Arabic Version

My dear fellow Egyptians

On September 1^st 2004, I took up my diplomatic post as the Consul General of Egypt in San Francisco. My office covers the states of Arizona, Alaska, California, Idaho, Washington, Utah, Montana, Oregon, Nevada, Hawaii and Wyoming. My colleagues and I are looking forward to the opportunity of serving the Egyptian Community in those States, promoting closer economic and cultural relations between Egypt and the United States and providing better understanding between the two peoples.

Egyptian Americans are claimed to be more than 250,000 in the Western United States. I dream of being able one day, to communicate with all of them. In many different ways of their choice, they could represent a very effective bridge between the U.S. and their home country. Their second and third generation could revive their ties with Egypt, their families and history. Investment in Egypt could also provide great opportunities to many Egyptians in the U.S.

In order to reach out to as many Egyptians with our messages about services or events, we need to update our database with our contact information. Please go to the Consulate’s web site at www.egy2000.com and register online. It is free of charge and requires only registering your name and your E-mail address. Other information are optional and will be used to determine what types of information might interest you. We also welcome and encourage your suggestions and comments. Our E-mail address is Egypt@egy2000.com.

sincerely yours,

Abderahman Salaheldin

Consul General of Egypt

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March 28, 2007

It is a pleasure to the Consulate-General of Egypt in San Francisco to inform the Egyptian Community abroad that the Department of “Egyptian Citizens Services” at the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Cairo welcomes receiving any inquires, demands or complaints from the Egyptian citizens living abroad on the e.mail address: contact.us@mfa.gov.eg .

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March 6, 2007

Egypt’s first International Photography Festival

Egypt’s first International Photography Festival will take place in Egypt in the period of (16-21) December 2007.

This event will be organized by T.E.N. Tours company under the auspices of the Egyptian Ministry of Culture and the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism.

The Sponsors of this International Exhibition of Photography have been awarded recognition by FIAP (International Federation of Photographic Art), PSA (Photographic Society of America), and FEP (Federation of European Professional Photographers) .

All interested photographers and associations of photographers are invited to participate in this Festival to enrich the event and to enjoy the unforgettable experience of visiting Egypt.

Deadline to receive the photos is November 30, 2007. The announcements of winners will take place on December 16, 2007 and surrendering the awards will be on March 10, 2008.

Detailed information about the event, the conditions of participation, the fees and the application forms could be found on the websites: www.egyptphotocompetition.com and http://www.egyptphotocompetition.com/english_form.pdf .

To register for participation, contact Mr. Hossam Darwish, the festival’s director. His cell phone numbers are: (+20122899862 or +20123293909) , his Office phone numbers are: (+2022676235/+2022661839/+2022673577) and his e-mail addresses are: egyptfestival@gmail.com or festivalsinegypt@gmail.com.

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December 8, 2006

Dear Fellow Egyptians in the Bay Area,

I would like to inform you that the Consular Corps held on December 7, 2006 a joint meeting with the American Competent Authorities, in order to brief and discuss with the Consular Missions in San Francisco the preparedness, planning and procedures to aid Foreign Nationals in the event of a natural disaster like Earthquake or Pandemic Flu.

This meeting was the first one of its type in a series of coming similar ones. It brainstormed the general basic ideas about the main field actors such as Emergency Operations Center, Fire Department, Police Department, Health Department, Department of Post-Earthquake building Inspection, Federal Emergency Management Agency, American Red Cross and State Department.

I would like you considering the following steps that were suggested by the competent US federal and local authorities during this meeting:

1. Sign Up (for free) at the web site www.AlertSF.org. Signing up in this site would allow you to receive alert and informative text messages on your cell phone in case of any emergency in your area, by selecting one or more or all Zip Codes on the web.

2. Save the free Number 1-800-621-3362 of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). By calling this number you can apply for housing, treatment and funeral assistance from FEMA in case of Disasters.

3. Check the website of the American Red Cross which is www.redcross.org to sign up for receiving information about Disasters and to learn about the services the Red Cross provides in Emergency Cases and how to contact its nearest field officers in the area you live in.

4. Check the websites of the Public Health & EMS Agency which are www.sanfranciscoems.org and www.sfcdcp.org to learn about the services of the Public Health Sector in case of Emergencies.

You don’t need to panic or worry about this message, it is only a regular normal precautions needed to be taken in mind, Nothing less Nothing More.

I will keep you informed about any important outcome of the similar coming meetings I see you need to know.

I wish you all the best and I hope you will have enjoyable holiday seasons.

Abderahman Salaheldin

Consul General of Egypt in San Francisco

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May 2008

Egyptian Military Judicial Committee

A Military Judicial Committee will arrive in Washington D.C. (8-17 June, 2008), to resolve the military status issues for Egyptians who passed the age of the military service (30 years old) and not holding American citizenship.

The following documents will be required by the committee:

 - Photocopy of the Egyptian ID

- Photocopy of the Egyptian passport .

- Any Military documentation .

-Four personal photos

-Payment of fine in US Dollars .

For inquiries and to register your interest to meet with the committee:

Call our Military Office in Washington DC at 202 333 1283

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March 12, 2007

Military Exemption Certificates comes with Photo

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The Consulate General of the Arab Republic of Egypt in San Francisco presents its complements to all Egyptians in the West Coast and would like to bring to their attention that the Egyptian Military Authorities has decided that all the Military Exemption Certificates will be issued with a photo.

