In a bid to increase Britain's role in crisis-hit Egypt, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg will arrive in Cairo to meet Prime Minister Essam Sharaf and various Egyptian business leaders.
On his first official visit to Cairo, Clegg is to state Britain's strong pledge to a continuing cooporation with Egypt and announce a £5 million package to boost the country's economy. He will also declare that the British government will give just over £500,000 to support media coverage, women candidates and international presence in the coming elections.
Around 900 British companies have been involved in the financial system of Egypt and accounted for over 70 per cent of foreign investment in 2010. While visiting the Egyptian capital, Clegg is to meet senior managers from BP, Shell, Vodafone, HSBC and Standard & Chartered.
At a meeting with Egyptian political activists, the deputy PM is expected to say that the British government wants a plausible timetable for transition, in addition to “lifting of the harsh and out-dated emergency law.”
"I know many of you are worried that the momentum for change in Egypt is being lost. So I want to make it crystal clear that the UK will stand shoulder-to-shoulder with you as we work together to help Egypt complete this journey,” he is due to say.
"Security must be restored to the streets, and Egyptians deserve clear guarantees on human rights including women's rights. Citizens of all backgrounds and faiths must be assured {of} their place in Egypt's future, and all minorities must be given proper protections under the law," he will add.
This is while e analysts have criticized Clegg's trip and the coalition government's aid package. They believe that the government has turned a blind eye to the British citizens occupying the London Stock Exchange and shouting against the government's spending cuts and financial inequalities.
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