'Revenues of Egypt's antiquities sector to equal spending for first time'
Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, Ahmed Essa, said Friday that as a politician and an economist responsible for archaeological sites and museums in Egypt, he should point out that the budget allocated for the antiquities sector did not exceed 200 million euros last year.
The total revenues of the
Supreme Council of Antiquities in the same year, the minister said, did not
exceed a third of this amount of money.
He referred to the need
for speedy action to allocate the necessary funds for the sector and provide
tourists with what they deserve as they visit them.
The minister's remarks
came during a seminar organized by the Centre for Middle East Studies in Paris.
Called 'Egypt … Dawn of
Conscience', the seminar is held at the ancient French Le Creon hotel, which
overlooks an ancient Egyptian obelisk, the seminar is organized on the margins
of the opening of the Ramses II Exhibition at the Grand Halle de la Villette.
The exhibition will last for five months.
Attending the event is a
host of dignitaries, including Egyptian Minister of Tourism and Antiquities,
Ahmed Essa, leading Egyptologist, Zahi Hawass, and Egypt's Ambassador to
France, Alaa Youssef.
A host of chief editors
of French newspapers attend the seminar, along with several French MPs, senior
politicians and Egyptologists.
Minister Essa expressed
pride in that in the next fiscal year, the budget for Egyptian antiquities
would be doubled by 200%.
He expected the revenues
of the antiquities sector to equal spending for the first time in years.
"Therefore, the
amount of support we need from the state will be reduced to zero,"
Minister Essa said.
He said he is proud to
serve his country's tourism sector after working as a banker for 30 years.
"I am proud to work
with the leaders of the Ministry of Antiquities at this difficult stage,"
the minister said.
