Yet another "new style of thinking". But what does the NDP really mean by the title it has given to its fifth annual conference? Gamal Essam El-Din ponders possible answers The ruling National Democratic party (NDP) will prioritise political reform and social justice. , chairman of the NDP's Policies Committee, said during a meeting of the Supreme Policies Council (SPC) that the NDP's fifth annual conference will discuss the global financial crisis and how Egypt could avoid its negative impact and maximise its potential opportunities through non conventional ideas. also said that the conference's objective is to come up with a new vision for the period before the parliamentary elections in 2010 and a new American administration in office. In a press conference following Tuesday's meeting of the NDP's SPC chaired by , Mohamed Kamal, head of the party's Secretariat for Indoctrination, said "2,500 delegates from across Egypt will gather between 1-3 November to focus on ways of fighting poverty, improving the living standards of those on low incomes, developing public services, especially in the field of education and health as well as to review the electoral system". The conference, he added, would convene under the title "A New Style of Thinking for the Future of Our Country", and would also discuss new regulations governing national health insurance and land and air transport. In a written message to NDP members on Sunday, NDP Chairman President Hosni Mubarak said the fifth annual conference must focus on social justice. "Social justice was at the heart of the debates at last year's NDP congress and will form the lynchpin of debates at the fifth annual conference." President Mubarak charged the conference with seeking ways to ensure a more equitable distribution of income and improve the standard of living of residents in poor villages and slums. He also called for a debate on how to improve Egypt's investment climate, boost exports, increase the efficiency of the state's administrative apparatus and decentralise public services. Mubarak said he had followed the NDP rallies which started on 5 October closely, as grassroots members were canvassed for suggestions. Rallies at the district, town and governorate levels are scheduled between 15 and 18 October to allow other ordinary citizens to identify their priorities and concerns. "In rallies at all levels," said Mubarak, "NDP members should reinforce their ties with ordinary citizens and give voice to their concerns during the party conference." At the meeting of the SPC, NDP Secretary- General Safwat El-Sherif reported on the results of a party's own poll exploring "priority issues ordinary citizens want the NDP to put on its debate agenda". On top of these, he said, is concern over supplies of potable water, subsidised bread and drainage facilities which the conference will discuss. El-Sherif also revealed that there will be a one-day public debate on the global financial meltdown and its impact on Egypt's economy. Minister of Trade and Industry Rachid Mohamed Rachid and , the son of President Mubarak, have both expressed concern that the financial crisis in the US and Europe would affect revenues from tourism, exports, expatriate remittances and the transit fees earned by the Suez Canal. The NDP's Economic Committee has already prepared a paper on the immediate impact of the global financial crisis and has finalised plans to support Egyptian banks should it prove necessary. It has also discussed ways of meeting the challenges posed by the rise in world food prices. "The committee has looked at ways to achieve food security and how to restructure the oil and energy sectors to generate more revenue for the state treasury," said El-Sherif. On the political front, El-Sherif indicated that the conference would focus on amending laws regulating general elections, personal status matters, professional syndicates and local councils. The objective of new amendments will be to empower women to actively participate in political life, help solve citizenship disputes in a less convoluted manner, broaden the scope of participation in syndicate elections and decentralise local services. El-Sherif explained that additional constituancies will be set up for women competition to increase the number of female MPs. The number of constituancies is yet to be announced. Asked to comment on the hostile press coverage the NDP has received following a series of recent disasters El-Sherif insisted that, "we really know where we stand and where we want to go". The party, he added, "welcomes any positive criticism and respects freedom of speech. It does, however, reject all attempts to level false accusations". "We must stand firm against attempts to engender an atmosphere of failure. The NDP adopts a credible and realistic programme for tackling the country's problems, not empty slogans." El-Sherif further indicated that the conference will review progress made towards implementing President Mubarak's 2005 presidential election programme. "Three years after its announcement in the summer of 2005 progress towards implementing the programme will be the focus of much discussion." El-Sherif also indicated that members of a number of foreign parties will be invited to attend the sessions of the conference. Initial reactions to the disclosures were muted, with independent analysts suggesting the conference agenda was routine. Independent MP Gamal Zahran said that while there was nothing new in the NDP adopting slogans extolling the future, "it is quite clear from the disasters that hit Egypt in the last three years, the fires and the collapse of buildings, that the ruling party lacks any strategy to turn the slogans into reality". Zahran is also worried that the NDP conference has not scheduled any major debate concerning political reform. "In the absence of external pressure following last year's constitutional setbacks a consensus has emerged within NDP ranks that political reform should be completely ignored in favour of populist issues such as social justice," says Zahran. Abdel-Moneim Said, director of Al-Ahram Centre for Political and Strategic Studies, believes that "given the global financial meltdown it is only natural that NDP conference debates focus on social justice". There remains a pressing need for an ambitious political reform programme to improve Egypt's record in democratisation and human rights, argues El-Said. "The gradual pace of political reform has proved to be a failure yet moving the country forward in this respect is more necessary than ever. It will always be counterproductive to move liberal economic reforms forward without simultaneously pushing a public freedom and democracy agenda."
