Egypt

Eni Looks Past Uncertainty in Egypt

Forbes, by Christopher Coats

As Cairo continues its push towards reviving Egypt’s energy sector and moving towards some much needed sector security, a few international firms are looking past the country’s uncertainty and expanding their footprint in the region. This past week, Italy’s Eni announced that they would be joining the country’s production push with news that they were the successful bidder on three exploration licenses.

According to a Rigzone report, the licenses are located in the country’s Western desert, near the Melehia Development Lease and will cover about 794 square miles. The Italian giant will also become the operator of offshore blocks, which run up against the Cypriot maritime border. The licenses expand the company’s presence in Egypt, making it one of the largest foreign operators in the country.

“I am very pleased with the acquisition of these new exploration permits which further strengthens our presence in Egypt, a historically and strategically important country for Eni,” said Claudio Descalzi, Eni’s CEO, according to Rigzone.

The progress comes at a time when some foreign firms have begun to reassess their position in the country due to a host of political and financial issues. In May, Egypt’s state-backed oil company announced that the country’s debt to foreign energy firms stood at$5.9 billion, just shy of the $6 billion it owed a year before despite paying out $1.5 billion to creditors in December 2013.

Two of the country’s largest industry partners, BG and BP, have expressed concern about their continuing participation in the region due to a series of issues, most notably the substantial outstanding debt owed to both firms by the Egyptian government for exports. In January the UK’s BG Group announced that they would be forced to break production contracts with customers and lenders and would enforce force majeure in Egypt due to a reduction in output in the company’s largest area of activity. The reduction, about 15 percent over the last year for the UK’s second largest producer behind BP, was the result of Cairo’s demand that gas output be shifted to meet domestic demand rather than allowing exports.

Despite these challenges, Eni is not alone in expressing interest in a broader Egyptain presence. On September 19, Reuters reported that Egypt’s government had moved on an earlier pledge to auction concessions, announcing the signing of $187 million in exploration 

agreements with a number of Western firms, as well as a Tunisian company. In December, the Egyptian government announced plans to auction 22 oil and gas concessions through this month. Promoted by Egypt’s General Petroleum Corporation and Natural Gas Holding Company, the concessions are spread across the country, including opportunities in the “Suez Canal, Egypt’s western desert, the Mediterranean sea and the Nile Delta”.

This interest, if sustained, could help Cairo present a favorably calm investment environment, ideal for the kind of new sector growth and capacity they appear intent on pursuing. This week Reuters reported that Egypt is planning on $14.5 billion in petrochemical and refinery investment as a part of an expansive campaign to increase the country’s ability to meet increasing demand.

via www.forbes.com

“Send them back” doesn’t cut it

As the Islamic State continues to recruit disturbed and unbalanced fighters from around the world, many western countries, and Middle Eastern ones for that matter, are tightening their grip on those who may follow suit.  Laws are formulated to hinder these potential terrorists from travelling to Iraq and Syria, partaking in the violent acts occurring there, or returning to commit similar acts against their homelands. 

David Cameron at the UN reflected on how “this conflict is sucking in our own young people, from modern, prosperous societies…The threat to our security from foreign fighters is far greater today than it has ever been in previous conflicts.” As many as many 12,000 foreign fighters had already left their homes and gone to Syria to join the ISIS cause, including 500 from the United Kingdom, Cameron noted.  

And in a unanimous vote, the Security Council, chaired by President Obama, adopted a resolution to “compel all members of the UN to draft new laws and restrictions to ‘prevent and suppress’ the recruitment and travel of people from those nations to the areas controlled by ISIS, to fight alongside it.”

I do concur with such actions, for in my article, “The Terrorist SleeperCells,” I warned western countries of the ramifications of ignoring those about to join ISIS and other militant groups like the Shabab of Somalia, etc. I warned of the damage such citizens—void of allegiance to their homelands— can inflict. Such a threat is real and must be taken seriously. 

All this is feasible and logical, but what isn’t is the concept of “sending them back” to where they belong, where they came from. “Them” pertains to those terrorists who enjoy dual citizenship or are new immigrants, first generation citizens, and new comers to the western society. The “sending them back” mentality is projected by social media followers and politicians alike.

The Canadian Prime Minister, Steven Harper, has gone that route, too. During his speech at the United Nations Assembly, Harper vowed to take away citizenship from Canadians who travel abroad to commit acts of terrorism. Harper was actually referring to Bill C-24, which became law in Canada in June 2014. Bill C-24 allows the Canadian government to revoke the citizenship of dual citizens if they commit acts of terrorism. However, it leaves Canadians of single citizenship, joining terrorist groups, unscathed. 

