SCZONE showcases investment opportunities to eight Japanese companies    Egypt urges Israel to accept Gaza deal amid intensifying fighting    Egypt, ADIB explore strategic partnership in digital healthcare, investment    Egypt's PM meets Tokyo governor, witnesses signing of education agreements    Egypt welcomes international efforts for peace in Ukraine    Al-Sisi, Macron reaffirm strategic partnership, coordinate on Gaza crisis    Egypt's Sisi, France's Macron discuss Gaza ceasefire efforts in phone call    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    Egypt to tighten waste rules, cut rice straw fees to curb pollution    Indian tourist arrivals to Egypt jump 18.8% in H1-2025: ministry data    Egyptian pound down vs. US dollar at Monday's close – CBE    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.



Experts, political figures criticize National Dialogue
Published in Daily News Egypt on 13 - 04 - 2011

CAIRO: The upcoming session of the Egyptian National Dialogue was postponed indefinitely to allow for restructuring, after its first session faced heavy criticism.
Prime Minister Essam Sharaf decided to postpone the National Dialogue to hand over the dialogue's management to the civil society. The dialogue was scheduled to take place last Sunday. Sharaf appointed former Prime Minister Abd Al Aziz Hegazy to head the dialogue instead of Sharaf's deputy, Yehia El-Gamal.
The government's role will now only be limited to providing financial, administrative and logistical support.
“We believe it's inappropriate for the government to run such a dialogue” Magdy Rady, spokesperson for the Egyptian Cabinet told Daily News Egypt.
The aim of a national dialogue is to address critical challenges facing the country or hindering its development, a function that was not achieved in the dialogue's first session. The role of the national dialogue is even more important due to the absence of an elected government or parliament so it acts as the parliament's alternative and gains credibility and legitimacy by having a greater and more diversified representation.
“The aim of a national dialogue should be to survey defined issues of high importance,” Samer Soliman, assistant professor of political economy at the American University in Cairo explained to DNE.
The first session of the dialogue, held on Wednesday March 30, was heavily criticized by several groups including political parties and analysts.
“There was no clear criteria for attendee selection; they were chosen on personal basis and were informed a couple of hours before the session. It was nothing but a talk show with low representation,” Soliman said. “We need to know what will be done with the outcomes and conclusions of the dialogue.”
Famous attendees included Secretary General of the Arab League Amr Moussa, businessman Naguib Sawiris, Judge Hisham El-Bastawisi, Judge Tahany El-Gebali, writer and journalist Sakina Fouad, economics professor Galal Amin, leftist writer and politician Abdel Ghafar Shukar, political scientist Amr Hamzawy, political activist George Isaac, political science professor Hassan Nafei, Muslim Brotherhood spokesperson Essam El-Erian, Al-Wasat Party's Vice Chairman Essam Sultan, Muslim preacher Moez Massoud and former secretary general of the National Democratic Party Hossam Badrawy.
The January 25 Youth Coalition issued a statement rejecting the dialogue due to the absence of predefined agenda, goals and objectives.
The dialogue was mainly criticized for inviting some attendees a couple of hours before the session and not giving enough time to each speaker. The presence of former NDP members and the absence of some key figures also brought the dialogue under heavy criticisms.
Mohamed ElBaradei, former director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and current presidential hopeful wrote on his Twitter page on Saturday, “How can the National Dialogue enjoy credibility when it comes after a constitutional decree that was not discussed? And is the participation of NDP in the dialogue after the revolution a logical incident?”
ElBaradei was not present in the dialogue's first session.
The Wafd, Nasserist and Tagammu Parties also denounced the National Dialogue.
“We were not invited to the National Dialogue neither were other parties,” Ahmed Hassan, secretary general of Nasserist Party told DNE. “The dialogue had no predefined agenda or objectives. It focused on topics related to the political environment and legislations and neglected topics related to Egypt's current development,” he added.
“The Wafd Party should not receive the invitation to the National Dialogue through newspapers. There should have been a predefined agenda sent to the party to review and analyze before the session,” Fouad Badrawy, secretary general for Al-Wafd Party told DNE. “The dialogue should have been carried out at an earlier stage to discuss the constitutional amendments, an important topic that should have been analyzed.”
“Attendees were mainly independent figures rather than political parties' representatives. We did not receive any invitation,” Sayed Abd El Aal, secretary general for Al-Tagammu Party said.
“The dialogue had a high Salafi and Muslim Brotherhood presence and a very low Christian presence,” Ezzat Ibrahim, general administrator of the Egyptian Union for Human Rights Organization, told DNE. “I believe this could be a hidden message to enforce the dominance of these religious groups,” he added.
El-Erian, who spoke during the first session, criticized the dialogue during his speech saying that it was inappropriate to be invited to such an important session a couple of hours before it took place and that no agenda was outlined.
New management
Opinions regarding the dialogue's new management and the topics discussed ranged between hopeful and pessimistic.
“The dialogue has no clear vision,” Badrawy said, when asked about his opinion on the future prospect of the dialogue under the new management.
“We believe the dialogue should focus on outlining a strategic plan for the economic development in all sectors, alongside working on the political upbringing, an issue that was ignored in the last session of the dialogue,” Hassan explained.
“Under the new management, if the [Tagammu] party is invited, we will decide whether to participate or not depending on the agenda and the participating groups; whether they are a good representative of all political forces taking part in the revolution,” Abd Al Aal said. “Topics at the top of the agenda should include freedom and social justice. The common Egyptian should feel he is part of new Egypt just as he was part of the revolution,” he added.
Soliman was pessimistic regarding the dialogue's future saying that there is no difference between Hegazy and El-Gamal. “Being older than 80 years seems like a condition or prerequisite for heading the dialogue,” Soliman commented.
“The National Dialogue should be run by the people with no government interference and should include all political sects. We should not wait for any support from the government,” El-Erian told DNE. According to El-Erian, the Muslim Brotherhood has called all national groups to an extensive dialogue.
Hegazy was appointed as the minister of finance under former Egyptian president Gamal Abdel Nasser's era. He was appointed by former president Anwar El-Sadat as prime minister from March 1973 until April 1975.


Clic here to read the story from its source.