Staff report: CAIRO, July 03, 2018 - President Abdel Fattah El Sisi is now leading Egypt towards a new administrative renaissance which will restore its pioneering status in this field, according to Mohammad bin Abdullah Al Gergawi, UAE Minister of Cabinet Affairs and the Future. Addressing the Egypt Government Excellence Conference 2018 in Cairo Tuesday, Al Gergawi said "Egypt established the first administrative capital in 2925 BC in the south of Cairo. Now President Sisi is restoring Egypt's leading status in this field, by building the New Administrative Capital." The conference was opened Tuesday by the Minister of Planning, Follow-up and Administrative Reform, Hala el-Saeed. Minister el-Saeed welcomed the UAE delegation led by the UAE Minister of Cabinet Affairs and the Future, Al Gergawi. Minister el-Saeed said she was happy with the progress of co-operation and the exchange of expertise with the UAE officials. Sponsored by President Sisi, Egypt's first administrative forum is aimed at modernising government work, activating strategic partnership between the two nations, and facilitating the exchange of expertise, with the aim of building a model for administration that can be replicated across the Arab world. The conference also seeks to provide a comprehensive framework for the transfer of the UAE's successful government experience to Egypt. It is the first step taken to implement the memorandum of understanding on developing government work, signed by Egypt's Ministry of Planning and the UAE Ministry of Cabinet Affairs, at the World Government Summit, which was held in Dubai last February. The UAE minister, who is leading a top-level delegation to the conference which ends today, praised the historic and firm relations binding Egypt and the UAE and said that Egypt was close to the hearts of all Emirati people. "The relations between the two countries are a model of co-operation and affection," he added. "Distinction and excellence in every field is the main driving force for achieving development and progress and governments should build up their economy first," said Minister Al Gergawi. He added that for the next thirty years, modern technology would be the main tool for establishing a powerful economy. During the conference, Professor Mohamed Zairi, the Executive Chairman of the European Centre for Best Practice Management based in Bradford, made a presentation, entitled "Excellence – Concepts and International Models". This was followed by a session on promoting the culture of excellence in the government sector, with Higher Education Minister Khalid Abdel Ghaffar and Communication and Information Technology Minister Amr Talaat participating.
