Expert: Hidden Aim behind Gamal Mubarak’s Visit to DC

Expert: Hidden Aim behind Gamal Mubarak’s Visit to DC

NDP Assistant Secretary General and Rapporteur of the party’s Policies Secretariat Gamal Mubarak reached Washington last Sunday night in his first four-day visit to the United States since 2006.


No doubt that this visit raised a lot of questions within Egyptian political circles regarding the extent of the visit’s political dimension and whether it is has anything to do with the issue of succession?


In statements issued by the Egyptian regime’s press, Gamal Mubarak said that his visit would include participation in a number of seminars on the global financial crisis and its impact on the region and Egypt as well as other meetings with research centers and Congress members to explore their vision on Middle East issues and future of Egyptian-American relations.


“This visit comes as part of the party’s concern with external moves,” Mubarak Jr. stated following a session held Wednesday for the NDP Secretariat’s Supreme Council for Policies.


Gamal Mubarak holds no official position in the country besides his NDP affiliation which he is identified with wherever he goes internally or externally, a matter which prompted speculations on the possibility of his nomination to succeed his father President Hosni Mubarak whose presidential term expires in 2011.


Islamic Affairs Researcher Khalil Anani said, “Gamal Mubarak’s visit to the U.S. at the current time may seem normal compared to what he announced since he’ll be attending a conference in Washington. But the issue here is the political dimension to this visit.  Gamal Mubarak’s visit to the U.S. has a hidden aim behind it which is Egypt’s readiness to improve relations with the new American administration and its desire to open a new page with the Obama administration.”


 “It isn’t likely that Gamal went to Washington to present the issue of succession to America as the issue is a difficult one, if not impossible, in Egypt and the American administration is well-aware of that,” Anani said adding, “However, Gamal Mubarak will try convincing the American administration that there is no solution for the internal political crisis and congestion in Egypt besides the economic solution.  He will try to lead the American administration into thinking that overcoming the current economic crisis is the ideal solution for Egypt’s problems.”