Egypt is capable of a democratic shift and moving to new horizons, interim Prime Minister Essam Sharaf said on Sunday.
"This democratic transition is the main safeguard for Egypt's aspirations for good governance," he said in his opening speech at the International Forum on Pathways of Democratic Transitions, a two-day UN conference hosted by Cairo.
Participating in the event are former presidents Michelle Bachelet of Chile and B.J. Habibie of Indonesia; Senior ANC Negotiator in post-Apartheid South Africa, Mac Maharaj; and former Brazilian Minister of Foreign Affairs Celso Amorim. Delegations from Morocco, Tunisia and Jordan are also taking part.
Sharaf said Egypt is currently seeking to govern its affairs in a way that can effectively change its citizen's lives. Egypt is not starting from scratch, he noted, pointing to several studies and reports that have handled the scope and concentration of corruption. He said such reports were either timidly released or shelved.
UN Development Program director Helen Clark said the program was ready to provide the support required to secure job opportunities for youth in the most needy areas. She added that the forum aims to share expertise on democratic transition, especially in light of the developments in Egypt and Tunisia.
The UN seeks to support the Arab world states during their transitional phases through providing experience and support on counter-corruption, Clark said, stressing the program’s emphasis on national dialogue.
