Egypt: Sharm Conference ‘Proof of Stability’, Coordinator

An economic conference to be held in Sharm El-Sheikh from Friday to Sunday is a way to send ”a message to the world about the security and stability of Egypt’’, a government press statement quotes conference coordinator Yasser El-Naggar as saying.

”The fundamental message of the conference is that Egypt has recovered its large role and status in the region” after four years of revolutionary turmoil and ”is now on solid ground”, states a summary given by the first assistant to Egypt’s investment minister to the daily Al-Ahram.

The event – which ”international economic giants” are taking part in to weigh investment in the ‘mega-projects’ to be presented – is also a challenge to terrorism, said Naggar, underscoring ”the massive participation by European, African and Gulf countries alongside large multinationals”. US Secretary of State John Kerry is expected at the conference, the diplomat said, noting that it may become an annual or biannual event.

Speakers will include General Electric (GE) chief Jeffrey Immelt, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) chief Suma Chakrabarti and Coca Cola International head Ahmet Bozer, Naggar said. He added that executives from BP and the World Bank would also be attending. Egyptian president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi will take part in sessions and seminars during all three of the conference days, he underscored.

Source: ANSAmed