Efforts have also been made toward developing a united stance over all issues on the agenda in Seattle. Comprehensive development is the only way to raise our standards of living and enhance Egypt's capacity to compete in a world that shows no mercy for the underprivileged and unassertive, a world that is constantly posing new challenges. Egypt has no alternative but to interact positively with this harsh and changing world. Positive interaction, however, does not mean that we must abandon our cultural and ideological values, nor that we should blindly imitate the development experiences of other countries. Rather, it entails a proactive approach to change as we capitalize on our achievements and forge ahead in the process of autonomous development.
Development is a logically constructed, incremental, integrative process.
In his inaugural address before the People's Assembly and the Shura Council, the President stressed three conditions for achieving sustainable autonomous development. The first is the need to upgrade productive sectors in order to effect a qualitative leap in Egyptian export trade. The second, in essence, constitutes a reaffirmation of the higher humanitarian objective of the development process. Comprehensive development must be a balanced and equitable process that always takes into account the needs and interests of the economically disadvantaged sectors of society. The third condition provides a fundamental mechanism towards this end, and entails enhancing the scope of democratic participation in the decision-making process and ensuring the genuine representation of all sectors of the population.