In less than 10 years Egypt can do without any aid programs or foreign grants, said Egypt's Minister of Planning and International Cooperation, Faiza Aboul Naga. Egypt, however, still needs the technical support of other countries such as Japan and China, she added. Egypt also needs to benefit from the experience of successful developed countries like Turkey, and “should refuse any offensive help,” said Naga. Naga presented a suggestion to the council of ministers in 2009 that was meant to enable Egypt to do without short term foreign aid programs. The suggestion was approved but was not carried out. Naga said other countries must realize that Egypt's stability is important for them as well. She added that Egypt must be a productive and developed country in order to achieve independence. It is then that Egypt must establish different relationships based on rivalry. “Egypt's relations with other countries must depend on mutual interests,” said Naga. The U.S., for example, has strategic interests in the Arab region, she added. Stability in the central country of the region is necessary in order to achieve these interests. Naga said Egypt is looking forward to achieve mutual benefits in its relations with other countries. Such relations must be based on trade and investments, and cannot be achieved through the usual grants.
