By DONNA URSCHEL
Despite some roadblocks, Egypt is on its way to becoming part of the global community, said experts at the symposium "Egypt and Globalization" on March 28 at the Library.
Experts described how Egypt has taken important economic and political steps toward globalization. Policies are still needed, however, to solve many complex issues, such as illiteracy, unemployment and the high cost of communications technology.
The symposium, sponsored by the African and Middle Eastern Division of the Library, was part of a one-day program on "Egypt: Yesterday and Tomorrow," which began with the visit the day before of first lady Suzanne Mubarak of Egypt.
Mrs. Mubarak, chairman of the International Commission for the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, gave a talk on the ancient Library of Alexandria and on the international effort under way to revive the library. The following day's symposium consisted of two panels: globalization in the Egyptian media and globalization and the Egyptian economy. Mary- Jane Deeb, Arab world area specialist at the Library, and Prosser Gifford, the Library's director of Scholarly Programs, chaired the panels.
Media panelists included Shafik Gabr, publisher of a new English-language monthly magazine in Cairo called Pharaohs; William Rugh, former ambassador to Yemen and president of America- Mideast Educational and Training Services (AMIDEAST); and Mohammed Wahby, president of the Association of Arab Correspondents in Washington.
Mr. Gabr, whose new magazine focuses on globalization in Egypt and the Middle East, urged Egypt to privatize its media and other industries. He also described other important challenges ahead for the country, including the need to improve the standard of living by creating jobs, the need to attract foreign investments and the need for effective public- private partnerships.
"The Mideast economies are all in transition. We are at a very serious crossroads," he said.
Mr. Gabr said he started his magazine eight months ago to bring into focus the issues related to Egypt's entering the world economy.
"Pharaohs is a response to globalization. It provides information from outside Egypt to Egypt and from Egypt to the outside in English. Pharaohs has a mission of bringing together leaders on what's happening in this transition. It provides a platform for dialogue on the issue," he explained.
The next panelist was Mr. Rugh, who presented a historical overview of the role of the media in Egypt and the Arab world. He outlined the long history of the media in Egypt, whose first daily newspaper was published in 1828. In 1953, Egypt was a pioneer in radio broadcasting in the Arab world, and in the early 1960s Egyptian television became important for news and entertainment. The 1970s, however, saw a lessening in influence, as the new mass media, such as the Internet and cable television, drew viewers away from the traditional Egyptian media.
The third media panelist was Mohammed Wahby, who noted that, "except for the fall of the Berlin Wall and dissolution of the Soviet Union, no other subject [in recent history] has created as much controversy in the media as globalization."
He argued that to some globalization comes with a set of positive values: democracy, pluralism and respect for human rights. ... To others, globalization is perceived as emanating from the United States and imposing a Western value system on the entire world.
"Why does the debate about globalization rage so furiously in Egypt?" he asked, and then answered, "The concept of the state is deeply ingrained in the Egyptian soul, and during the last two centuries, Egypt played a leading role in the culture and politics of the Arab world. The centrality of Egypt might be threatened by globalization."
The Egyptian economy was the focus of a panel that included Kemal Dervis, vice president for the Middle East and North Africa region at the World Bank; Ibrahim Khalifa, director of the Egyptian Growth Investment Co.; and Richard Holmes, president of the National U.S.-Arab Chamber of Commerce.
Mr. Dervis said Egypt went through "some really radical" economic changes and transformations during the past 15 years. The 1970s were good years for the economy, but 1980s were "terrible for Egypt," because of a collapse of oil prices and a stalemate in the Egyptian economy, he explained. The public sector and trade deficits were huge, and there was a large foreign debt.
Luckily, creditors gave Egypt a 50 percent reduction in debt, and this relief "completely turned around Egypt's economy," Mr. Dervis said. But those years of hardship in the 1980s -- which resulted in cutbacks in social and public expenditures -- took a toll on the infrastructure of Egypt, he said.
For Egypt to compete successfully in the global marketplace, it must improve skill formation and education, said Mr. Dervis. "Egypt is trying hard, but the challenge is huge. Higher education needs a radical overhaul. The public sector cannot do it by itself. The private sector has to enter the sphere, but not just with private academies for the wealthy."
The second challenge is to create a trade policy with Europe. Mr. Dervis thinks this can be achieved by providing services, specifically tourism and high technology.
"Egypt is very underexploited in the tourist area. Tourism can grow 20 to 25 percent," Mr. Dervis said.
The third challenge is for Egypt to create a strong social policy to aid its less fortunate citizens. "With globalization, there will be large segments of the population who will feel left out. It is unavoidable for a while," he said.
Mr. Khalifa, who followed Mr. Dervis, described some of Egypt's economic successes: The nation has reduced its budget deficit year after year and, as of fiscal year 1998-99, was at 1.3 percent of gross domestic product. Egypt has reduced inflation from 21 percent in 1991-92 to 3.8 percent in 1998-99, and Mr. Khalifa pointed out that Egypt has a strong foreign currency reserve of about U.S. $18 billion.
Privatization, according to Mr. Khalifa, has helped Egypt to revitalize its stock market, receive an influx of foreign investments, develop new management and new management techniques and create a generation of new entrepreneurs. It has even helped attract Egyptians living abroad to return home.
The symposium concluded with Mr. Holmes, who discussed the role of communication technology in globalizing the Egyptian economy. He noted that Egypt must improve its technology infrastructure and provide citizens with increased access to the new technologies. In answer to criticisms about globalization, Mr. Holmes said, "technology imposes itself and there's nothing you can do about it."
Ms. Urschel is a freelance writer in the Public Affairs Office.