Via Tafatefo
This is a clip from Lamis Hadidy's interview with Egyptian businessman and tycoon Ahmed Haikal of Citadel Capital. Ahmed is the son of the famous and controversial Egyptian journalist and writer Mohamed Hassanein Haikal.
Ahmed shares with the world his reasons on why he or rather his company invests billions in the Arab world world.He invests those billions of dollars because it of the Arab nationalism not because of business and interest !!!!!!!!!!
This is from the very rare interviews of Ahmed Haikal in Egyptian TVs generally for the record.I agree totally that part of the real Arab world unity and nationalism is the economic integration and believe me I feel so happy when I see a bright successful example of common Arab economic projects and please do not laugh when I tell you "Cilantro Cafe" as "Cilantro Cafe" was acquired by a Saudi company which helped it to expand internationally and regionally. Still there are too many crimes committed by the name of that capitalistic Arab nationalism Dr. Haikal speaks about for sure like for instance the sell of Omar Effendi and Tanta Flax factory !!
Was Dr.Haikal thinking about our Arab nationalism best interest when he and his company bought the cinematic and musical heritage of Egypt then selling it to Prince Al-Walid who is by his turn began to sell parts of it to Rupert Murdouch !!
Seriously lots of crimes are committed by the name of the Arab nationalism, in the time of Haikal, the father it they were the crimes of Socialist Arab nationalism and in the time of Haikal ,the son it is they are the crimes of Capitalistic Arab nationalism !!
P.S I wonder why did Citadel Capital invest billions in Sudan in agriculture where as it did not invest a penny in Toshka ??
Arabs Arabs Arabs...just because we all speak the same language, doesn't mean we have so much in common.
ReplyDeleteThe French and the Belgians speak French, yet we refer to them as French and Belgians. The Germans and the Austrians speak German, yet we refer to them as Germans and Austrians. The English, the Canadians, the Americans and countless other countries speak English, yet we refer to them by their NATIONALITY.
I would like to see more EGYPTIAN nationalism than 'Arab nationalism'. I mean the term Arab nationalism in itself is contradictory, because there is no nation called Arabia (unless you're talking about Saudi Arabia...who we don't have very much in common with...except for our language...Egyptian sounding a lot better of course:)...)
But seriously, as Egyptians, we should love our country, because our country is our mother and the mother of all nations, and Egyptians should do what's best for THEIR country and their people and not the 'Arab' people.
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JB
@JB , wow we do not have so much in common !!! Besides of the language , we got too much in common than the European union countries with my all respect from common history "check back when we were part of the Islamic Empire whether in Damascus or in Baghdad or in the Mamluk era or in the Othman era , from common customs and traditions , from common dangers and challenges and from interest.
ReplyDeleteLook my dear some so-called Egyptian nationalists forget that Egypt in all her powerful ages was leading the Arab countries , some people forget that Mohamed Ali was the first one to believe in the Arab nationalism and he was the founder of the modern Egypt
My dear Egypt is the mother of the Arabs , they are part of us
Just wasn't Muhammad Ali an European?
ReplyDeleteAnd after all, isn't Egyptian/Arabic nationalism memory to French conquests of Egypt ... after all Ali was reforming Egypt according to European Model.
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ReplyDeleteNope John. Ali was reforming the country, building on slower reforms by the Ottmans. When you reform a country and try and rebuild it as a power wouldnt you use all available technology, be it European or not? Just as an example read on legal reforms in Egypt, mistaken as a result of occupation while the truth is that thanks to what Ali did there was a group of elite Egyptians who worked on reforming the country without leaving it all open to the influence and full control of Britain and France.
ReplyDeleteAli wasnt also the first foreign muslim ruler of Egypt who realized the obvious common interests of MENA countries and try to unify them through Egypt.
Putting affection aside, we do share a lot that would make a great basis for economic unity and Zenobia is correct, we have much more in common that the EU countries have.
I'm not much of a nationalist myself, but I do believe Arab unity is a good step towards the greater goal of Islamic unity, and I also feel happy towards efforts by people like this. Good post once again Zeinobia :)
ReplyDeleteSpoiledEgy:
ReplyDeletehmm the EU is killing Europe in its great hearth and I am pretty sad due to that. So actually good luck with MENA union.
He's liar and hypocritical like his father.
ReplyDelete@John, strangely now you are considering him European , he was considered then European , in fact Europe worked on destroying his dream and even succeeded in it because they did not want another Saladin
ReplyDeleteand FYI the schools of modern Arab nationalism in Syria and Lebanon began to flourish under the sponsorship of his son Ibrahim Pasha
@Spolied Egy, I agree with you
@Sultan1923, it is the first step to unite the Islamic world
@Mohamed Elqusbi, despite I do not like his father that much because of his nasserite views yet I like his father more than him
I wrote a comment a while ago, explaining my point of view and it still hasn't been published on this thread...
ReplyDeletemay i ask why?
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JB