Egypt proud to contribute to global peacekeeping

Egypt is proud of its active participation in the international peacekeeping tasks in 1999 in various parts of the world, its permanent representative to the UN Ambassador Ahmed Abu El Gheit said.

Some 300 armed forces and police officers have taken part in peacekeeping missions in Central Africa, Kosovo, East Timor, Sierra Leone, Bosnia and the Western Sahara, he told an opening UN session to review the peacekeeping tasks.

Abu El Gheit outlined the challenges facing the peacekeeping missions in the coming phase.

He stressed the need for further consultation between the Security Council and countries contributing to the peacekeeping missions in the formulation and establishment of a force.

Director of the UN Population and Development Fund (UNPDF) Director, Nefis Sadeq is scheduled to be in Cairo on February 17, said Egypt's Chief Delegate to the UN, Ahmed Abul Gheit.

Sadeq will hold a series of important meetings with officials on the activities of the fund in Egypt, said Abul Gheit.

The visit comes within efforts to curb the population growth, redraw the demographic map together with improvement of health care and women conditions.

The fund program in Egypt from 1998 to 2000 costs about $ 18 million, of which Egypt pays $ 2.6 million, said Abul Gheit.