Though 83 percent of Canadians approve of this law http://www.cbc.ca/the180/excerpts/2014/09/25/should-the-canadian-government-revoke-the-citizenship-of-dual-nationals-who-fight-for-isis/, I find it quite unsettling. Here is why. 

Not all those joining the terrorist groups are first generation immigrants or of dual citizenship. Many are born in these new homelands, Britain, Canada, and the US, where their parents and grandparents immigrated to decades earlier. Some dual citizens will have never been to their country of origin. Sending them back to Somalia, Yemen, or Chechnya—countries they’ve never been to before—will actually throw them right back into the arms of their new allegiances: the terrorist groups.

Omar Khadr is a case in point. Khadr, a Canadian born, participated in terrorist acts in Afghanistan, was incarcerated in Guantanamo, tried in the US, and finally repatriated to Canada to serve the remainder of his sentence. Though his case remains questionable and blurry, if the Canadian authorities had deported this “child soldier,” he would have become a full-fledged terrorist  seeking refuge amongst Al Qaeda or ISIS. 

Besides, by sending these terrorists back to where they came from, they may end up not incarcerated or punished for their actions. If they opt to return to the civilized world, they must be detained and charged instead of bid adieu and placed on the first plane heading back to medieval times. 

Then, the distinction between those who have single citizenship and those with dual citizenship may threaten the underlying structural system by which Canada and other western societies have functioned all along. It creates a two-tier system where some enjoy certain rights and others don’t. 

I’d rather have Canada ask new immigrants to relinquish their original citizenship than to have those with dual citizenship treated as second-class citizens, living under the threat of being deported at the whim of one minister or another. 

And more importantly, instead of having these terrorists-to-be under the scrutiny and surveillance of homeland security, we send them to where they can wreak even further havoc, to feed on the existing frenzy and the hatred, ultimately reaching wherever and whoever they want to reach. 

Let’s find these terrorists-to-be and charge them; let’s deal with them wherever they live. Let’s not let them go loose, free to do what they please if they so choose. 

 

INTERVIEW—Egypt to invest $14.5 bln in petchems, refining over 5 years

Excerpt only—read on here: Egypt to invest $14.5 bln in petchems, refining over 5 years. Reuters, by Ehab Farouk  and Abde Rahman Adel

CAIRO, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Egypt plans to invest $14.5 billion in developing its refining and petrochemicals sectors over the next five years, its oil minister said, as part of efforts to overcome an energy crisis that has led to near-daily power cuts and hit company profits.

It is also considering floating stakes in some state-owned oil companies on the Egyptian stock exchange.

Sherif Ismail told Reuters in an interview that Egypt was trying to boost its output of refined oil products by 5-10 percent each year, hoping to reduce its dependence on costly imports.

"Total investments that will be implemented over the next five years will be around $14.5 billion and include $12.5 billion in the refining sector and $1.9 billion in the ETHYDCO project," Ismail said, referring to a new complex that will produce ethylene and other petrochemicals.

Egypt has struggled to curb its swelling budget deficit whilst meeting soaring energy demands, resulting in daily electricity cuts around the country of 86 million people.

Lines at petrol stations and a shortage of gas that transformed Egypt from net gas exporter to net importer in recent years at huge cost to the state, were among the public grievances against former President Mohamed Mursi of the Muslim Brotherhood.

Oil-producing Gulf countries have come to Egypt's aid since the army, prompted by mass protests, ousted Mursi last year, pumping billions of dollars in cash and oil

via uk.reuters.com

Regional stability dependant on Egypt: UAE

Daily News Egypt

Emirati foreign minister rejects questioning the legitimacy of Egyptian government

United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan. (AFP Photo)

Egypt’s “remarkable progress” represents “hope” for stability in the Middle East, according to the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan.

Al-Nahyan said on Saturday that the UAE “hopes for the recovery and restoration of security and stability in the region” adding that the Egypt “and its good governance in implementing its political roadmap” represents this move toward regional stability.

Al-Nahyan, speaking at the 69^th United Nations General Assembly, said the UAE “regrets the statements of some countries and their unacceptable questioning of the legitimacy of the Egyptian government”, stressing that the current government was “freely elected by its people, who believe in their ability to fulfil their aspirations”.

The UAE foreign minister stressed: “Questioning the Egyptian people’s will and their right to choose their representatives is an interference in the internal affairs of Egypt and undermines its stability”.

