On 8 July 2024, H.E. Mr. Srettha Thavisin, Prime Minister, discussed with His Eminence Professor Dr. Ahmed Mohamed Ahmed El-Tayeb, Grand Imam Sheikh of Al-Azhar of Egypt, during His Eminence’s visit to Thailand as Guest of the Royal Thai Government during 5 – 8 July 2024. In attendance were H.E. Mr. Maris Sangiampongsa, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Police Colonel Thawee Sodsong, Minister of Justice.

During the meeting, the Prime Minister and Grand Imam Sheikh of Al-Azhar are pleased with the 70th anniversary of Thailand – Egypt diplomatic relations this year and expressed their intention to further strengthen bilateral relations, particularly in the fields of education, religion and culture. In addition, the Prime Minister also expressed appreciation to the Egyptian side for continuously granting Al-Azhar University scholarships to Thai students and support the establishment of an Arabic language center in partnership with Al-Azhar University in Thailand for students aiming to pursue their studies at theUniversity and those who are interested in advancing their Arabic language.

On this occasion, both sides also exchanged views on the situation in the Middle East. The Prime Minister emphasized Thailand’s support for peaceful solution in line with the Two-State Solution, as well as Thailand’s request for further assistance in securing the remaining Thai hostages. The Thai side also shared that the Thai Government will provide financial support of 100,000 dollars to the Egyptian Red Crescent for humanitarian assistance of people in the Gaza Strip, which will be coordinated through the Royal Thai Embassy in Cairo in due course.

In the afternoon, Police Colonel Thawee Sodsong, Minister of Justice, on behalf of the Royal Thai Government, bid farewell to the Grand Imam Sheikh of Al-Azhar of Egypt after he completed his visit to Thailand.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand.

The Egyptian authorities must immediately lift the travel bans imposed against prominent human rights lawyers Nasser Amin and Hoda Abdelwahab in connection with criminal investigations into NGOs’ legitimate human rights work, Amnesty International said today.

On 20 March 2024, after 13 years of investigations the authorities announced the closure of Case 173/2011, widely known as the “foreign funding” case, which had involved asset freezes against at least seven organizations and 11 NGO workers, as well as travel bans against at least 31 human rights defenders and NGO staff. Travel bans against 29 of them have now been lifted, but the travel bans against Nasser Amin and Hoda Abdelwahab, co-founders of independent NGO, the Arab Centre for Independence of Judiciary and Legal Profession (ACIJLP), imposed in 2016, have remained in place.

The decision to close Case 173 was announced three days after the EU and Egypt declared they were elevating their relationship to the level of a strategic and comprehensive partnership.

“The Egyptian authorities claim to have ended the sham Case 173 against NGOs, yet Nasser Amin and Hoda Abdelwahab continue to be arbitrarily banned from travel in connection to criminal investigations against NGOs. Their bans must be immediately lifted along with all other arbitrary travel bans imposed on NGO workers and former detainees in relation to separate politically motivated cases. This long overdue step must be accompanied by genuine measures to allow civil society organisations to operate freely and without fear of intimidation or prosecution,” said Mahmoud Shalaby, Egypt Researcher at Amnesty International.

“The authorities have also failed to provide reparations to human rights defenders for the harm they suffered as a result of years of judicial harassment, smear campaigns, travel bans, and asset freezes.”

ACIJLP was among the NGOs investigated in the “foreign funding” case in late 2011. Its offices were searched by police and the public prosecution in December 2011, who seized computers and documents from the premises.  On 30 January 2012, the investigative judge interrogated Nasser Amin on charges of “founding and managing an unlicenced branch of an international NGO and receiving funds from foreign entities without licence from the respective authorities.” The judge ordered the release of Nasser Amin pending investigations.

In 2014, the authorities began investigating other local NGOs in Case 173 and imposed travel bans and assets freeze against at least 31 key human rights defenders and NGO workers, some of which have lasted for six years.

In 2015, the investigating judge in Case 173 referred the investigation of ACIJLP to the Office of the Public Prosecutor, on the grounds that the National Security Agency’s investigations indicated its case differed from NGOs in the case, without specifying the grounds, according to a note written by the judge reviewed by Amnesty International.

Prosecutors never questioned Nasser Amin or Hoda Abdelwahab but in 2016, they barred both from travelling abroad without clarifying the grounds for the ban.

In 2017, the public prosecution referred their case file to the Supreme State Security Prosecution (SSSP) prosecutors, who also never summoned either for questioning. Nasser Amin’s and Hoda Abdelwahab’s appeal in 2019 appeal before the criminal court, along with 12 other human rights defenders also facing travel bans in connection with the case, was rejected in 2020.

In the announcement in March 2024 the investigating judge dropped the criminal charges against five leading Egyptian NGOs, namely  the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR), the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information, the Arab Penal Reform Organization, the Cairo Institute For Human Rights Studies and Al-Nadeem Center for Rehabilitation of Victims of Violence, that were still being investigated under Case 173/2011; and lifted travel bans of at least seven NGO workers. The Judge declared that this marked the end of the case, with charges dropped against all 85 NGOs involved, citing lack of evidence.

However, according to Nasser Amin, ACIJLP did not receive any official notices regarding its legal status following the announcement. Criminal investigations against them stemming from Case 173 remain pending in front of the SSSP.

The authorities have also failed to reverse asset freezes imposed on renowned human rights defenders Azza Soliman, Mostafa Al-Hassan and Hossam Bahagat since the case was closed.

Nasser Amin told Amnesty International that he lodged a complaint at the Public Prosecutor office on 2 April 2024 requesting the removal of ACIJLP from Case 173 and the lifting of travel bans against himself and Abdelwahab, but to date has received no response.

