-to-date medical services for our
African brothers and sisters.
Development cannot be realized without
peace and stability, however. Egypt, therefore,
participates in the peacekeeping missions
spanning everywhere in Africa. Egypt deploys
2613 personnel in the missions in the Western
Sahara (MINURSO), the Central African
Republic (MINUSCA), Darfur (UNAMID),
South Sudan (UNMISS), Liberia (UNMIL),
Cote d’Ivoire (UNOCI), among others. Earlier
in 1995, Egypt established Cairo Center for
Conflict Prevention and Peace Building in
Africa. The Center works in collaboration
with the African Union to maintain peace and
settle disputes and conflicts in the Continent.
It also plays a key role in providing training
on peacekeeping missions in Africa.
It is true that President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi
has realized the importance of restoring Egypt’s
status in her mother continent: Africa. Hence,
he met with almost 40 African heads of state
in almost two years since assuming office in
June 2014. Egypt’s cooperation with Africa
is indispensible not only because of the huge
and mostly untapped resources in Africa, but
also because of the historical responsibility
of Egypt towards the Continent.
For that reason, Egypt officially launched
the Egyptian Agency of Partnership for
Development (EAPD) in July 2014 after merging
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