"Narrative Summit" Releases 2025 Recommendations to Cement Egypt's Position as a Global Tourism Destination    Egypt, S.Arabia step up trade ties through coordination council talks    Egypt reviews progress on $200m World Bank-funded waste management hub    Egypt urges Israel to accept Gaza deal amid intensifying fighting    Egypt, ADIB explore strategic partnership in digital healthcare, investment    SCZONE, Tokyo Metropolitan Government sign MoU on green hydrogen cooperation    Egypt welcomes international efforts for peace in Ukraine    Al-Sisi, Macron reaffirm strategic partnership, coordinate on Gaza crisis    Contact Reports Strong 1H-2025 on Financing, Insurance Gains    Egypt, India's BDR Group in talks to establish biologics, cancer drug facility    AUC graduates first cohort of film industry business certificate    Egyptian pound down vs. US dollar at Monday's close – CBE    Egypt's FM, Palestinian PM visit Rafah crossing to review Gaza aid    Egypt prepares unified stance ahead of COP30 in Brazil    Egypt recovers collection of ancient artefacts from Netherlands    Egypt harvests 315,000 cubic metres of rainwater in Sinai as part of flash flood protection measures    Egypt, Namibia explore closer pharmaceutical cooperation    Fitch Ratings: ASEAN Islamic finance set to surpass $1t by 2026-end    Renowned Egyptian novelist Sonallah Ibrahim dies at 88    Egyptian, Ugandan Presidents open business forum to boost trade    Al-Sisi says any party thinking Egypt will neglect water rights is 'completely mistaken'    Egypt's Sisi warns against unilateral Nile measures, reaffirms Egypt's water security stance    Egypt's Sisi, Uganda's Museveni discuss boosting ties    Egypt, Huawei explore healthcare digital transformation cooperation    Egypt's Sisi, Sudan's Idris discuss strategic ties, stability    Egypt to inaugurate Grand Egyptian Museum on 1 November    Greco-Roman rock-cut tombs unearthed in Egypt's Aswan    Egypt reveals heritage e-training portal    Sisi launches new support initiative for families of war, terrorism victims    Egypt expands e-ticketing to 110 heritage sites, adds self-service kiosks at Saqqara    Palm Hills Squash Open debuts with 48 international stars, $250,000 prize pool    On Sport to broadcast Pan Arab Golf Championship for Juniors and Ladies in Egypt    Golf Festival in Cairo to mark Arab Golf Federation's 50th anniversary    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    A minute of silence for Egyptian sports    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



We are not there yet, says Minister of Transport
Published in Daily News Egypt on 14 - 10 - 2009

CAIRO: The Minister of Transport Mohamed Mansour addressed members of the American Chamber of Commerce in Egypt at AmCham's first meeting of the fall, entitled "Transport in Egypt: Have We Achieved?
Mansour addressed the assembled representatives from the private sector as old friends, opening with a relieved-sounding "It's good to be home. As a former president of AmCham and head of Al Mansour Motor Group, Mansour somewhat ruefully acknowledged his life-changing transition to the ministry four years earlier.
For the "friendly faces at AmCham, the minister chose to recite a litany of achievements made by the ministry of transport, achievements that a less sympathetic group might characterize as "too little, too late. AmCham itself proved ready to tease their former president, opening with the song "One Way Ticket to the Blues and a photo of a train.
The minister's initial remarks seemed almost dispirited, calling the transport sector "the most challenging, even for those from the private sector who "carry DNA for success. Indulging in further transportation humor, he joked, "But there is light at the end of the tunnel.
Mansour quoted Egypt's oft-repeated 4.7 percent growth rate and revealed that the transport sector had grown by 8.1 percent during the same period, helping to drive Egypt's economy.
He dove into the five key priorities of the ministry: development of the national road network, the railroad system, sea ports, river transport and, finally, public transport.
He praised the development of the port system, citing that revenues from most global ports had decreased by 20 percent due to the financial crisis, while profit from Egypt's ports grew. While ships once passed Egypt by, new development in ports such as the "jewel of East Port Said saw them include Egyptian ports on shipping itineraries.
For the railroad sector, Mansour specified that 126 carriages had been rehabilitated out of 400 total, while 52 stations had been redone. He promised that the Ramses Station would renovated by 2010 and that private companies would have the opportunity to profit from the 140,000 travelers passing through each day. He also announced that LE 200 million had been added to bonuses for Egyptian National Rail workers.
He praised the construction effort for the Metro's Third Line, at having 90 percent of the project completed six months ahead of schedule.
"Are we there yet? he asked, and answered himself, "No.
He thanked the Ministry of Finance for essentially issuing him a blank check.
"In February 2009, [Finance Minister] Yousef Boutros-Ghali called me up and asked how much money I would need to achieve real progress in Egyptian transport. I consulted with advisers and came up with a figure: LE 1.6 billion. The next morning it was done. Since then, we've had trouble building roads fast enough to keep up with the funds available.
He contextualized his presentation as intended to "whet the appetites of bankers and investors, apparently to help the ministry continue its efforts. The intention to lure money was mirrored by the lavish lunch and Four Seasons' venue chosen to host the assembled members and corporate sponsors of AmCham.
"Get involved, the minister urged, "transportation is a main player.
The presentation of the ministry's achievements coincides with the release of a report on the transportation sector compiled by APL, a member of the Singapore-based NOR shipping group, titled "Connecting Egypt. Both the report and the minister's speech seem geared to attract attention to prime investment opportunities and strong pro-business support from the government.
After taking full responsibility for his ministry's achievements, Mansour backpedaled slightly when questioned on less satisfactory aspects of the transport sector.
Questioned by Curt Ferguson, executive vice president of AmCham partner, Coca Cola, about the number of traffic accidents that occur on Egyptian roads, the minister explained that only 7 percent of accidents are due to the roads themselves, 75 percent are attributable to a human factor, and the rest to external factors such as the car itself.
Mansour was also quick to communicate that his jurisdiction did not extend to many aspects of transportation in Cairo. However, he previewed an upcoming presidential decree that will bring transportation of the five governorates comprising Cairo, "and all their accompanying head-aches, under the ministry's umbrella.
Returning to a congratulatory tone, Ferguson asked whether the ministry had hired a public relations firm to communicate their successes.
"For three years I haven't been talking, but doing. People need to see results. Now I am talking again. But like the ministries of health and housing, it takes time . I say produce first, answer questions later.


Clic here to read the story from its source.