Background

ACIJLP was among the organizations first targeted along with five international NGOs in Cairo as part of the investigations into Case 173/2011.

In February 2012, the investigating judge referred the five international organisations, excluding ACIJLP, to trial, but did not drop the charges against ACIJLP.  In June 2013, 43 foreign and Egyptian workers from the other five NGOs were sentenced to prison terms of between one and five years, all of which were either issued in their absence or suspended. In December 2018, all were acquitted in a retrial, yet the criminal investigations against ACIJLP remained open.

Apart from Case 173, the Egyptian authorities have been using arbitrary travel bans to target former detainees held for political reasons including human rights defenders, NGOs workers, human rights lawyers and academic researchers.

The strategic partnership between Egypt and the EU announced in March 2023 includes €7.4 billion offered by the EU to Egypt in grants and loans up to the end of 2027 to help stabilize the country’s economy. Under the EU’s own regulations such financial assistance should be subject to pre-conditions including respect for human rights. Amnesty International and 15 Egyptian and international human rights organizations presented a three-point guide to the European Commission and member states to uphold international and EU law and to ensure that macro-financial assistance to Egypt granted under EU regulations secures concrete, measurable, structural and timebound human rights progress and reforms in the country.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Amnesty International.

The Hotel and Tourism Training Institute (HTTI) in Jinja District has unveiled a comprehensive plan to equip hoteliers, tourism students and specialists with the skills needed to dominate the Uganda and East African markets.

This revelation was made by Richard Kawere, the Principal of HTTI as he presented their plans to the Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities, and State Enterprises (COSASE) on Monday, 8 July 2024.

He said government is capacitating the Hotel and Tourism Training Institute so as to respond to the competition from foreigners who have taken up jobs in the industry.

Kawere highlighted the historical lack of proper infrastructure for tourism and hospitality training, emphasising that the government is now addressing this gap by building a training hotel with a school.

“This infrastructure, once it’s ready, with the right staffing, we will be able to lead in the skills-based training. We shall take on staff who are in the industry for retooling so that basically, we can start that path to be able to actually have our staff compete with those coming in.” he added.

AUDIO Kawere

Kawere noted the importance of learning from expatriates while also creating a roadmap for Ugandans to take up leadership roles in the sector.

“Their coming in should not be seen as a bad thing. It is always good to import best talent, and then we have our staff learn from them. We should be able to see a roadmap where we can best have our Ugandans take up this space,” Kawere said.

He also mentioned potential models for funding, such as a training levy collected by the government and later given to the industry to increase capacity.

Hon. Charles Bakkabulindi (NRM, Workers Representative) re-echoed Kawere’s concerns stressing the need for quality training to ensure Ugandans compete regionally.
“Our major concern is quality training to have Ugandans who can compete with others in this region. This business from year one to year five, getting managers and supervisors from Nairobi, what is that that ours cannot do?” Bakkabulindi wondered.

AUDIO Bakkabulindi

He emphasised the need to address both facilities and motivation, urging the institution not to forget the core goal of attracting tourists through well-trained staff.

Buzaaya County MP, Hon. Martin Muzaale also expressed optimism about the HTTI’s initiatives.

“The tourism sector generally, of course, the Kenyans have taken advantage of it. You find that in most of our hotels, it is the Kenyans managing those hotels,” Muzaale said.

Muzaale underscored the significance of the quality of training provided by HTTI. He said that it is the only way Ugandans can out-compete expatriates.

The institute will also house the Crested Crane Hotel, a three Star hotel which is currently being constructed by ROKO.

The construction is being funded by the World Bank at cost of Shs24 Billion.

It is established under an Act of Parliament, UHTTI Act (2015) with the mandate to undertake training and conduct research in tourism and hospitality, to advance skills and knowledge in the industry.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Parliament of the Republic of Uganda.

H.E. Dr. Rania A. Al-Mashat, Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation, toured several  departments in the Ministry’s office to follow up on the progress of work, with the participation of Mr. Mohamed Ibrahim, Permanent Under Secretary of the Ministry.  H.E. also continued her meetings with the directors  of the Ministry and different departments.

During the tour, Al-Mashat greeted many of the  employees at the Ministry, underscoring the importance of steadfastly pursuing and implementing the ministry’s strategic work plans. Emphasizing a vision centered on inclusive growth and sustainable economic development, H.E.  highlighted the ministry’s pivotal role in supporting Egypt’s efforts in working towards macroeconomic stability, thus accelerating comprehensive and sustainable development.

Al-Mashat stressed the importance of enhancing work efficiency within the framework of both the planning and economic development, as well as the international cooperation files.  Central to the agenda is a focus on the new government’s program for the next 3 years, with a particular focus on investing in human capital, alongside utilizing various tools and mechanisms to strengthen the pillars of economic advancement within the economic reform process, enhancing the efficiency of public investments, and unlocking more private sector participation in development, thus boosting growth rates and creating more job opportunities.

The Minister stressed the importance of ensuring seamless coordination, synergy and coordination between relevant entities and ministries in order to achieve progress towards the Egyptian government’s program, enhance the efficiency of public investments, follow up on the executive position of the country’s economic and social development plan, and projects in the governorates and overcoming any obstacles in their implementation.

Furthermore, Minister Al-Mashat noted the importance of integration between the financing tools available from multilateral and bilateral development partners, and planning mechanisms, to advance efforts towards implementing the government’s goals and meet the needs of Egyptian citizens, particularly in terms of investing in human capital and empowering the private sector; poised to drive sustainable economic growth.

During the tour, the Ministry’s employees congratulated Al-Mashat on assuming the portfolio of the Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation, and they affirmed their steadfast commitment to advancing the Ministry’s role in achieving national objectives.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Planning and Economic Development – Egypt.