HE Minister Ahmed Darwish Inaugurates “Access to Information is the Right of Every Citizen” Conference at the BA
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Alexandria—
HE Minister Ahmed Darwish, Minister of State for Administrative Development, General Adel Labib, Governor of Alexandria, Dr. Maged Othman, Head of Information and Decision Support Center (IDSC), and Dr. Ismail Serageldin, Director of the Library of Alexandria, inaugurated “Freedom of Information.. Access to Information is the Right of Every Citizen” Conference, on Thursday, 7 February 2008, organized by the BA from 7 to 9 February 2008. More than 300 distinguished figures participated in the Conference including ministers, university professors and prominent media representatives.
General Adel Labib, Governor of Alexandria, gave an address, in which he referred to the globalization age and how it provides more opportunities for free access of information within an atmosphere of knowledge-based economies, which is strong push towards sustainable development.
Dr. Hossam Badrawy, Chairman of the People’s Assembly Education Committee, explained that the Conference seeks to change the entire thinking methodology of the society as well as its culture.
Dr. Maged Othman stressed on the fact that free flow and access of information is an integral right of all human beings, as adopted by the United Nations in 1940s. He stated that the Conference sends a strong message that reform will not be achieved except through the community itself and a network of civil societies.
On the concept of good governance, HE Minister Ahmed Darwish, spoke on the role of government in promoting transparency and integrity and added that the Egyptian government, chaired by Dr. Ahmed Nazeef and under the auspices of the political leadership, chose to implement good governance. He stated that everything needs vision to be implemented, but a sound vision only is not enough. At the end of his address, HE Dr. Darwish raised several important issues that should be discussed during the course of the three day Conference.
Dr. Ismail Serageldin stated in his speech at the end of the opening session that the free flow of information is an essential part of the scientific and technological leap witnessed by the world these days. He added that this requires complementary laws such as laws on intellectual property rights, and that developed countries including the USA publishes scientific materials and military researches, since it realized that free access to information pushes forward the wheel of progress in the entire society.
It is worth mentioning that the Conference addresses several themes including legal and organizational frameworks controlling access to information, flow of data, and intellectual property rights; the role of information in the development process and in the involvement of civil society in drafting policies; policies governing access to information and publishing; the role of portals and national networks on the internet in facilitating access to information; and the responsibility of civil society in building knowledge societies.
The Conference also tackles means of providing information and utilizing information technology tools, in addition to the role of e-government in developing the quality of public services and facilitating procedures for citizens. The Conference will discuss the draft laws on disclosure and flow of information before it is discussed in the People's Assembly and Shura Council sessions.