Guest speech of the Ambassador of Egypt; H.E. Mr. Ehab Fawzy

At the occasion of recent state visit to Egypt by the Austrian delegation headed by President Fischer, the IMC Export Department (under the auspices of Chair for Intl. Law and Global Political Studies) invited Mr. Ehab FAWZY, the Egyptian Ambassador to Austria and IOs in Vienna for a guest lecture. The Ambassador gave rather brief but comprehensive view on the currents in the Egypt’s Foreign and Security Policy, role and position in Middle Eastern peace process as well as on trends in Austro-Egyptian economic relations and its future potentials. His statement was followed by long discussions with students and professors, and by a small cocktail reception.

Ambassador FAWZY’s remarks offered the IMC Export Fellows a unique opportunity to gain insights into the cross Mediterranean, pan African and Arab political dynamics, including the Egypt’s positions in the Euro-Mediterranean partnership (so-called Barcelona process/European Neighborhood Policy), positions in the Vienna based FORAs such as the OSCE (Mediterranean partners to the OSCE) and UN/IAEA (MDG, disarmament, NPT, etc.). Answering the students’ questions, H.E. FAWZY shared the Egyptian policy views on issues like: Middle East – security and environmental threats, the EU Mediterranean initiatives (including the recent one of the French President Sarkozy), democratization vs. islamization debate in Arab world, recent constitutional changes in Egypt, Arab League, Sudan, Ethiopia-Somalia, Iraq, Iran, Israel-Palestine as well as the economic and trade potentials (including the current gas projects of OMV in Egypt; Egypt-Turkey-Nabucco pipeline).

An extraordinarily eloquent diplomat, Ambassador FAWZY built up a reputable career working in the cabinet of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, and was serving the Egypt’s Foreign Ministry in Washington, Tunis, the Egyptian mission to the UN New York. His work at the UN included capacities of the Repporteur of the Special Political Committee of the GA and of UN Special Committee on Peace-Keeping. Before coming to Vienna in autumn of 2007, Mr. FAWZY served for two years as Deputy Assistant Foreign Minister for International Political relations. Ambassador Ehab FAWZY holds the high graduate and post-graduate degrees from Cairo and Oxford universities.

Summing up after the half-day visit to Krems, content-intensive speech to and talks with fellow students and professors with Mr. Ernst Fietz, the EXPORT Program Director, Mr. Tarek Eltayeb, Arabic language professor and Mr. Anis H. Bajrektarevic, Export Chair and principal host of the event, Ambassador FAWZY stated that he has been very impressed by our faculty’s interest in the Euro-Mediterranean affairs. The Ambassador also complimented the commitment and knowledge of our students as demonstrated in the questions and discussion with him. Finally, the Ambassador expressed his willingness to welcome the Export fellows in his Embassy as well as to return to our university soon again.

Text: Mr. Bajrektarevic