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Saturday, March 04, 2000
President Mohammad Hosni Mubarak addressed a statement , read out on his excellency's behalf by Minister of Manpower and Immigration Ahmed al-Ammawi. Following is the full text of the statement: " On behalf of the Arab Republic of Egypt, I am glad to welcome you in Egypt on the opening of the inaugral meeting of the 27 th session of the Arab Labour Organization Confernce (ALO) held at Sharm el-Sheikh on March 4, 2000 . On this occasion, it pleases me welcome the ministers, members of delegations, labour and trade union federation and organization and businessmen, participating in this conference, thanking you for attending and wishing you all to enjoy your stay in Egypt and your conference all success Ladies and Gentelmen, This conference coincides with the aftermath of the second Millennium that had witnessed many enormous event that left their impact on all walks of human life; as well as the wake of a new millennium with a potentially more aacelerating pace and high productivity, quality, creativity, transparency and economic and political groupings as salient features. We have to agree that we can never isolate ourselves from a world that is so rapidly changing that it will affect us, willingly or unwillingly. We are required to enhance our ability to respond to such change, with full understanding of its justifications and requirements. In so doing, we have to adopt an interactive approach, by sharing in the formulation of new concepts and by making rather than only consuming technology. Why should not we do so, in view of the fact that we do belong to time-honoured civilizations that had survived over thousand of years from the Atlantic Ocean to the Arabian Gulf. These civilizations introduced to humanity original scientists who set building blocks for the sciences of medicine, astronomy, mathematics among others. On the other hand, we have to admit that our steps are no longer progressing at the pace required for today's world. This will require us to have on Arab strategy that stresses the specific identity of Arab nation, in terms of cultural heritage and religious values, take into consideration other civilizations, and experiences, such strategy should provide for the development and utilization of human energies in such a way as to ensure creativity and quality. Our joined action on the pan-Arab level requires optimum utilization of our resources to achieve comprehensive Arab development based on cooperation , integrate solidarity and concerted effort to face challenges. We can clearly see that our Arab region, with all its available resources, think-tanks and manpower, is well-qualified to occupy a remarkable position among nations. Development in Egypt is not confined to a specific area, but rather extend to the whole expanse of Egyptian territory, of which we particularly mention Toshka, Ewaninat, Upper Egypt, Sinai, Suez Gulf and East of Port Said. The coming period will witness an urgent drive towards developing Egyptian villages to be a basic source of production. All development ambitions in Egypt are driven by the goal of moving out from the narrow valley to wider areas of Egypt's vast territory, providing employment opportunities for young generations and prospects of decent life for coming generations. The Egyptian economy successfully managed to safely cross the turmoils that had hit world economy over the past year, because it had already integrated into world market in gradual steps harmoniously paced with its rates of growth and maturity. With the beginning of the last decade, we make up our minds to integrate into global economy under such terms set and implemented by the people of Egypt. Our reform policies envisaged in gradual transition for Egyptian economy to free-market system, where the private sector plays a leading role. This gradual transition was envisioned along basic principle, taking into consideration the social dimension and particularly the interests of Egypt's working force, while ensuring that not a single worker will be affected by such transition. Egypt has signed a number of agreements with some sisterly more communities to creat free-trade zones, as a prelude to the long-aspired that common market, visualized 35 years ago. Undoubtedly, all our Arab countries are in dires need for such a group as a means of conformity international economic blocks and maintaining reasonable levels of national income and living standards of its population . Ladies and Gentlemen, We are keenly interested in achieving comprehensive peace in the Middle East. Our inconditional and persistent pursuit of peace is actuated by a belief that it is an absolute necessity for the well-being of any nation. Peace is the basic factor for the security, stability and growth of the peoples of the region. Therefor, we spare no effort in persuing any option leading to an all out, just, and balanced settlement freely acceptable by all parties in our Arab region based on international legitmacy. Such settlement should provide for equal rights for all parts, thus insuring viable and permanent peace. Egypt has always upheld Arab rights in Golan, South Lebanon and Palestinian territories. We also condemn all forms of blatant Israeli aggression and intransigence, including the aggression against Lebanon while affirming the right of the Lebanese people to sovereignty over its land. Ladies and Gentlemen, I have followed up with interest the agenda of your conference that address a host of major current issues contained in the Director-General's report on Arab manpower on the threshold of the new century, administrative development and its role in raising productivity, development of labor relations in addition to other issues of high priority. Since its inception, the Arab labor organization has issued a host of labor agreements providing protection and care for manpower. We expect the organization to launch studies and surveys of manpower on the level of the Arab world, proposing such programmes as would augment the volume of manpower and new employment opportunities and reduce rates of unemployment both open and disguised. We call upon Arab governments to activate Arab labour agreements and enact such legislation as would accelerate the base of human development and provide adequate protection for manpower to produce the best possible returns. We look forward with great interest to resolutions and recommendations to be issued by your conference, following intensive consideration and analysis of subject issues by parties to the production process. I thank you and wish the conference all success in achieving aspired objectives for the sake of the progress and prosperity of our Arab nations and peoples of the world as a whole. May Allah peace, mercy and blessings be upon you. |
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