Applicants should send a colored photo 4x6 Cm with a white background with their documents.

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April 2007

Facilitation of issuing travel license for Egyptians Studying abroad

Ministry of Defense in Egypt has facilitated the procedures of issuing travel license for Egyptians studying abroad whose obligatory military service has been postponed due to their student status. Such students who visit Egypt during their academic holidays, can obtain the travel license, which allows them to return to the country of their studying, the same day they apply for it from any of the military service offices in Egypt, which work under the Ministry of Defense. These offices work 24 hours 7 days a week, even during official national holidays. The student who applies at the military service offices to obtain the travel license has to provide a letter from the Department of Educational Missions Abroad, which belong to the Ministry of Higher Education, stating that he is put under scientific supervision of this department.

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The Consulate General of the Arab Republic of Egypt in San Francisco presents its complements to all Egyptians in the West Coast and would like to bring to their attention the following:

The US embassy in Cairo and the department of the Homeland Security informed us that effective January 1 ,2005 The Revalidation Division has discontinued its domestic visa revalidation (or reissuance ) service for E,H,I,L,O and P visas.

Applicants must now apply abroad for renewals or revalidations of E,H,I,L,O,P, visas. The Department of Homeland Security encourage all applicants to apply for new visas in their home countries. If they are not traveling to their home countries , they may apply at a U.S. embassy or Consulate in a third country provided they have made a visa interview appointment. They should understand that if there is a delay in visa issuance, they may need to spend more time overseas than they originally planned.

For more details please visit the Web site of the US embassy in cairo:

http://www.state.gov/visa/temp/types_1280.html

Or the Web site of the Department of Homeland Security:

http://uscis.gov/graphics/citizenship/imm_guide.htm

The Consulate General of the Arab Republic of Egypt Avails itself of this opportunity to assure all the Egyptians in the West Coast of its highest consideration.

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The New Egyptian Tax Law

Egypt’s new tax law aims, above all, to create mutual trust between citizens and the taxman.

Hitherto, Egypt’s taxation system was seen as haphazard, unfair and oppressive. Today, the new tax law 91 of 2005, which replaces Law 20 of 1981, was designed to redefine the relationship between citizens and the Tax Authority, cultivate a climate of mutual trust, and seek to make taxes less burdensome.

The idea behind the promulgation of a new law was not just to change certain aspects of the law, but change the thought process based on the modern notion of self-assessment as opposed to administrative approximated assessment, which is what the tax system in Egypt was based on since 1939.

The new law reduces personal income tax rates; it reduces dramatically corporate taxes, previously set at 42 percent, to a flat 20-percent rate.

Under the previous law, new investors were offered tax holidays of up to 10 years. The new law offers no breaks. Contrary to the belief of some that offering no breaks could discourage foreign direct investment (FDI), it is strongly believed that investors don’t come to a country because of tax breaks. But they do select to invest in one country as opposed to another because of the tax rate.

The 180-degree turn brings Egypt’s tax system in line with those of developed countries. However, the challenges of implementing the law will require changing people’s perceptions and attitudes towards taxation in order for every citizen to get his or her money’s worth in public services.

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Talking Points

On the New Law on the protection of competition and

The Prohibition of monopolistic Practices

-Egypt’s current economic performance is exceeding all expectations according to a number of international financial institutions. Real GDP is growing and foreign reserves in the Central Bank of Egypt are increasing. These reforms are raising confidence levels in Egypt as a place for investment.

-Such successes are due to a number of financial and economic reforms undertaken by the Egyptian government, notably the reforms of taxes, and the customs system. These reforms are focusing mainly on streamlining regulations and increasing transparency.

-In the same vein, the Egyptian government had adopted a new law on the protection of competition and the prevention of monopolistic practices; and in February 2004, an Anti-Trust and Competition Protection Commission (ACPC), was created. The ACPC, which will be affiliated to the cabinet, will have judicial powers to closely monitor the effect of any monopolistic deals on the local market, and take abusers to court.

-The 25-article law on competition features a number of articles aimed at tightening control on monopolistic practices that could negatively affect free competition on the local market, and seriously reduce Egypt’s export volume.

-The new Competition law aims at enhancing competitive conditions in the economy in order to improve efficiency and productivity, thus providing a stronger basis than currently prevailing for sustained growth in output and employment.

-Aware that competition is essential for achieving efficient outcomes and for stimulating growth, the new Competition law seeks to promote competitive structures and behavior, and to prevent, anticompetitive or restrictive practices. Its ultimate objective is consumer welfare that is served by lower prices, better quality products and, eventually, by a more efficient and dynamic economy.

-We believe that economic growth and development are associated with structural change, and increased competition is a device to induce needed structural change. Moreover, competition, and investment, can be more effectively promoted indirectly through the establishment of clear and business-friendly rules of the game through the introduction and implementation of relevant laws, such as a Competition Law.

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The Consulate General of the Arab Republic of Egypt in San Francisco presents its complements to all Egyptians in the West Coast and would like to bring to their attention that The National Communication Authority is Studying the possibility of giving licenses to other communication companies to provide the international calls service, other than Egypt Tele Communication Company, which would help reducing the price per minute for the international calls between Egypt and the USA.

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