Săceanu Anișoara IuliaMaster Programme (II) - Communication and Public Relations

Ecological University of Bucharest

Communication management in times of crisis

Crisis in Egypt at the beginning of 2011

Egypt - BBC country profile

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• Full name: Arab Republic of Egypt • Population: 84.5 million (UN, 2010) • Capital: Cairo • Area: 1 million sq km (386,874 sq miles) • Major language: Arabic • Major religions: Islam, Christianity • Life expectancy: 69 years (men), 73 years

(women) (UN) • Monetary unit: 1 Egyptian Pound = 100 piastres • Main exports: Petroleum, petroleum products

and cotton • GNI per capita: US $2,070 (World Bank, 2009) • Internet domain: .eg • International dialing code: +20

 Egypt - Short history

While best known for its pyramids and ancient civilizations, Egypt has played a central role in Middle East politics in modern times.

Its wars with Israel in 1948, 1956, 1967 and 1973, then its eventual peace with its adversary in 1979, have seen Egypt move from being a warring nation to become a key representative in the peace process.

Politics: President Hosni Mubarak has been in power since 1981; his strongest challenger has been the Muslim Brotherhood which is tolerated but officially bannedEconomy: The Egyptian economy is the second largest in the Arab world after Saudi ArabiaInternational: Egypt has been a key ally of the West; it has played a key role in efforts to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict

Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow

   

Censoring online speech & media

Massive civil unrest in Egypt - prompted by the recent Tunisian uprising - has been hitting the headlines in recent days, and once again, the role of the internet in the developing situation has come under scrutiny.

In its attempts to quell the uprising, the Egyptian government has been blocking social networks such as Twitter, which played a key role in the Iranian election crisis of 2009.

The above visualization of internet traffic into Egypt yesterday evening comes courtesy of network security firm Arbor Networks, and clearly shows the moment when the country literally fell off the internet.

Arbor Network shows online impact of  Egypt crisis

Punishing the rest of the world

Also, all mobile companies in Egypt were ordered by the authorities to suspend services in some areas, while many Western journalists and photographers who conveyed news about protests in Cairo were detained briefly. Four French journalists, but a BBC reporter and photographer from AFP were arrested during the riots

Vodafone, which is bound by the Egyptian authorities to give pro-government SMS. London is apologizing but is enable to stop it.

Casualties

Tourism crisis  

Food crisis

National security breach

Human victims

 

It seems that more than 40% of the Egypt`s people have to live with 1$ a day or even less.                                                                                                                             

Prisoners flood streets in mass jailbreaks -around 6.000 prisoners break from several jails.

Foreigners repatriated, 150 dead and 4,000 people wounded 

Many flights were canceled

Note: The U.S. provides Egypt with over $1 billion in military and economic aid annually, largely because of its 1979 peace treaty with Israel.

Regional stability and security  

Americans on both sides of crisis

Among those who appealedfor calm included the president Barack Obama. Through a statement, the White Houseleader asked those involved to refrain from violence and toachieve concrete reforms of thestate. However, a series of diplomatic telegrams made public Friday by the website Wikileaks shows how valuable it was Mubarak's regime as an ally in Washington's confrontation with Iran.

World Leaders call for peace

Mubarak still in crisis recognition phase

New Vice-President - Omar Suleiman It was the first time Mubarak had named a successor in the 30 years he's been in power.

Earlier, Mubarak, 82, appeared on national television and urged calm and an end to the demonstrations. He said he dissolved his government and promised to appoint a new government.

But the people feel differently. They are still protesting

Crisis Communication

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1. Risk assessment2. Crisis communication planning3. Analytical answer4. State recovery If you have to analyze the stages of a crisis you

would definitely realize that president Mubarak ignored the prodomal period –when you identified the causes of an imminent crisis.

The result = more stages to follow: crisis containment, busines resumption, post-crisis.

Bibliography

Web

sites b

ooks

http://www.microscope.co.uk/blogs/network_noise/2011/01/arbor-networks-shows-online-impact-of-egypt-crisis.html

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7300165n&tag=contentMain;contentBody

http://www.ukprogressive.co.uk/ukprogressives-live-twitter-feed-on-egyptian-crisis/article10466.html

http://www.ziarulring.ro/stiri/24179/bilant-sangeros-in-egipt-150-de-morti-si-4000-de-raniti

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Egypt

http://www.egyptdailynews.com

COMUNICAREA ORGANIZAŢIONALĂ ŞI MANAGEMENTUL SITUAŢIILOR DE CRIZĂ pages 132-136) by dr. TUDOREL NICULAE ; drd. ION GHERGHIŢĂ ; masterand DIANA GHERGHIŢĂ , edited by Editura Ministerului Administraţiei şi Internelor , 2006