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VIEWPOINT

When communities matter most

The horrific events of Tuesday, September 11, 2001 will have life-altering repercussions for many of us. To the innocent victims and their bereaved families, on behalf of AmCham Egypt, I offer our heartfelt condolences and prayers. Their loss is irreparable. To the American people, we offer our support and a strong belief in their ability to overcome this event and the circumstances behind it.

As for us, we are a people caught in the crossfire of history. We know what it means to fight for economic survival, and that fight is about to become more difficult.

Over the years, we’ve found the strength to make headway despite extraordinary obstacles. A short list spanning the last decade includes the Gulf War, the 1992 earthquake, unprecedented terrorist attacks, and, for over a year, the Intifada. Now we are faced with yet another challenge: overcoming the negative perceptions that will, sadly, inevitably be directed our way. But I think we are equal to this task, because of our qualities as human beings – qualities like loyalty and determination, which we will continue to affirm in our work for our families and our country.

In the hours following the attack, like many other Egyptians with friends and family in the danger zones, we at AmCham frantically attempted to contact friends and associates based in New York and Washington. Each time we were successful, we thanked God. But we weren’t always successful.

As the magnitude of the event became clear and the fingers of suspicion pointed so quickly eastward, I couldn’t help thinking that the fruits of our labors after 18 years of DoorKnock missions were never more precious. Yes, those efforts that take us annually to America were aimed at stimulating business. But we are Egyptian, so they could not help but be occasions for making friends as well. Over the years, what began as acquaintances with business counterparts, members of Congress and other branches of the US government grew into something deeper and more important. I sincerely believe that the personal contacts and mutual understanding we achieved will in some small way help to balance a negative reaction that might otherwise be overwhelming.

On behalf of the business community, dedicated to the building of our nation, I would like to say that we stand firm in our commitments to our partnerships. These are some of the tools that we’ve forged to better ourselves, and we honor them now as we always have. The Egyptian government’s commitment to peace and stability has likewise stood firm amid much provocation and will doubtless continue to do so, since not only our livelihoods but our very lives rely on peace. Few countries live as close to this reality as Egypt.

In the short and middle terms, the economic effects of Tuesday, September 11, will be felt as the business world recovers and re-examines its commitments and priorities. The long-term effects on Egypt and our region will be determined by the outcome of these considerations, and, of course, by the action that America chooses to take. In the past, we’ve looked to the United States of America as a paragon of justice, brotherhood and courage, a nation whose values we admired and sought to emulate. Now, in this time of crisis, when emotion is at war with reason, we hope that reason and higher values will triumph.

The events of September 11 did not occur in a vacuum. Rooting out their cause will require much painful self-examination and restraint on the part of the world’s most powerful nation. Egyptians are not alone in hoping that the future will prove America’s greatness. For our part, we stand firm in our commitments to partnerships that build the economies that feed nations, and we stand firm in the necessary understanding between individuals that underlies these partnerships. Never before has that understanding been so crucial.

Mohamed L. Mansour
President, AmCham Egypt

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