Moustafa Abu-Zaid, the media officer and spokesman of the Arab Federation for Sustainable Development and the Environment, during an interview with Egypt Today. Sunday, November 5, 2017. - Egypt Today
CAIRO – 5 November 2017: “The World’s Youth Forum is an opportunity for communication between the young peoples of the Arab Region... and their ideas which can help the Arab Region rise,” Mustafa Abu-Zaid, media officer and spokesman of the Arab Federation for Sustainable Development and the Environment, told Egypt Today in an interview.
In his first interview with Egypt Today, Abu-Zaid has stated that the World Youth Forum which kicks off Sunday at Sharm El-Sheikh is an excellent forum for devising methods for sustainable development, stressing that youth need to become a part of such plans.
“We must encourage young people to work and carry out scientific research so they can help develop these fields in the coming period,” Abu-Zaid stated.
The full interview is included below.
To begin with, how do you see the World’s Youth Forum?
The World Youth Forum is a real opportunity for communication between the young peoples of the Arab Region, for mediating the different views between them, and for establishing communication between them and their Western counterparts. The forum aims to emphasize the concept that new generations in the Arab world possess the knowledge and the values by which the Arab Region can rise, besides being an excellent opportunity for closing the ideological gap between different cultures and opting for a constructive cultural dialogue.
Does this mean that it is a chance for young Arab people to present themselves to the world?
Yes. They have an excellent opportunity to present their views on many regional issues which are completely preoccupying the regional’s public opinion right now, in addition to emphasizing the fact that the Arab world possesses responsible people who can help Egypt and the region as a whole rise, provided that they are given sufficient motivation for scientific research and development. We must use the tools and incentives by which we can harness the already-existing tremendous abilities of our youth; we must also give them the space for more freedom of speech so their voices can be fully heard.
Besides entrepreneurship, is sustainable development one of the forum’s main focuses?
Yes, and this is why the forum will be a success. Discussing sustainable development and entrepreneurship along with their implications is irrefutable evidence of the massive concern and attention that the state’s leaders are giving to the coming generations. Simply put, procuring people’s needs and developing subsistence methods without endangering the resources of the coming generations is an essential part of sustainable development. Besides, the numerous ventures and enterprises the state is engaged in right now emphasize the existence of future job opportunities for the new generations.
How about entrepreneurship and funding young people’s enterprises?
Entrepreneurship is crucially important because it is crucially important for the development of Egypt to adopt the ideas of the youth, their innovations, and the proposals they put for the execution of these ideas. And let me stress again that the forum will contribute to young people’s enterprises and ventures through a special funding program in collaboration with various banks.
The state of Egypt is right now working on subsidizing and encouraging small and medium enterprises, which will ensure that the job market becomes saturated with our youth. Hence, that is why I emphasize the close and complementary relationship between sustainable development, entrepreneurship and technology. It is also why I emphasize the necessity that the state adopts the enterprises and innovations of the youth.
What are the most prominent focal points of sustainable development to be discussed in the forum?
The most prominent point to be proposed for discussion is how to make the best use of a country’s human capital, especially since we have a massive human capital in Egypt which must be used because it’s the backbone of sustainable development.
Does this mean that population increase has no effect on sustainable development?
It certainly has no effect since human capital can be made use of in a huge number of projects. The country needs a lot of human capital whether in industry or in education and sustainable development can, moreover, pose comprehensive solutions for the surplus in population. Egypt can utilize this surplus in different sectors.
How does the state contribute to sustainable development?
The state has a huge role in sustainable development because the process of sustainable development is a complementary process. The political leadership and the government develop the regulatory strategies and laws for any process. Additionally, there is a considerable necessity for community organizations that have an educating role, such as national civil social organizations and non-governmental organizations. There is also the most important part of this equation, and that is the citizen who will execute such plans and for whom facilities and success-driving factors should be secured.
Finally, can the objectives of sustainable development discussed in the forum actually be realized?
We certainly can achieve all these goals provided that we have the necessary capabilities. Besides, the ideas which are going to be proposed are realistic ones which will create intellectual enrichment in various fields, and that is the case of the UAE which made very good use of sustainable development in different fields, on top of which is economy; it has become a country which greatly attracts foreign investments.
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