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ELITE Issue6: Apr.2019 Page | 2

Ambassador Mohamed El-Oraby , Diplomat , Parliamentarian and Former Minister
v
in an Exclusive Interview with ElITE

Public Diplomacy Should be a

Cornerstone in Our Foreign Policy

Our Editors (from Left) Abdelrahman Elhadidi, Aya Shaaban (Beside Amb. Oraby) and Silvana Sobhy
Yaacoub

Cairo : Silvana Sobhy, Aya Shaaban and Abdelrahman Elhadidi diploma students at FEPS. He used to prepare the material of the course The German Foreign Minister was impressed by the
from his "life" curriculum. His main advice to the students of the idea of this art exhibition which reflects the reactions of
In Ritz Carlton, the pharaonically decorated hotel overlooking Tahrir faculty, if they aspire to enroll in the diplomatic sector, is to learn different cultures to the same theme. Accordingly, the
Square, the square of revolution, Ambassador Mohamed Al-Oraby hosted multiple languages. Al-Oraby believes that the country should be Egyptian embassy has become not only a diplomatic
us. Al-Oraby, former Ambassador in Germany, Parliamentarian and benefiting from people whose lives were enriched with lots of building, but also a cultural center that radiates positive
Former Minister of Foreign Affairs, enabled ELITE Team to hold one of experiences, and offer them to the current generation as a chance to energy through art exhibition and other activities, such
its richest interviews. The interview with Ambassador Mohamed Al- give back the great opportunities the country provided them with. He as seminars and lectures as the lectures by the late
Oraby was fruitful because his answers to the questions that were proposed believes that the true value of a person lies within passing his writer Gamal Al-Ghitani. All of this, he said, follows
by the journal were informative and beneficial. We asked him whether it knowledge of life onto the next generations. an approach and a cultural perspective to develop
was his ambition to work in the diplomatic sector, and he stated that indeed relations between the two countries. Among the
it was. The journey began since he was in his high school in 1967; the year Moreover, when we asked for his assessment of the students' activities remarkable activities conducted by the Egyptian
when the June War with Israel took place. That was a turning point in his in the faculty and about the students' union, he highlighted that being Embassy in Germany was inviting the best achievers in
life per the fact that he started to have other kinds of interests than those he the consultant of the union, he induces the union to be always attractive the secondary stage education to Germany and
to the students because long ago, the unions were neglected in any
used to have. There was an advertisement for an admission for the foreign faculty. Hence, he recommended the president of the student union to allowing them to meet the German
affairs test, and he made up his mind to enroll. He kept the advertisement, invite prominent figures like Ambassador Moshira Khattab, and Dr. Chancellor. The policy adopted by Ambassador Al-
which he revealed to the journal as his ultimate goal.Thus, right after Mostafa Al-Fekki to visit the faculty and spur up the spirit of challenge Oraby was so successful that he remained in his
graduating from the Faculty of Commerce, Cairo University, he instantly in them and inspire them with their real life challenges, obstacles, and position as ambassador of Egypt in Germany for eight
took the exam. After graduating, he was called upon for military duty, their stories of success. Hence, the union would be more appealing to years, which is exceptional in the diplomatic work.
within which he was commanded to return from Issna to Cairo in order to the students, who would feel tangible changes. Regarding Egypt's current foreign policy and the
take his oral exam. Luckily, he got accepted in the diplomatic institute challenges facing Egypt and the region,Al-Oraby
where he kept working there simultaneously with his military period from Ambassador Al-Oraby referred to several actions adopted by the pointed out that Egypt is witnessing an unprecedented
1974 till 1978. He was then assigned to work as a diplomat in Kuwait in government to narrow the gap between the academic framework and success in its foreign policy, under very difficult
August 1978. He was one of the few at the time who had German as his practical reality. He mentioned that “The Supreme Council of conditions, both by official diplomacy and by
second language. Most of his colleagues spoke French, which made him Universities” has decided to give the opportunity to non-academics to presidential diplomacy. He pointed out that there are
quite unique. teach in colleges, in order to reduce this gap, and pointed out the need many challenges facing Egypt and the region. This is
to apply this policy in the colleges, as Egypt is full of experts and
When he was asked about the challenges that face students nowadays; he professionals. elaborated mainly by the unconventional alliances and
the strong existence of cross-border terrorism.
pointed that long before, life was safer and future was more guaranteed
than it is now for the youth. There is currently a consistent growth in Political science researchers often refer to Ambassador and the former The region is in general inflamed, but Egypt is able to
population and the number of graduates is surging year by year; hence, foreign minister Mohamed Al-Oraby as the pioneer of the golden age walk on a highly successful road and this is reflectedby
of Egyptian-German relations. Therefore, he was asked about the most
competitiveness increases in the labor market. Therefore, there is a huge important achievements that made Egyptian-German relations so Egypt's presidency of the African Union, Egypt's
responsibility on the youth to invest in themselves appropriately in order to distinct. participation in the Munich conference, and the
run income. establishment of the Arab-European summit on the
The beginning of Ambassador Mohamed Al-Oraby’s land of Egypt. He added that the situation of the
Furthermore, the most provocative thing is the state of uncertainty mission in Germany on September 15, 2001 -four days after the events Egyptian diplomacy is in its best form despite the
surrounding the future. And when we asked him to provide some advice of September 11, which occurred in the United States of America- complexity of the circumstances in the region.
for the students in accordance with his vast experience in life; he indicated that the smart diplomat must be able to measure the Fortunately, this indicates the success of Egypt's
emphasized that in the past, there were plenty of opportunities, but human sensitivity of circumstances and perception of context in the place foreign policy.
investment was a hard process. Now, it is the other way round; investing in where he works. Working in the period following September
the oneself nowadays, is way smoother in the era of technology, as we 11 marked the importance of changing the stereotype image of Regarding the absence of the role of the House of
become more capable of attaining knowledge easily; and being more all the inhabitants of the Islamic countries as being a threat to European Representatives in foreign policy, he pointed out that
connected to the whole world, which we call "globalization", helped in society. Thus, "policy of openness" needed to be adopted with the there are visits from parliamentary delegations to some
facilitating the human investment process. authorities and the citizens of Germany. Al-Oraby has pointed countries, but they are not sufficient. He attributed this

