Page 4 - Issue 70
P. 4
Vol 1 - issue 70 ELITE
Q3: As a distinguished diplomatic Despite the problems we face, we must not
figure, whether through your missions mistake Egypt's prominent role in the region.
as an ambassador or your positions at Despite that other countries possess greater
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, what economic resources and ambitions, Egypt has
are the objective and personal maintained its position thanks to its wisdom
requirements that a diplomatic attaché in dealing with evolving situations in the
must meet? Middle East.
I served as Egypt's ambassador to South As for the qualities required of those wishing
Korea, Ireland, and Italy, as well as to join the diplomatic corps, they must be
Assistant Foreign Minister for well-rounded in academic education and
International Economic Relations and basic foreign reading, and be proficient in
Name- Major-Yea
European Affairs. I enjoyed every languages. I believe that a graduate of the
moment I spent at the Ministry of Faculty of Economics and Political Science is
Foreign Affairs over the past 38 years. I most suitable for joining the Foreign Service,
learned from the leaders of Egyptian but they lack language proficiency.
diplomacy at that time, such as Dr. Therefore, this must be worked on, as it
Boutros Boutros-Ghali, Esmat Abdel provides an opportunity to benefit from the
Meguid, Osama El-Baz, Amr Moussa, resources available on social media, think
Abdel Raouf El-Reedy, Nabil El-Araby, tanks, and international publishing houses.
Ahmed Maher, Ali Maher, and Ahmed
Sedky. Each one of them represented an Q4: Based on your experience in European
independent diplomatic school. I also affairs, such as your position as Egypt's
worked in Dr. Boutros-Ghali's office Ambassador to Italy and Assistant Foreign
twice, and in Dr. Amr Moussa's office. Minister for European Affairs, how do you
view the impact of the trade war on the
I joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs European continent?
in 1979, coinciding with the beginning
of the peace process with Israel, the We all know that free trade is the foundation
dramatic changes in Egypt's foreign of the global order. It was the foundation
relations, and the challenges it faced in upon which international institutions were
building peace in the region after Egypt established after World War II. But today,
fully reclaimed its territory militarily, we are witnessing the emergence of a new
followed by negotiations and the international and trade order as a result of
application of the principle of the the changes being made by the United States
inadmissibility of the acquisition of in Trump's second term. Generally speaking,
territory by war. there are two objectives behind imposing
tariffs: protecting nascent industries and
In my opinion, this is a model to be attempting to address the trade deficit.
emulated if any country considers
negotiation the best way to reclaim its There is a very large trade deficit with
occupied territory. This is why I believe Europe, specifically Ireland ($60 billion),
Egypt has always been a pioneer. Germany ($70 billion), and Italy ($40
billion).
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