Belgian amb. praises Egypt’s positive ‘compulsory reforms’

CAIRO – 4 April 2018: Belgian Ambassador to Egypt Sibille de Cartier hailed the latest reforms that Egypt has witnessed over recent years, describing them as “compulsory reforms”.

“Egypt needs these positive reforms to tackle the problems in availability of currency and the difference of the level of exchange rates between the official market and the black market. The government has to take courageous measures,” she said on Thursday during an interview with Egypt Today.

“The government has to adopt a new development strategy, not only a few measures,” de Cartier said, adding that this strategy should include the reforms of the economy.

Egypt’s exports to Belgium increased 28 percent year-on-year in 2017, recording €320 million ($383 million), compared to €250 million in 2016, Trade Minister Tarek Kabil said in April.

On December 19, the Belgian network Broximal Media revealed that Belgium’s travel agencies recorded a 50-percent increase in flight bookings to Egypt since last summer.

Egypt is considered by Belgian tourists as the second most popular travel destination due to its geographical location, natural sunny weather, historical sites like the Giza Pyramids, and high-end hotels and resorts.

The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) released a report stating that Egypt is one of the countries that achieved a remarkable revival in tourism, with around 8 million tourists visiting Egypt by the end of 2017.