Hands on experience will help promote success, argues Taher S Helmy* Restructuring institutions is a huge task, requiring the coordination of every administrative branch. The goal is efficient government capable of serving people and encouraging the spirit of enterprise that helps economies thrive. But to realise the potential of such a major enterprise people must be free to act, to make intelligent decisions and put them to work. They must also be willing to cooperate, to rally all available resources to their cause. In July we saw a significant step made in this direction with the announcement of the new cabinet. Several of the appointees have worked together on economic policy before and bring a new cohesion and sense of purpose to the administrative branch. The creation of new ministries and the appointment of these experienced leaders is a reason for optimism. First, the appointment of Ahmed Nazif as prime minister represents a major break with tradition. Promoting the youngest member of an outgoing cabinet to the highest position in a new one is a sign that performance, not just seniority, governs such decisions. Nazif's Ministry of Communications and Information Technology was a bright spot on an otherwise lacklustre economic scene. Not only has the ministry delivered a 34 per cent growth rate for Egypt's nascent IT sector in just five years, Nazif created the ministry from scratch, a job requiring vision, careful, realistic planning, the ability to set both short- and long-term objectives and then to systematically pursue them. I can say from having had the opportunity to work with Nazif (as a past member of the board of Telecom Egypt) that he is a doer and his track record proves it. Nazif is respected, both here and abroad, as a man of integrity who appreciates the value of cooperation and is unafraid to delegate responsibility and make difficult decisions -- all necessary qualities in a prime minister. Likewise, the appointment of Tareq Kamel as Nazif's successor in the ICT Ministry was a wise choice. Kamel was the co-architect of the new ministry; he knows its every nook and cranny and is another exceptionally capable, motivated individual. Mahmoud Mohieddin's appointment as head of the new Ministry of Investment is reason for still more optimism. In fact, the creation of this ministry is itself an achievement since it will unite under one roof the many disparate authorities responsible for investment and development. The next step is completing the restructuring of these agencies into a single, cohesive ministry. The dynamic Mohieddin has shown that he has what it takes to do the job, which is vital to our economy. Aside from commitment and energy, Mohieddin brings hard- earned knowledge to the table. As head of the Economic Committee of the National Democratic Party he has worked diligently on policy issues for several years, knows their ramifications and is prepared to act. The new foreign trade and industry minister, the highly respected Rashid Mohamed Rashid was also part of the party policy committee and is excellently suited to his new position. As an executive board member of Unilever, one of the world's largest corporations, and chairman of Unilever Mashreq, Rashid has made an outstanding contribution to Egypt's industrial sector and knows first-hand the difficulties that confront it. A member of AmCham Egypt, his work is a fine example of private sector leadership and success. Now that he is free to apply his talents to Egypt's industry and trade arenas, we can expect more proof of his abilities. Likewise Ahmed El-Maghrabi, another prominent member of the private sector and perfectly matched to his appointment as minister of tourism. He knows the business from the inside out, as an investor, developer and operator. As partner and shareholder with Accor, one of the world's largest hotel franchises, he brings a fresh perspective to his work as well as knowledge of Egypt's strengths and weaknesses in a sector crucial to Egypt's economic future. On the whole, the new cabinet offers a great opportunity for real change. In many parts of the world private sector participation in government is nothing new. In Egypt it represents a major shift in focus. For the first time, the people who had always advocated reform in economic policy can now directly implement it. They are free to act based on real experience in the field. They represent a cohesive group, with the same goals and understanding of what can be achieved through cooperation. These men did not seek office; by virtue of their achievements they qualified for it and were willing to serve their country on a higher, demanding level. AmCham Egypt applauds their appointment and pledges support. We also recognise the challenges to come. The task is to create new and more efficient administrative bodies to facilitate investment and job creation. The new ministries will have to be built to last, so that their founders will leave behind organisations that can attract more people like themselves to contribute to long-term success. People, policies and institutions need to move and work together. The new cabinet represents a golden opportunity to do so and therefore merits our highest cooperation. Expectations are high. * The writer is the president of The American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) in Egypt.
