In a string of activities this week, President Hosni Mubarak visited a number of industrial companies and production sites in the city of Borg al-Arab, western Alexandria, following his electoral platform which promises the establishing of 1000 factories. A number of ministers, along with Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif and Governor of Alexandria Adel Labib, escorted the president during his tour of three of five major Egyptian exporting factories for spinning and weaving. “1299 factories have been established, which exceeds the president's goal,” said Rachid Mohamed Rachid, Minister of Trade and Industry. Meanwhile, Minister of Culture Farouk Hosni said that Mubarak will meet today with a number of intellectuals. The meeting comes after another meeting between the president and a group of artists. “The president discussed several political, social and economic issues with artists, told them about the 6th of October war and assured them that the nation's political and economic future will be safe," said Hosni about that meeting. Following the meeting, the artists said that they also discussed the issues they face as artists. They assured the press that the president was in good health. Mubarak is expected to meet with 14 prominent intellectuals, including Mohamed Salmawy, the president of the Egyptian Writers Union; novelist Youssef al-Qaeed; Gaber Asfour, the head of the National Translation Center in Cairo; and poet Ahmed abdel Mo'ty Hegazy. “We're at the doorsteps of crucial presidential elections,” said Salmawy. “The president's connection with intellectuals is an absolute guarantee for the upcoming period to which we look forward.” Salmawy considers Mubarak “the most important candidate on the scene.” Mubarak will also attend the Exceptional Arab Summit and the Arab African Summit, which will be held in the Libyan city of Sirt on 9 and 10 October. These activities raised the president's public appearance this week, ahead of the parliamentary elections slated for November 2010 and the presidential elections in 2011. In a statement on Wednesday Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif said that the ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) has not yet selected its candidate for next year's presidential elections. Translated from the Arabic Edition.