the importance of what is known as “public diplomacy”. It is the to the absence of the culture of using the parliament by
However, opportunities in the labor market are decreasing. Additionally, the state as a tool in foreign policy. He explained that
chances to travel abroad in order to acquire knowledge or to have a job are science of “people to people diplomacy,” which shows that diplomatic there is a difference between the parliamentary
now stricter than they used to be long ago. To cut it short, the main advice relationships should be maintained with the country’s officials as well diplomacy carried out by the parliament and the public
as its citizens.
was to set a specific goal that one wants to reach eagerly, and to keep on Egypt’s excellent reputation worldwide offered a very fertile and solid diplomacy carried out by delegates of Egyptian citizens
adding value to oneself, as well as inducing the students' parents to help ground for the adoption of a policy of "open doors" for German and after taking permission from the state.
them accomplish their own dreams, rather than seeking an unwanted non-German citizens, including school students and the elderly. He
dream. illustrated several creative activities carried out by the Egyptian Finally, He insisted on the fact that the Egyptian state
Furthermore, when we inquired about the advice he would like to provide embassy in Germany. For example, the Egyptian embassy should prepare cadres that can communicate with the
the students of FEPS with on how to enroll in the diplomatic sector, he established an art exhibition inside its building. The main theme of this different perspectives. He pointed out that there is a
shortage of cadres who own this trait and everyone
mentioned that the faculty should do its best to put students on the right exhibition was translating parts of Salah Jaheen’s Quartet to different
track, and how to appropriately work on their points of strengths. For languages then converting written text into painted images. Several should use their utmost to uphold their country's name
because they all are serving their beloved country
instance, in the American universities, they assign or ask diplomats like embassies took part in this exhibition such as the embassies of “Egypt.”
Al-Oraby to raise awareness for the students in order to give them the Korea, Japan and India. These embassies participated in the phase of
chance to shape their minds about the world with regards to the experience translation to their own languages and their own artists painted what
they went through. Al-Oraby used to give a "negotiation" course for the was translated.

ELITE Issue6: Apr.2019 Page | 2