11 March, 2008….

Upon the directives of Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit, the Secretary General of the Egyptian Fund for Technical Cooperation with Africa is to conduct a tour in the African continent included Congo Brazzaville (centre of Africa), Malawi and Mozambique (southern Africa), during the period from 18 to 31 March 2008.

In this context, EFTCA Secretary General, Ambassador Neven Ashmawi, stated that the minister's directives were as part of the Egyptian policy in showing its credibility to the African brothers all over the African continent. She also pointed out that during the tour she is decided to meet with ministers of health, agriculture, education and irrigation – ministries which are within the Fund's interest - to get acquainted with their need of Egyptian experts and food, medicine and logistic assistance.

Ambassador Neven Ashmawi will also meet with the Egyptian experts, who are dispatched by the Fund to these countries to work on eliminating problems, so that the Egyptian and African sides will get benefit.

EFTCA Secretary General added that such field rounds reflects the pivotal and pioneering role of Egypt in the African continent in helping African countries not only through fulfilling these countries' needs but also through providing all kinds of assistance to elevate the standard of living, eliminate poverty, combating disease and epidemic and achieve sustainable development.