An overview of the Fund’s  activities during April 2006 First: Training Courses: 1- Republic of Kazakhstan: -          The Fund offered a training course for ten trainees in the field of customs at the Operational Unit for Developmental Assistance (OUDA) in the period from 11-27 April. The Fund’s Secretary-General attended the final session and discussed the future strategies of the Fund and the aspired goals aiming at achieving partnership and mutual benefit. 2- Republic of Tajikistan: -          The Fund offered a training course for 15 trainees in the social field  at the Leadership preparation  Center in the period from 13-27 April. The Fund’s Secretary-General attended the final session, where the graduation certificates were handed out, and he reviewed the future strategy of the Fund. 3- Republic of Armenia: -          The Fund offered two training courses for 24 trainees, the first was held at the Police Academy in the period from 8 April to 4 May, and the Fund’s Secretary-General attended both the opening and final sessions. The second course was offered, in the field of Islamic and Arabic culture, to 14 trainees at the Cairo University Center for Arabic Language and Culture, in the period from 8-27 April. The Fund’s Secretary-General attended the opening and closing ceremonies. Preceding the course, the Secretary-General and the Head of the Center agreed on selecting the most qualified trainees to promote tolerance of Islam and focus on the role of women in Islam. Vice President of Cairo University, Dr. Abd Allah Al Tatawi, and Dean of Faculty of Islamic Studies, Suez Canal University, Dr. Abla Al Kahlawi lectured the trainees. 4- Republic of Albania: -          Two training courses  were held, the first in the field of banking at the "Banking Institute" in the period from 4-12 April. The Egyptian Embassy in Tirana received a positive evaluation for the training program , the lecturers and the importance of the subjects tackled . The participants also expressed their appreciation for the courteous treatment they received during the training period. The second course was held at the Police Academy in the period from  4th July to 5th May  for 25 trainees. The course’s  opening and closing sessions were attended by the Fund’s Secretary-General. These courses  receive immense interest from the Albanian side  because of  the renowned historical relations between Egypt and Albania. 5-  Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina: -          A training course was held in the field of Arab and Islamic Culture at the Cairo University Center for Arabic language and Culture in the period from 5-28 April. Preceding the course, the Fund's Secretary-General and the Head of the Center agreed on selecting the most qualified trainees to promote tolerance of Islam and focus on the role of women in Islam. Lectures were delivered by Dean of Islamic and Arabic studies, Azhar University Dr.Soad Saleh and Dean of Islamic studies, Suez University, Dr.Abla El Kahlawy, and meetings were arranged with the grand Imam of Azhar and Head of the Supreme Council for Culture, Chairman of the General Egyptian Book Organization, and President of the Suez Canal Authority. A Bosnian request was presented to the head of the Central Department for Press and Media for religious television programs to be broadcasted there. -          The Fund allocated 18500 Dollars, as the second installment for the cultural activities program for the fiscal year 2005/2006. This program, which started several years, added Egypt to the group of countries that have special relationship with Bosnia and Herzegovina. 6- The Republic of Georgia: -          A Training course was organized at the Intelligence School for 12 trainees in the field of  National Security, in the period from 14-27 April 2006. 7- The Republic of Moldova: -          A Training course was organized at Cairo University Center for Arabic Language and Culture for 19 trainees in the field of Islamic and Arabic culture, in the period from 5-26 April. The course focused on the definition of tolerance of Islam, adjusting the image of Islam in the West, the role of woman in Islam, and other related topics. -          The fund offered dictionaries, Arabic-Russian and Russian-Arabic, to Moldova State University on 26/4/2006. 8- The Republic of Kyrgyzstan: -          A Training course was organized at the Faculty of Archeology, Cairo University for 10 trainees in the field of Archeology, in the period from 12-27 April. The course included a touristic tour in Luxor and Alexandria in order to introduce the process of restoring  monuments in these cities. 9- The Republic of Uzbekistan: -          In cooperation with the Chief of the Arab Investors Union, the Secretariat of the Fund agreed to offer a traveling ticket for the Chairman of the "Businesswomen Committee" in Uzbekistan to attend the Forum entitled “Development Horizons, the Future of the Joint Arab Investment, and the International Interaction” during the period from 3–5 December 2006 provided that the Union will pay for  accommodation and internal transportation. 10- Republic of Afghanistan: -          Minister for Foreign Affairs agreed that the Egyptian Embassy in Kabul address an invitation to the Afghan Minister for Women’s Affairs to visit Egypt, and the Egyptian Fund for Technical Cooperation with the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) will finance the visit.   Second: Meetings of April 2006: Several meetings were held in this period aiming at promoting relations between the Fund, the Egyptian training centers, and the ambassadors and diplomats of the concerned countries. The most important meetings were as follows:   -          On 5 April, Vice President of Cairo University, Dr. Abd Allah El-Tatawy, invited the Fund’s Secretary-General to attend a meeting with the President of Cairo University and the directors of the training centers, in which they outlined the technical and financial aspects of the training courses. -          On 17 April , a meeting with Mr.Serag Lashin, a full time professor  in the National Research Center and the supervisor in the training center to coordinate between the Fund and the National  Research Center concerning the training courses. -          On 18 April, the Fund's Secretary-General held a meeting with the Bosnian Ambassador to  discuss aspects of cooperation with the fund. -          On 19 April , the Fund's Secretary-General held a meeting with the Belarusian Ambassador to  discuss  aspects of cooperation with the fund. -          On 30April, a meeting with Dr.Hoda Metkis, Director of the Center for Asian Studies, Cairo University to enhance aspects of cooperation between the Fund and the Center, which is one of the important consultative centers in the Middle East specialized in  Asian studies. -          On 30 April, a  meeting was held with the students of the Diplomatic Institute in order to introduce the activities and objectives of the Fund as one of the mechanisms of implementing Egypt's foreign policy with CIS. -          Meetings were also held with the directors of the Police Research Center , Leadership Preparation Center, for Center for Arabic Language and Culture, the International Banking Institute, the Faculty of Archeology, and some Egyptian journalists.