President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi claimed a landslide election victory in June and appointed Prime Minister Ibrahim Mehleb who in-turn appointed the current cabinet of ministers. Parliamentary elections are expected later this year.

During his speech at the General Assembly, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was highly critical of the United Nations’ response to the military-backed ouster of former Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi in July 2013. Egypt’s foreign ministry rejected his comments and cancelled a scheduled bilateral meeting that was set to take place on the sidelines of the international assembly at the UN headquarters in New York.

Arab League Secretary General Nabil El-Araby also condemned Erdogan’s comments, describing them as an “interference of internal Arab affairs”.

The UAE has been a strong backer of Egypt since Morsi’s removal, pledging a $3bn aid package to Egypt following the change of power last summer, as well as shipments of fuel worth $225m and a further $2bn of aid in the form of deposits and grants.

Al-Nahyan, citing the importance of Egypt to regional security, called on the international community to “provide the necessary support to the Egyptian government and its economy to boost their efforts towards achieving progress and prosperity”. He also thanked Saudi Arabia for its support for Egypt’s economy for the announcement of “The Egyptian Economic Summit”, scheduled for February 2015. Saudi Arabia also announced billions of dollars worth of aid for Egypt following Morsi’s ouster.

via www.dailynewsegypt.com

Sisi on Charlie Rose

 

El-Sisi in New York and beyond

Ahram Online, by Dina Ezzat. This is the latter part of the article El-Sisi in New York and beyond.  

President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi is "considerably satisfied" with his reception at the UN General Assembly, with associates saying he returns to Egypt with added confidence that may change his style of rule.

Abdel Fattah Al Sisi, President of Egypt, speaks during the 69th session of the United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters, Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2014. (AP Photo)

 Yesterday (Friday), El-Sisi came back to Egypt after a five-day trip to New York where he headed the Egyptian delegation to the highest diplomatic event of the year — the UN General Assembly.

In New York, El-Sisi managed to achieve three objectives, according to aides and associates: he eliminated all question marks about his stature as the “democratically elected president,” thereby “closing once and for all debate over the complicated political context in which he ascended to power”; he offered Egypt as a serious partner for the West in its attack on radical Muslim groups, even though he failed to secure the sympathy of the West for his narrative that lumps together his political adversaries — the Muslim Brotherhood — with ISIL (the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant); he sent a message to supporters and opposition in Egypt that his presidency is no longer contested and that his most critical regional and international foes are not in a position to isolate him.

“He is done with the phase of an insecure president. He is now officially acknowledged by the international community as the head of the executive in Egypt and he has no reason to make too many concessions anymore,” said a government source.

What concessions El-Sisi has or has not given is largely debatable. Supporters insist that he has expressed good intentions to "those who wish to move on" and that he is in no position to offer more to "those who insist to be his adversaries no matter what."

The opposition argue that El-Sisi has made no concessions at any point and that he is forcing his parameters — where security takes precedence over freedom — on national political life, according to the narrative of the most understanding quarters of the opposition.

Western diplomats of capitals whose leaders conferred with El-Sisi on the fringes of the UN General Assembly insist that their leaders were “uncompromising” and “very forceful” in calling on El-Sisi to move forward with "inclusive democracy" and to be more observing of "freedoms, especially the freedom of expression."

According to one of them, beyond the smiling photo-ops that “were widely featured in the Egyptian state-run and pro-Sisi private media,” there was hard-talk on the state of freedoms in Egypt.

“We basically told him, if you want us to help you to move on with your country we are willing to do it, but you have to reduce the volume of coercion,” the source said.

Shedding inhibitions in rule

According to this same diplomat, El-Sisi was neither committed nor dismissive of such “appeals" for rule observant of human rights and inclusive democracy.

“He kept talking about the wish of the Egyptian people to see their country stable and about his responsibility to spare Egyptians from the fate of other countries in the region that are having a hard time, like Libya or Syria,” said another diplomat informed on the talks that El-Sisi had in New York with several key Western leaders, including the presidents of the US and France and the British prime minister.

He added that given the “keen wish of El-Sisi” to have considerable foreign presence in an economic conference that he is planning to host before the spring of 2015, El-Sisi “might accommodate some of the demands made on human rights and democracy” — even if reluctantly, “because he did not come across” as someone who really values the principles of democracy and human rights.

via english.ahram.org.eg

Islamic State Member Warns of NYC Attack In Exclusive Interview

Indeed, a very weird interview with a Canadian Jihadist—Vice News

Foreign fighters from all over the world have left their home countries to join the ranks of the Islamic State, and the militant group's lightning advance across Iraq and Syria this summer has helped to boost recruitment. VICE founder Shane Smith spoke with a man thought to be 21-year-old Somali-Canadian Abu Usamah Somali, who has been in Iraq since July and is reportedly fighting with the Islamic State.

