Yes its true – but not quite what you think.
Dina Powell an Egyptian Copt born in Cairo is Deputy National Security Advisor to Trump and therefore one of the most powerful people in the world. Whether her family history in Egypt was a happy one is unclear nor is it clear whether their exit was ‘voluntary’. After the departure of Bannon her power seems to have increased. She seems to be part of the so-called 'internationalist' faction associated with Jared Kushner and Trumps daughter and they are strong pro-Israel and pro-Saudi.
Previously she was powerful in the Bush administration. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dina_Powell and al Ahram asked her to Egypt and she gave a long speech, which they covered in detail. in 2004 http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/Archive/2004/711/profile.htm
What’s interesting is that Egypt media in 2017 ignores her. Nowadays even though she is arguably the most powerful Egyptian in the world she is ignored by and never referred to as Egyptian. I wonder why? Maybe because she worked with/for Jews in Goldman Sachs?
Here she is, second from the left, sitting next to the Vice President:
Here she is in the White House Gardens with Trumps:
Egypt spends tens of millions on US lobbying consultants (generally not very reputable or good ones), has a huge Embassy in Washington but suffers from a diplomatic corps that is less than effective, even in the region, and key advisers to the President that are regarded as poison in the US. (Wikileaks has published details on US views about corruption/bad behavior at the highest levels of Egyptian foreign policy leadership - so getting heard in the US with the current professionals is difficult.)
I think that the Egyptian media drought on Ms Powell (Aka Dina Habib) is a sign she is not seen by the government as a close friend of ‘current arrangements’. Her influence may explain Trump’s uncharacteristic and unexpected recent withholding of aid (some say $US300 million) for civil rights reasons. Negative US policy may also have an influence on the IMF and World Bank decisions and on international credit ratings and foreign investment. Currency markets will also take note.
The recent UNESCO vote showed that even African and Muslim countries will support a French Jew over an Egyptian Muslim as they supported a Qatari over an Egyptian. UN opinion is hardening with the Jordanian led Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights taking an almost unprecedented harsh and public negative line. Universally the international NGO’s take the same line and have high access to the media, western opinion and the policies of some governments. Not a good look following the North Korean missiles in the Red Sea and 'headed' for Egypt ‘embarrassment’.
The recent world attention on the new Egyptian gay laws just adds more evidence to support hardening negative world opinion.
Maybe its time for the Egyptian government to face facts and talk to the most powerful Egyptian in the world – if she will take their calls.
A related, small, but revealing, issue. Egypt hosts a World Youth Forum with ‘world leaders’ according to the Cairo press. Well not quite. No world leaders are actually listed by the media, nor even their junior representatives – so it looks like an attempt to create an illusion of Egyptian international power. An illusion which plays well in the Egyptian media. https://dailynewsegypt.com/2017/11/04/f ... uth-forum/
A lot of the attendees look far from ‘youthful’ and many are fat. A large number wear dark suits and ties which is odd unless they are from the upper middle or upper classes:
The BBC, but not local media, reports that the Forum has been derided by young Egyptians: http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-trending-41842825
Someone needs to get the information consistent because the Cairo media says there are kids (many of them far from young) from 113 countries whereas the Egypt Government State Information Service says at the same time they are from merely 52 countries. Photos indicate that countries like Japan had one ‘delegate’. What ‘government’ would send just one kid to a ‘world conference’ to represent them?
Apparently the Suez Canal Authority and state owned Egyptian banks paid for it – not the UN, Global NGO’s or world governments. No one outside Egypt or the Egyptian government seems to support it.
The rest of the World media ignores this World Forum. I can’t find a single story in any western media. Even the state controlled/influenced Middle East media ignores it. By way of contrast the Saudi’s hosted a Youth Forum in September, which got first-rate speakers, international attention and UNDP sponsorship. If the far from virtuous Saudi’s can get credible international co-operation any other sensible government should be able to. I think the days of Egyptian leadership in the region are long over. Whether the Egyptian FM is ever let into the White House is doubtful - although he claims to meet with minor members of the Congress on occasions but their Congressional websites don't mention him. I can't find any photos of him with anyone important. Odd.
