Meeting with Mr. Atef Al-Ghamry, the Journalist and Member of the Council

On the 5^th of November 2023, The council organized a meeting with Mr/ Atef Al-Ghamry , the Journalist and member of the council. This meeting was about the personal experience of Mr. Atef in chairing Al-Ahram Office in United States of America for five years from 1995 to 2000, after chairing the office for two years in London. This meeting includes his experience in USA with influential decision makers, besides, attending important events that he witnessed while being a reporter in the White house in Washington, and in United Nations in New York.

Attended and participated in the meeting the chief of the council, and number of members of the council, in addition to students from Faculty of Economics and Political Science Cairo University.

The meeting started with welcoming Mr. Atef and thanking him for his willingness to share his prestigious experience as journalist and reporter for Al-Ahram in USA and London in important events.

Mr. Atef talked about moving to the office of Al-Ahram from London to USA based on a request. Adding that, he started to have a weekly article during his work in USA, this article is mainly to tackle the changes in USA politics at that time. Also, he said that he attended a session about the American politics in which he knew the secrets of USA politics and decision making. In this regard, he wrote an article about the background of decision making in USA foreign policy entitled “Ruler or Ruled” in 1983.

As well, he mentioned his meetings with prominent American figures like James Baker, the chief of White House employees, and minister of treasury in the presidency of Ronald Reagan, and the foreign minister and the chief of white house in the administration of president George H.W. Bush.

He referred to his attendance to a conference, based on invitation from James Baker, about the American Foreign Policy in the 21^st century. In this conference, former foreign ministries talked about USA foreign policy and how it should be, in addition to criticizing the unawareness of Middle East culture. Talking about the importance of developing awareness about Middle East culture and building relations in this regard to enhance the American foreign policy. Based on this conference, he wrote three articles in Al-Ahram about the perceptions of USA foreign ministries of the future.

In a different context, Mr. Al-Ghamry talked about how the 6^th of October is perceived at that time in USA, saying that number of American solders admits the strength of Egypt in this war. This is in addition to praising and acclaiming the Egyptian solders after crossing Suez Canal. And they justified that by saying they appreciate the strong one. In an answer for a question about late president Al-Sadat and the war, It’s said that in 1967, Israel gave a painful attack to Egypt, and Egypt did the opposite in 1973. Also, Henry Kiesinger said that USA didn’t take the talks of Al-Sadat seriously about the war, trusting in Israel military capabilities, but the war revealed a new spirit power that the Egyptian soldiers had.

In the end, Mr. Atef Al-Ghamry said that his work in the White House and in the United Nations was important and fruitful, as he witnessed several important events.