A new report on the state of development of Mediterranean countries gives cause for concern as well as some hope for the future, writes Hedayat Abdel Nabi* A new report entitled "," praises projects in Egypt and calls for Mediterranean partnerships. Edited by the Blue Plan Regional Activity Centre of the Mediterranean Action Plan, the report is the fruit of collective expertise based on numerous studies and workshops by different components of the Mediterranean Action Plan. Launched this month in Geneva, the report dubs the SEKEM group in Egypt as an example of a social and environmental project based on north/south knowledge and partnerships, investment and fair trade. The SEKEM group is described in the report as a remarkable success story. Founded in 1977 on a 70-hectare desert area near Cairo, the SEKEM group specialised in "bio-dynamic" agriculture. Today, says the report, SEKEM is a network of strong companies with 2000 employees active in, among other things, agriculture production, craftsmanship and pharmaceuticals. SEKEM has its own nurses, schools and apprentice workshops and is a pioneer in producing organic cotton since 1990. SEKEM, the report notes is behind the founding of the Egyptian Bio-dynamic Association that promotes the development of organic agriculture on nearly 4000 hectares throughout the country, including over 400 small and medium sized farms. The report also notes that in Alexandria a textile factory saved 30 per cent on water consumption, 27 per cent on steam and 19 per cent on electricity. Addressing the tourist sector, the regional report says that the aim of Egyptian authorities is to increase tourist flows by 10 per cent per year across the country; from 4 million in 1997 to 27 million in 2017. The requisite accommodation capacity is estimated at about 315,000 additional rooms by 2012. The report stresses that private investments are encouraged through laws that exempt tourism projects from certain taxes. Concerning the water resources, the report says that in Egypt the extension of the use of Nile water outside its basin -- already begun by the Peace Canal towards northern Sinai and the Toshka Canal towards the Kharga oasis and the New Valley -- will be continued and completed by increasing the use of the Nubian aquifer. The report notes that from an optimistic point of view this extension relies on the discharge gains that would result from loss- reducing improvements in the Nile Basin in Southern Sudan -- the Jonglei Canal --with a predicted proportional share for Egypt of about 4 kilometres squared per year in the initial phase and 9 to 10 kilometres squared in the long run. The 450-page document notes that poverty affects all Mediterranean countries and makes a large proportion of the population vulnerable to deprivation with regard to essential basic services and facilities. In monetary terms, the report states, poverty affects 10 per cent of the population of Mediterranean countries, including higher income countries. In Egypt, the report reveals, those who live on less than $2 per day make up 44 per cent of the total population. * The writer is a Geneva-based journalist.