 

via news.vice.com

The distorted map of Egypt—action demanded

I am no cartographer nor map wizard; I’m also neither a politician nor a historian, but I know what I grew up with as far as the map of Egypt is concerned.

It goes without saying that the map of Egypt was ingrained in the brains of Egyptians as seen in textbooks, in maps circulated around the world, in media, and in every published source of information. It looked very clear: an almost-straight vertical line from the Mediterranean heading south intersected a perfectly horizontal line, creating a 90-degree angle.  This horizontal line reached the Red Sea at the far east end. No queries existed; these were Egypt’s borders as far as the western and southern borders were concerned. 

However, today, maps of Egypt available on web sites exhibit a questionable triangle at the east southern border. A zigzag shape crisscrossing Egypt into Sudan and Sudan into Egypt considers the Halayeb Triangle a "disputed area." Other maps on similar sites give Sudan ownership over the same area. And in no way can you find the old map anywhere. 

Suddenly, out of nowhere, these new maps are circulating around the various search engines. Are these new maps bona fide and attested? Have the borders between Egypt and Sudan always been disputed? And what about the map that Egyptians acknowledged and accepted all along? 

Here are a few of these maps. 

http://www.infoplease.com/atlas/country/egypt.html

http://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/map/egypt_map.htm

http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/atlas_middle_east/egypt.jpg

http://www.mapsofworld.com/egypt/

 

http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/africa/eg.htm

Bear in mind that these sites are the most reknowned and official ones on maps, and people from all around the world take the data in these sites as a given and resort to them for correct information.

The unofficial but newer maps seem intentional in their pursuance of a new borderline between Egypt and Sudan. And once such maps become the dominant ones, the truth will then get fogged into oblivion.

Unless Egyptian authorities pursue this matter further and call on these sites to adhere to the original Egyptian map, the border between Egypt and Sudan will become a disputed area, a thorn in the side of future generations. The onus falls on this generation, and it will be this generation’s shortcomings that caused such a dispute to come about. 

Egyptian authorities have asked eBay to remove stolen artifacts from its data base. And eBay complied. The same should occur to the maps of Egypt and Sudan. 

Simultaneously if Egypt has proof that the Halayeb Triangle is within its borders, then it must fight tooth and nail to have these maps withdrawn, but If the borderline is a disputed one, then Egypt and Sudan must sit together and settle the issue once and for all.  

Egyptian authorities, peruse these maps. Decide if the border maps of Egypt used all over the world today depict the legal borders of Egypt. If not, then end this masquerade and ask all sites to change the maps they utilize. It may seem as though it is not a pressing issue amidst today's demands on politicians, but it is changing Egypt's borders: a dangerous outcome. 

 

PS. I must thank my friend, Itidal Sadek, who got me as infuriated as she is on this topic. 

 

Supporters, opponents to stage protests during Sisi's UN debut

Al-Masry Al-Youm

Egypt Independent

 

President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi could see protests by his opponents and supporters when he marks his first attendance at the United Nations General Assembly's 69th session during the period of 21-25 September.

The Free Egyptians Party said its supporters would stage welcoming protests outside the UN building in New York during Sisi's visit.

 

The party's expats affairs secretary, Nader al-Sharqawy, said they would lobby supporters from New York and other states for the event.

 

"We know that the international body (of the Muslim Brotherhood) would use the event against Egypt," he said. "Egyptians would not hesitate to receive President Sisi and voice support for him throughout American media."

 

Meanwhile, an official at the Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party said they would stage protests against Sisi's visit.

 

On his facebook page, Abdel Mawgoud Dardiry, a member of the FJP's foreign affairs committee, said, "The free people of the Egyptian community in New York and New Jersey will protest against Sisi's UN appearance."

