EGYPT 'S ruling National Democratic Party (NDP)starts its 6th annual congress with President Hosni Mubarak delivering a keynote speech on ways to alleviate poverty and achieve economic and social justice,despite the impact of the international financial crisis on the national economy.
Mubarak's speech,which inaugu- rates the three-day congress,is expected to focus on how the Government can serve poor citizens through implementing infra-structure development programmes.The participants of the congress, held under the banner of "Just For You",will discuss a host of research papers and recommendations for serving the interests of ordinary citizens .The items on the congress agenda will focus on key national issues such as social justice,poverty alleviation, promoting investment,creating employment opportunities,upgrading agricultural,and developing education and health services,organisers said.They said that the participants would also submit progress reports about Mubarak's 2005 presidential election programme,which also aims to empower women economically and politically.Earlier this year,Egypt's parliament has passed a law allocating a quota of 64 seats in the lower house to women to promote their role in society.The new law gives women more than 12 per cent of the seats in an expanded parliament after the next election due in 2010.It raises the total number of seats in the People's Assembly from 454 - including 10 appointed by the President - to 518.
