US ‘COMMITTED’ TO EGYPT’S ECONOMIC GROWTH, SECURITY: KERRY
Cairo, 23 Jumadil Awwal 1436/14 March 2015 (MINA) – U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said Friday that Washington was “committed” to supporting Egypt’s security and economy.
Kerry’s statements came during a speech he delivered in the opening session of Egypt’s three-day economic summit, which kicked off Friday in the resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh.
“The U.S. is committed to supporting Egypt’s economic reform. The American people are committed to the security and well-being of the Egyptian people,” Kerry said, Anadolu Agency quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting.
“There is no question that the emergence of a strong, prosperous and democratic Egypt is critical for a strong and prosperous region,” he asserted.
“We will work with you to secure the ambitious goals you have laid out,” Washington’s top diplomat told Egypt’s President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi.
Kerry’s ‘Israel’ slip in Egypt ‘unintended’: US embassy
The U.S. embassy in Cairo attributed a slip of the tongue by Kerry – in which he confused Egypt with Israel – to an “all-night flight” and Kerry’s attendance of a morning event.
“Clear theme of John Kerry speech and visit today: confidence in Egypt’s future. All night flight + morning event = unintended slip (wrong country!),” the embassy said via Twitter.
Kerry’s remark came during a reception on Friday held on the sidelines of Egypt’s economic summit, which kicked off later the same day.
“We all strive for the future of Israel,” Kerry inadvertently said in his speech at the reception, before quickly rectifying his mistake and saying “Egypt.”
Egypt is expected to unveil a host of potential investment projects at the summit in hopes of luring investment to shore up its economy, which has been badly battered by four years of turmoil since a 2011 popular uprising ousted autocratic President Hosni Mubarak.
Egypt received a total of $4.7 billion worth of foreign investment during the 2013/14 fiscal year.
The Egyptian government is eyeing gross domestic product (GDP) growth of 4 percent in 2014/15, up from 2.1 percent the previous fiscal year. (T/P010/P3)
Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)