 

via www.egyptindependent.com

As deviated as it seems, western media avoids mentioning Egypt's most capturing story

“Egypt: Qatar ordered Islamists out within 2 months”—News 24 (11 hours ago)

“Egypt Decided to Issue a Stamp in Honor of the Suez Canal. There Was Just One Problem”—The Blaze (7 hours ago)

“Egypt Activist Alaa Abdel Fattah to Be Freed on Bail”—BBC (8 hours ago)

“Kerry Says Egypt Has a Role to Play in Fight Against Islamic Extremists”—Wall Street Journal (Sept. 14, 2014)

“Egypt Says Will Boost Security at Tourist Sites”—ABC News (ten hours ago)

“Egypt Stamps Wrong Canal on its Postage”—NPR (2 hours ago)

“Egypt Sentences MB Leader to 25 years in Jail”—Aljazeera (9 hours ago) 

“Iraqi President: Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and UAE Don’t Need to Join Airstrikes”—Fox News (September 14, 2014)

“Egypt Factory Collapse Kills 6”—The Daily Star (14 hours ago)

“Egypt Urges Obama Administration to Take a Broader View on Fight Against Terrorism”—Washington Free Beacon (6 hours ago)

“Migrant Boat was ‘Deliberately Sunk’ in Mediterranean Sea, Killing 500”—The Guardian (7 hours ago) 

“Egypt Says It Is Increasing Security Procedures at Tourist Destinations”—canada.com (10 hours ago) 

“Egypt’s Most Prominent Activist Released on Bail”—SFGate (14 hours ago) 

“Ahmed Seif and Egypt’s Prison Generation”—Aljazeera (September14, 2014)

“Kerry: Some Nations Offer Ground Troops in Fight Against IS”—Voice of America (15 hours ago) 

Google Search Engine offered the above headlines on Egypt during the last 24 hours. The topics revolve around Alaa Abdel Fattah’s on-bail release, security procedures in touristic areas, the messed up Egyptian stamp, the role Egypt will play against IS, and some local news such as a factory collapse. 

This is what foreign media found most prominent and worth mentioning during the last 24 hours. I'll digress for a moment: In the last nine consecutive days, the topics remained the same. You would think that nothing more major was taking place in Egypt. You would think that Egypt was not living a historic moment. 

On September 4, exactly eight bank-working days ago, Egypt offered the Second Suez Canal Term Deposit to the public. The 60 billion, if and when collected, were to go towards building a parallel canal to the existing one. Today, September 15, at 8 p.m., the Central Bank of Egypt announced it has achieved its target of 60 billion Egyptian pounds. It took Egyptians 8 working days to collect 60  billion pounds. 

If this is not a feat by any standard, I don’t know what is. Egypt, in spite of its poverty, its colossal problems, and its violated and terrorized borders, may be the only country in history that managed to cough up that much money in that period of time. 

But hasn't Egypt surprised the world many a time before?  And this time Egypt tells the world that it is on the right track accepting the words of its president as a given. Indeed, the bond that has materialized between the leader and the nation is incomparable to any other relationship in Egyptian history. Would Egyptians have been willing to drum up that much money for King Farouk, Nasser, Sadat, Mubarak, or heaven forbid, Morsi? 

And yet the world opts to ignore this unprecedented feat. It chooses not to write one single piece about this achievement, I’ve been watching closely and would have loved to see anyone prove me wrong. So what does foreign media, and in particular western media, have against telling the world about such as accomplishment? 

Whenever journalists neglected an achievement, I gave them the benefit of the doubt. However, it has finally dawned on me. Western media would prefer to not side with Sisi and prove him wrong and unable. Instead, it would prefer focusing on the release of detained Alaa Abdel Fattah than the Suez Canal success story. It would rather discuss the collapse of a factory than such a monumental success. 

But why so? At one point, when western media sided with ousted President Morsi, I assumed it was out of pure due process: The first civilian president chosen and yet quickly ousted. Fair enough. But this denial approach, with the Suez Canal term deposit, is predetermined and intentional. 

Is western media manipulated? Bought? Biased? Disconcerting? Or all of the above? 

According to Noam Chomski, “…the major media—particularly, the elite media that set the agenda that others generally follow—are corporations ‘selling privileged audiences to other businesses. It would hardly come as a surprise if the picture of the world they present where to reflect the perspectives and interests of the sellers, the buyers, and the product.' Concentration of ownership of the media is high and increasing.” (Necessary Illusions, Anansi Press, 2003)

Western media, mainly located in Cairo, have no real intention of depicting the truth of what happens in Egypt. They have a mindset of their own that does not take the well being of Egyptians or Egypt into account. 

Wall Street Journal, if you neglect such a story, you are basically misguiding your readers. The Guardian, if you find Alaa’s bail story more special than the speedy eight-day process to drum up 60 billion pounds, then you too are manipulative. I’m not even going to think of advising Aljazeera.  

It is more than disappointing. It is actually a realization that leaves one thunderstruck. These well-listened to, carefully read, and enthusiastically watched western media sources are steering their followers to think in certain ways. By avoiding the discussion of a huge success story such as this one, the intention is clear. Western media, I’m sorry to say you are not worth following.