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