Ministers address National Social Development Conference
Egypt, Politics, 9/19/2000

A cluster of Ministers addressed on Monday the National Social Development Conference, on its second day.

Minister of Insurance and Social Affairs Amina Al Guindy said the future social policy of Egypt would cope with internal changes and the international dimension of the development with view to covering basic needs of citizens and boosting social security programs.

The Minister told the conference that the government is supporting a group of comprehensive programs to cater for the marginalized categories and merge them into the society, including the social guarantee program for the poor, limited income, and needy income-deprived families.

Guindy said the government caters for the elderly, the disabled, and homeless children.

Housing, Utilities, and Urban Communities Minister Mohammed Ibrahim Solaiman warned of the population increase problem in Egypt, especially in urban areas.

Solaiman said such increase is a prime factor in impeding development efforts and leads to urban expansion at the expense of agricultural lands.

He said the Egyptian population doubled during the past 100 years more than six folds.

Egypt, according to studies, will have, during the coming 30 years, 65 more million people over and above the population figure at present, he pointed out.

Finance Minister Medhat Hassanean, on his part, said that the state is spending more money on social development.

In figures, the State spends not less than 40 per cent of the total revenues of the 2000/2001 State Budget on social development, LE 18.2 billion are spent on education, LE 6.3 billion on health services, LE 5.8 billion on basic commodities, LE 11.4 billion on social insurance programs, and LE 3.3 billion on other social services.

The finance Minister stressed the government's determination to increase social spending in a bid to limit the unemployment rate and find new job opportunities.

He said the fundamental principle, ruling the State finance department, is not to levy new taxes on working citizens or business owners.

Minister of Information Safwat A1 Sherif said that foremost among the goals of Egyptian media in the coming stage is to uphold national and cultural identity in the age of open skies, communications technology and modern information.

Minister of Information added that this is based on sound thinking which relies on deepening the adherence of citizens to their roots, civilization, history, customs and traditions while encouraging opening up on the world, interacting with age and exploring new horizons before citizens to coexist with a changing world around us and to benefit from every technological progress.

The Minister's message was read out on his behalf by Nabil Osman, Chairman of the State Information Service (SIS), during a session of the conference which discussed media and development.

Al Sherif said in his message to the conference that the coming stage aims at keeping pace with the overall development in Egypt and to meet its needs.

Egypt has laid down ambitious plans for development which places on the shoulders of media the responsibility of providing advanced media services of all kinds for the new communities.

This is provided by the Egyptian Satellite Nilesat 101 in order to reach every spot in Egypt with the aim of encouraging the scientific community and deepening knowledge in collaboration with the educational, research and production institutions.

The Minister said it was important to mobilize national will and people's participation in development efforts to promote social awareness and participate in overall national programs for human development, considering that they are among the most important elements of development.

This is realized through the efficient role being played by specialized educational and health channels, the family channel and the news, culture and varieties channels.

The Minister said Egyptian media was keeping pace with continued modernization in the technologies of the media and communications and will have an international presence as Egypt possesses Egyptian satellites with high technological advantages. He referred to the importance of strengthening Egypt's effective role as a pivotal country which has a civilization radiation in its regional and international sphere.

A1 Sherif said that the free media zone at October 6 City is one of the prominent stations in the world of Arab media, space transmission and dramatic and television production which culminated in an integrated project in which work has begun since the middle of the 80s according to phased plans.

The minister of Information said that the decision to manufacture and launch the Egyptian satellite Nilesat 101 is by all standards, a civilized big stride for Egyptian media.

Egypt's second satellite, Nilesat 102. has been launched from Korouo base in South America. It carries 12 transponders and has the advantage, over Nilesat 101, of having the technological possibilities of interaction and education at a distance.

The Minister of Information reviewed efforts of Egyptian media to keep pace with the great developments being witnessed by the world in the field of communications during the past two decades of the 20th century.

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