Closer trade, cultural ties with Egypt in the offing

Vanya Walker-Leigh interviews George Doublesin, outgoing Maltese Ambassador to Egypt

A series of Maltese-Egyptian cultural and business events will follow Foreign Minister Michael Frendo's successful official visit to Cairo last month, according to Malta's retiring ambassador to Egypt, George Doublesin.

"A breakthrough on cultural exchanges is in the offing", Mr Doublesin told The Sunday Times in an exclusive interview here. "The director of the St James Cavalier Arts Centre, Chris Gatt, came recently, visiting both the Cairo Opera House and the Bibliotheca Alexandrina in Alexandria. The Bibliotheca's Arts Centre director, Mro Sherif Mohie el-Din, subsequently went to Malta, visiting the Centre, and meeting the chairman of the National Orchestra, Lino Attard, who has been invited to visit the Cairo Opera House.

"Tourism and Culture Minister Francis Zammit Dimech came in September and agreed to an exchange of operatic performances. He also asked the Egyptian authorities to send an exhibition of Pharaonic artefacts to Malta. Plans are well advanced for two well-known Egyptian musicians, Ramzi Yassa (piano) and Hassan Sharara (violin) to perform in Malta."

"I hope that the Maltese will be able to see the troupe of Tannoura dancers - a more colourful Egyptian version of Whirling Dervishes. I also hope that the talk on the Arab influence in Malta which Professor Joe Friggieri was due to deliver here in June - postponed because of the European Parliament elections - will take place during 2005".

Other high-level Maltese official visits to Egypt in 2004 included those of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Anton Tabone, then Attorney-General Anthony Borg-Barthet, and Home Affairs Minister Tonio Borg, (accompanied by Police Commissioner John Rizzo).

Arabic-speaking Mr Doublesin, a Ministry of Education official who transferred to MFA in 1989, was ambassador to Libya from 1994 to 2001 after three years as a senior diplomat at Malta's embassy in Saudi Arabia, beyond retirement age. In Egypt he has developed broad contacts with Cairo's political and business world while also visiting Malta's honorary consuls in Alexandria and Suez, as well as the consuls in Syria and Jordan.

Egypt's long-established Maltese business community fled the country in 1956, driven out by President Nasser. However, there are now excellent prospects for increased business and trade ties.

"The new Egyptian government appointed in July and led by Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif is very business-oriented", Mr Doublesin stated. "Customs import tariffs have been slashed - so Maltese goods stand a better chance to penetrate the Egyptian market. Maltese companies which found themselves to be uncompetitive, price-wise, should have another look at Egypt", Mr Doublesin pointed out.

In addition to supporting Malta Enterprise's annual trade delegations to Egypt, Ambassador Doublesin has developed close links with the Egyptian Businessmen's Association which recently dedicated ten pages of its quarterly magazine to business opportunities in Malta, and with the Alexandria Business Association.

The embassy has provided several Maltese companies with names of importers who might be interested in doing business with them and gave extensive assistance to the Bank of Valletta for opening a representative office in Cairo in September 2003.

Recently, the embassy sent to Malta Egyptian company directors seriously considering opening operations in Malta. One has already registered his company in Malta, the others seems to be in the process. The Malta Stock Exchange has recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Cairo and Alexandria Stock Exchanges and exchange of visits of senior executives will follow on.

"Moreover, Dr Frendo's talks with the Ministers of Investment and of Foreign Trade and Industry as well as the Egyptian Businessmen's Association will lead to many developments.

"For example Malta Enterprise and other Maltese organisations will be invited to address the Association in Cairo and a delegation Maltese business leaders will meet Egyptian counterparts to discuss possible business ventures."