Issued by: Department of Foreign Affairs
South Africa has opened its first Honorary Consulate in the port city of Alexandria in Egypt. Mr Ossama Ahmed El-Naggar, South Africa's first Honorary Consul received his letter of appointment from former President Nelson Mandela during a function hosted by Ambassador Frank Temba Mdlalose in Alexandria on Wednesday, 9 February 2000.
Mr El-Naggar obtained a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Alexandria and is the Chairman and Managing Director of the Nile Projects and Trading Company. He has extensive business interests in Alexandria and serves on the Boards of the twenty-one companies of the Nile Bank Group.
With Mr Ossama El-Naggar's appointment, South Africa now has a physical presence in Alexandria, which is Egypt's second largest city. The port city, with a population of four million, occupies an important position in Egypt's national economy. The city produces more than 40% of Egypt's total industrial output and more than 50% of all foreign trade between Egypt and the rest of the world passes through the port of Alexandria. The city has a very active Chamber of Commerce of which Mr El-Naggar is a member. The Honorary Consul will be looking after South Africa's interests in this important Egyptian city and further strengthen relations in all fields, especially in bilateral trade promotion.
Issued by: Department of Foreign Affairs Pretoria 11 FEBRUARY 2000