Seminar
Date: July 18 th, 2006.
Topic: “Trade in Services: Egypt’s Experience”
Venue: Grand Hyatt Hotel – Farhaty Ballroom
Egypt’s economy is dominated by its service sector, which represents more than 50% of its GDP, and employs an equal proportion of its workforce. In addition to that, the service sector is the fastest growing, and the biggest generator of foreign exchange revenues. Liberalization of this sector is key to Egypt’s development and growth, and will have a significant effect on the private sector.
The seminar will discuss the importance of the General Agreement on Trade in Services- GATS as a constituent part of the WTO Agreements. GATS offers a comprehensive and practical framework for liberalization, in particular through its flexible structure, which allows countries to liberalize at their own pace, in line with their development situation.
AGENDA
8:30 a.m. –
9:00 a.m. |
REGISTRATION |
9:00 – 9:15 a.m.
9:15 – 9:30 a.m.
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Opening Session:
Dr. Taher S. Helmy, President, AmCham Egypt
Introduction to the Seminar:
Ambassador Magda Shahin, Director of the Trade Related Assistance Center (TRAC) View Presentation |
9:30 – 9:50 a.m.
9:50 – 10:10 a.m.
10:10 – 10:30 a.m.
10:30 – 11:00 a.m.
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Session I: “Services Policies and Liberalization”
Moderator: Dr. Taher S. Helmy, President, AmCham Egypt
Ms. Victoria Waite, International Trade Specialist, Nathan Associates View Presentation
“Role of the Services Sector in the Egyptian Economy”
(i) Why Services are Important to Egypt
(ii) Impact of Liberalization on Economic Development
(iii)Building Trade in Services Capacity in Egypt
Dr. Mona El Garf, Lead Economist – the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MOTI) View Presentation
Service Liberalization in Egypt at the Bilateral (US-FTA), Regional (EU-GAFTA) and Multilateral (WTO) Levels.
Mr. Abdel Hamid Mamdouh, Director of Services-WTO (Geneva) View Presentation
International Trade in Services:
(i) The GATS as a framework for services liberalization
(ii) Egypt's commitments under the GATS
(iii) Services liberalization and regulatory reform
(iv) State of play in the ongoing Doha Development Agenda negotiations
(v) Relevance to the private sector
Question & Answer
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11:00 a.m. –
11:30 p.m. |
COFFEE BREAK |
11:30 p.m. –
11:50 p.m.
11:50 – 12:10 a.m.
12:10 – 12:30 p.m.
12:30 – 13:00 p.m.
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Session II: “Egypt’s Successful Experiences in Liberalization of Trade in Services”
Moderator: Mr. Hussein Choucri, Chairman, H.C. Securities and Investment
Dr. Ashraf Shams el Din, Financial consultant. View Presentation
“Liberalization of Financial Services as an Engine for Growth”
Dr. Amr Hashem, Advisor to the Minister for Communications Policies, the Ministry of Communications and Information Technologies (MCIT) View Presentation
“IT and Telecommunications Liberalization within the WTO and its impact on the Egyptian Private Sector”
Dr. Adel Danish, Chairman and CEO, Xceed Contact Center
“Views of the Private Sector on Liberalization of IT and Telecom”
View Presentation
Question & Answer Session |
13:00 a.m. –
13:15 p.m. |
COFFEE BREAK |
13:15 – 13:35 p.m.
13:35 – 13:55 p.m.
13:55 – 14:15 p.m.
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Session III: “Liberalization of Tourism”
Moderator: Dr. Adla Ragab, Lead Economic Advisor to the Minister of Tourism
The study of the Institute of National Planning presented by:
Dr. Fadia Abdel Salam, Director of the Center for Int’l Economic Relations
Dr. Salwa M. Morsi, Director of the Center for Environmental & Natural Resources Studies
“SMEs adapting to the new Challenges of Tourism Liberalization”
Mr. Alaa Hafez, Chairman, Max group. View Presentation
“Liberalization of the Tourism Sector in Egypt and its implication on the Private Sector and the Egyptian Economy”
Question & Answer Session |
14:15 – 15:00 p.m. |
LUNCH BUFFET |
15:00 – 15:20 p.m.
15:20 – 15:40 p.m.
15:40 – 16:00 p.m.
16:00 – 16:30 p.m.
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Session IV: “Role of the Private Sector in Services and Support Institutions”
Moderator: Eng. Haytham Ahmed Deyab, Chairman, The Egyptian Export Promotion Center (EEPC)
Mr. Waleed El Nozahy, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Trade & Industry and Head of the WTO Unit
“The Role of the Private Sector in Establishing Egypt’s position in the negotiations” View Presentation
Eng. Hossam El Cheikh, International Donors’ Projects Coordinator - MOTI
“Raising the Competitiveness of Egypt’s Private Sector in Service Delivery” View Presentation
Mr. Abdel Hamid Mamdouh, Director of Services-WTO (Geneva)
“Domestic Institutional Frameworks for Services Policies and Negotiations, Role of the Private sector” View Presentation
Questions and Answers |
16:30 – 17:00 p.m. |
Wrap up/Recommendations
Dr. Magda Shahin, Director of TRAC &
Dr. Ahmed Ghoneim, Professor of Economics, Faculty of Economics & Political Science, Cairo University
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