Ibrahim Tork, Democratic Unionist Party
• Tork Argues Egypt's Economic Difficulties due to Poor Education, Financial/Resource Management, Overpopulation, and Weak Local Administration

Mohamed Hosni Mubarak, National Democratic Party
• Mubarak Tells El-Mahala Industrial Workers He Will Direct EGP 1 Billion to Industry

Osama Shaltout, Solidarity Party
• Shaltout Criticizes Obstacles to Opposition Campaigning

Fawzi Ghazal, Egypt 2000 Party
• Ghazal Says He Will Never Make Empty Promises

Ayman Nour, Al-Ghad Party
• Nour Defends Dialogue with Muslim Brotherhood

Wahid Al-Uksory, Egypt Arab Socialist Party
• Al-Uksory to Launch Website; Contracts Public Relations Firm

Noaman Gomaa, New Wafd Party
• Gomaa calls for Proportional List System.

Mamdouh Qenawi, Social Constitutional Party
• Qenawi Says He is the President's Main Challenger.

Ibrahim Tork, Democratic Unionist Party
Tork Argues Egypt's Economic Difficulties due to Poor Education, Financial/Resource Management, Overpopulation, and Weak Local Administration.
     Democratic Unionist Party presidential candidate Ibrahim Tork said, at a rally in Alexandria that Egypt's economic difficulties are due to 4 major problems, all of which also have an impact on unemployment. They included, according to the candidate:

 1.education;

2. overpopulation;

3. Public finance and national resource management; 

4. local administration.

     Tork also called for the establishment of a unity between Egypt and Sudan, adding that his part was the only political group to actively seek that objective. Additionally, the Democratic Unionist Party general-secretariat announced that it was finalizing its campaign strategy for the last 2 weeks of campaigning before the elections. The General-Secretariat said it was establishing operation centers in its 8 regional offices, which would be charged with distributing campaign materials to the public and organizing rallies. Ibrahim Tork, also announced that he has been contacted by and forwarded a copy to the U.S Embassy for a copy of his campaign platform, adding that he forwarded a copy thereto.

(Al-Ahram/Al-Masry Al-Youm 24/8/2005)


Mohamed Hosni Mubarak, National Democratic Party
Mubarak Tells El-Mahala Industrial Workers He Will Direct EGP 1 Billion to Industry.
    NDP presidential candidate, President Mohamed Hosni Mubarak told a crowd of 15,000 industrial workers in the city of Al-Mahala, that if elected, he plans to invest EGP 1 billion over the next 6 years to meet the technological, training and modernization needs of the Egyptian industrial sector.

    The President added that he would provide government assistance to industrialists, managers and workers in order to raise productivity and increase exports. The NDP candidate added that he had cut the price of land for industrial use by 40% and he pledged to make further reductions.

      The NDP candidate pledged to create 4.5 million jobs over the next 6 years through facilitating investment in various economic sectors, including encouraging the establishment of 1000 factories over the next term to create 250,000 job opportunities per year. On the other hand, the NDP candidate told Port Said party leaders and members that the decision to amend Article 76 of the Constitution was meant to ensure the people's right to govern themselves and choose their leaders. President Mubarak is expected to attend a campaign rally in Al-Menya tomorrow.

(Al-Ahram/Al-Akhbar/ Al-Gomhuria 24/8/2005)


Osama Shaltout, Solidarity Party
Shaltout Criticizes Obstacles to Opposition Campaigning.
    Solidarity Party presidential candidate Osama Shaltout criticized, what he referred to as, campaigning obstacles facing opposition candidates. He alleged that private sector firms were refusing to provide their services and products to the campaign, fearing a security backlash. He also alleged that his campaign was prevented from subscribing to additional telecommunications services, including "0900" numbers, which he said would have been used to collect campaign contributions. The candidate moreovercomplained that presidential candidates had not been provided with voter registration rolls, or the number and location of the general and branch polling stations.


Fawzi Ghazal, Egypt 2000 Party
Ghazal Says He Will Never Make Empty Promises.
    Egypt 2000 Party presidential candidate Fawzi Ghazal told supporters at a campaign rally in his hometown of Shubra Bas in the Governorate of Munifiya that he would never make empty promises or offer unrealistic solutions for the country's problems.

     He added that with solidarity and cooperation the nation could overcome its challenges. He also recommended that 13 million acres of Egypt's territorial waters should be used and distributed to youths to establish commercial fisheries, as a means to increase employment and exports. The candidate also argued that the root cause of Egypt's economic difficulties was insufficiently democratic governance.

Ayman Nour, Al-Ghad Party
Nour Defends Dialogue with Muslim Brotherhood.
    Ghad Party presidential candidate Ayman Nour told supporters at a campaign rally in the city of Damanhour that he plans to expand freedoms and liberties in Egypt, including repealing the emergency law. He added in his speech that if elected he would establish a coalition government with a 2 year transitional mandate to draft a new constitution that would turn Egypt into a parliamentary democracy.

    In other statements the Wafd candidate explained that his foreign policy priorities were strengthening relations with countries that formed Egypt's strategic depth, Sudan and the Nile Basin States. Also on international affairs, Nour said he was against US presence in Iraq. The candidate also defended his recent dialogue with the Muslim Brotherhood, saying that his political courage and his commitment to his platform, in particular his pledge to form a coalition government, obliged him to open channels with all political groups in the country.

Wahid Al-Uksory, Egypt Arab Socialist Party
Al-Uksory to Launch Website; Contracts Public Relations Firm.
     Egypt Arab Socialist Party presidential candidate, Wahid Al-Uksory held two rallies today; the first in 15th of May City; the second in the Helwan District of Cairo. The candidate announced he planned to launch an internet website that will include details of his electoral campaign. He also noted that he had finalized a contract with a private advertising agency to handle all his campaign related advertising. The candidate added that his campaign would focuse on only eight governorates due to time constraints.

Noaman Gomaa, New Wafd Party
Gomaa calls for proportional list system.
    Wafd Party presidential candidate Noaman Goama gave a campaign speech in the Cairo district of Rod Al-Farag yesterday, demanding that the next parliamentary elections use a proportional list system. He added that voter registration rolls should be based on the National ID Number, and that the process should be conducted under complete judicial supervision. The Wafd candidate told the Egyptian Satellite channel El-Mehwar that he was running and honorable campaign and that he was hopeful that he would be elected president on September 7.

      Gomaa also called on the Egyptian people to overcome their apathy and be pro-active. The Wafd candidate is scheduled to attend a campaign rally in the city of Qenaa where his is expected to discuss how he plans to deal with the problems of Upper Egypt, and how he expects to promote growth in and attract investment to the region.

Mamdouh Qenawi, Social Constitutional Party
Qenawi Says He is the President's Main Challenger.
    Social Constitutional Party Presidential candidate, Mamdouh Qenawi held a campaign rally in Al-Menia. Most of the voters that were attending the rally were of the younger age groups. In his speech at the event which lasted for over two hours, he stressed that he considered himself the President's only challenger. He also noted that although Egypt is considered a multi party democracy only one party enjoys all the powers to govern the country.