VZCZCXYZ0724
RR RUEHWEB
DE RUEHEG #2400/01 3641521
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 301521Z DEC 09
FM AMEMBASSY CAIRO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4603
INFO RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
UNCLAS CAIRO 002400
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
DEPARTMENT FOR S/P (BEHRMAN), S/SRMC (CHANDLER), R (NOOR-ALI)
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON EAID PREL PGOV SOCI EG
SUBJECT: ENTREPRENEURSHIP SUMMIT, EMBASSY CAIRO OUTREACH
REF: STATE 112468
1. (SBU) Per reftel, Embassy Cairo's interagency entrepreneurship
team has organized a series of activities to engage local partners
in entrepreneurship and build momentum for the White House Summit
next year.
------------------------
Roundtables and Outreach
------------------------
2. (SBU) FCS organized a meeting between the Ambassador and
twenty-five members of the Egyptian Junior Business Association
(EJB), a group of young and dynamic business leaders, to discuss
ways to improve small and medium entrepreneur development and
training. EJB has launched nationwide business plan competitions to
target existing and potential entrepreneurs, designed entrepreneur
training manuals for university students, and created a small
business entrepreneur council to coordinate entrepreneur activities
with like-minded stakeholders. The Ambassador is scheduled to host
similar roundtables in January and February with business groups in
Alexandria and the technology industry in Cairo.
3. (SBU) In November the Ambassador reached out to a broad swath of
the Egyptian business community when she raised entrepreneurship in
her address to the combined Rotaries of Egypt. Similarly, in
December she reached out beyond the borders of Cairo to raise
awareness of entrepreneurship in the city of Tanta where she
discussed it with the Governor and the President of Tanta
University. Entrepreneurship has been a key theme of the
Ambassador's public appearances since July.
4. (SBU) Other members of the Embassy staff have, at the
Ambassador's direction, met with nine local NGOs working to
encourage and nurture entrepreneurship in Egypt. Mission personnel
have discussed USG interest in entrepreneurship and laid the
groundwork for future partnerships with: Hands along the Nile; The
Sawiris Foundation; The Education for Employment Foundation; Ashoka
Arab World; Misr El Kheir; Horizon Interactive Studios; Enterprise
Egypt; Nahdet Mahrousa; and The Middle East Council for Small
Business and Entrepreneurship. The Embassy's Public Affairs section
(PA) has provided sample training materials to Nahdet Mahrousa and
the Egyptian Junior Business Association for use in their
entrepreneurship development programs.
-----------------------------
Entrepreneurial Ideas Contest
-----------------------------
5. (SBU) The Embassy's Public Affairs section is planning a
competition for potential entrepreneurs aimed at encouraging public
exposure to the concept of entrepreneurship. Participants would
submit business plans for start-up enterprises. The winners would
travel to the U.S. and meet with companies that have similar
experience in beginning small enterprises.
------------------------------
Digital Video Conferences (DVC)
------------------------------
6. (SBU) PA and FCS have organized a series of DVCs for January
highlighting entrepreneurship and franchising activities. The
entrepreneur program would target government, business, and youth
leaders an opportunity to discuss how to create business plans to
attract investors. The franchising program would focus on the legal
and regulatory framework surrounding franchising opportunities with
American businesses.
---------------------------------------------
Entrepreneur-In-Residence and Resource Center
---------------------------------------------
7. (SBU) Embassy is exploring the possibility of hosting an
entrepreneur to work with universities and organizations to develop
entrepreneur incubator programs. Possible candidates for the
position include university business school professors or corporate
executives with experience in Egypt and the region. In addition,
the interagency team seeks to develop a virtual entrepreneur
resource center that would provide information on training programs,
feature "success stories," and offer links to other development and
assistance sites.
--------------------------------------------- ----------
Middle East and North Africa Intl. Franchise Exhibition
--------------------------------------------- ----------
8. (SBU) The Embassy's Foreign Commercial Service is partnering with
the Egyptian Franchise Development Association on the franchise
exhibition scheduled for May 2010. This event will offer a range of
franchising and licensing opportunities for interested Egyptian
parties across the country.
SCOBEY