Qatar induces Egyptian publishers to join 28th Doha Book Fair

CAIRO – 3 September 2017: Qatar has offered many temptations to the book publishers of Egypt to participate in the 28th Doha International Book Fair. The event organizers addressed all Egyptian publishing houses to participate in the next session.

The organizers have provided many facilities to the Egyptian publishing houses, including decrease in pavilions rents up to 50%, in an attempt to induce Egyptian publishers to participate in the Doha Book Fair.

A number of Egyptian publishing houses revealed that the deputy director of the Qatar Book Fair has arrived to Cairo, Egypt to convince and negotiate with Egyptian publishers to participate in the event.

The Head of the Egyptian Publishers Association (EPA) and Assistant Secretary General of the Arab Publishers Association, Adel Al-Masry, expressed his decline to Qatar’s invitation to participate in the Doha Book Fair.

“We reject the invitation. We are now in a boycott with Qatar, and we will not participate in their book fair, because the EPA is aPFRn integral part of the state,” Al-Masry said.

He pointed out that the EPA will not be responsible for any consequences caused resulting from the participation of any Egyptian publishing house in the Doha Book Fair.

Al-Masry stressed that the EPA is following the same approach of the Egyptian government in terms of the political situation.

Qatar’s relations with several Arab states have been strained since May 24 over a leaked statement attributed to Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad, criticizing Gulf foreign policy with Iran, describing it as “unwise”.

Qatari Emir’s remarks against Egypt, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) prompted the major Arab powers to adopt urgent and strict measures towards Doha.

The Qatari crisis was escalated when the Arab quartet along with Yemen and Libya announced a coordinated diplomatic break with Qatar. They also closed their airspace and seaports for Qatari transportation.