Dr. Bahaa Helmy Writes: The Ministry of Emigration — Between Challenges and Achievements

The creation of the Ministry of Emigration and Egyptian Expatriates' Affairs does not only reflect the interest of the state and the political leadership in Egyptians at home and abroad, in maximizing their role in contributing to the efforts to rebuild a modern state, in solving their problems and in strengthening the bonds and relations between them and their mother country; it also reflects the state's thinking and strategy for rebuilding and reshaping its soft power, especially Egyptians abroad, who form an advanced national base and an effective soft front in confronting the challenges, dangers, rumors and false ideas about Egypt throughout the world, and in activating their role in supporting the state's vision and policies, defending its values and causes and countering what the members of the terrorist group, its affiliates and supporters, and the various states and organizations backing it, promote against Egypt. The state neglected its citizens abroad over past decades, which entrenched a poor mental image among Egyptians abroad that negatively affected their spirit of belonging and loyalty to the homeland and made them fertile ground for spreading any information that harms Egypt, its role and its future. Ambassador Nabila Makram, the Minister of Emigration, took it upon herself to confront these challenges with full determination and resolve, embarking on an experience that was at once difficult and unique, since hers was the only ministry that had no organizational structure or the means and tools of work, nor any strategy, mechanisms or useful previous experience to draw on in its work or to build on in dealing and communicating with Egyptians abroad. Add to these challenges the enormity of the work and burdens placed on or entrusted to the ministry as the state's representative in its obligation to care for Egyptians abroad, protect them and guarantee their rights and freedoms, enable them to perform their public duties towards the state and society and contribute to the development of the state, and work to motivate them to contribute to creating an innovative, knowledge-based society to achieve sustainable development in their homeland, Egypt, as the Constitution provides. The Minister of Emigration adopted an ambitious plan of action for the institutional building of the new ministry from the moment she took office, and created an organizational structure and job descriptions to make the most of the available human resources in achieving the hoped-for goals. What is remarkable is the minister's reliance on a team of young people of both sexes, her confidence in their abilities, her encouragement of them and her giving them the opportunity to take off, to be creative and to put forward ideas to implement the ministry's strategy, which was prepared and announced on the ministry's website — and its effects are clearly visible in the ministry's imprint and its successive successes on all fronts. The ministry went on its way, working on several fronts to communicate with and meet Egyptians abroad and at home, despite the difficulties and obstacles that some try to put in the way of the minister, her assistants and her teams of young people; and we do not exaggerate if we call her the iron lady, armed with patriotic spirit, credibility, knowledge, science and faith in the abilities of Egyptian youth in confronting crises, overcoming difficulties and surmounting obstacles with competence and skill. The Ministry of Emigration exercises the role of the state before the public of Egyptians abroad and is the wall onto which all the negative experiences that Egyptians abroad may have, for example as a result of their dealings with government bodies, are thrown; it must contain this and create new bridges to build trust and to achieve accomplishments in the fields of tourism, investment, housing, health, education, aviation, manpower, information and elections, and play an educational and awareness-raising role, opening new horizons and windows for the second and third generations through which they can see their country, Egypt, and learn about their civilization and history, fostering in them a spirit of belonging and pride in their homeland. This work and performance can only come about by providing more support and cooperation from all the ministries, institutions, bodies and authorities of the state, and through positive interaction with the role of the Ministry of Emigration in implementing its strategy and in its dealings with Egyptians abroad, in the public interest. The conferences, initiatives and forums held by the Ministry of Emigration, whether in Egypt or abroad, the inspiring patriotic slogans it gives these initiatives, its reliance on modern means of communication and technologies, its determination to confront the challenges and counter the mistaken ideas and notions held by many Egyptians abroad, and its reshaping of a new role for the state in caring for its citizens throughout the world, clearly point to the constructive thinking, the national role and the achievements that Egypt is realizing in rebuilding a national military base of soft power supporting the homeland, its policies, its future and its aspirations. So salute to the efforts of the Minister of Emigration and the team working with her, and salute to every sincere effort to build the homeland.