In a video-conferencing meeting with members of the Egyptian communities in Japan and South Korea, the Minister of State for Emigration Affairs Soha al-Gendi referred to the ministry’s keenness on constantly upgrading the data base of Egyptian expatriates and merge them within the country’s soft powers to draw on their expertise and engage them in the current overall development process in the country.
The meeting comes as part of “An hour with the Minister” initiative that aims at boosting expats’ links to homeland and iron our any hurdle that might face them.
The minister said Egyptian expatriates are one of the pillars of Egyptian national security and the ministry is keen on enhancing their bonds with the homeland and benefit from their expertise in different domains.
She talked about the formation of a scientific committee grouping intellectual property experts from the two Egyptian communities in Japan and South Korea as well as Egyptian experts from other countries to work within the ministry’s Council of Experts and Scholars and the Council of Young Experts and Scientists affiliated with the MEDSI Center.
The committee aims at mulling measures to protect intellectual property rights in Egypt.
She stressed the ministry’s keenness to listen to the expats’ rich proposals and ideas, reviewing the incentives the Ministry has provided so far in cooperation with Egyptian ministries and state institutions to serve expats, including the expat car import initiative, which was extended until April 28, 2024.
She also expounded efforts to set up an investment company for Egyptian expats to be totally managed by experienced expats without any interference from the State.
Expats will be able to buy shares in the company, she said, adding that the company will be a joint stock company that operates in various fields, including agriculture, tourism, and industry.
The founding group and the board of the company has been already named as well as legal and financial consultancy offices.
Egyptian Ambassador to Japan Mohamed Abu Bakr said the Egyptian community in Japan is very distinguished, as it includes many academics and experts, indicating that there is an exchange of experiments between Egyptian scholars in Japan and Egyptian scholars at home.
He stressed that travel agencies are hoping to have regular airlines to Egypt, stressing that having sustainable flights between Egypt and Japan would bring back Japanese tourists to Egypt in large numbers.
In turn, Egypt’s Ambassador to South Korea Khaled Abdel Rahman said doors of Egyptian embassies abroad are open to every Egyptian around the world, stressing that members of the Egyptian community in South Korea are in constant contact with homeland.
He called for the necessity of operating a flight from Seoul to Cairo and back, even if it was once a week, and increasing it after the trial.
