New Anti-Drug Awareness Campaign Targets Drivers in Egypt
Jul 13, 2025
A new nationwide awareness campaign aims to tackle drug use amongst drivers across Egypt, with a focus on raising awareness of the dangers of driving under the influence.
The initiative - spearheaded by the Fund for Drug Control and Treatment of Addiction (FDCTA), in collaboration with the Ministry of Social Solidarity - is active at taxi stands, transport hubs, and major public squares, where educational materials are being distributed to both professional and private drivers. Volunteers and officials are engaging directly with motorists, offering information and support services.
This move is part of Egypt's broader strategy to combat drug-related traffic accidents and promote a culture of safety on the roads. In addition to awareness efforts, the government continues to carry out random drug testing campaigns targeting drivers of school buses, commercial vehicles, and public transport.
Minister of Social Solidarity Nevine El-Qabbaj emphasised that prevention through awareness is a key part of Egypt's anti-drug policy, particularly amongst high-risk groups like transport workers.
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Notable alumni include Charles Malik, co-author of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights; Ghassan Tueni, a Lebanese journalist and statesman; and Salim al-Hoss, a multiple-term prime minister of Lebanon. Many other ministers and diplomats across the region trace their roots to AUB, including Ismael al-Azhari, former prime minister and president of Sudan, and Faris al-Khoury, former Syrian statesman and prime minister. The AUB has also graduated pioneering women politicians, such as Hanan Ashrawi in Palestine and Leila Sharaf in Jordan. Further afield, alumni include Bechara Choucair, US White House vaccinations coordinator during the pandemic, and Mona Nemer, Canada's chief science advisor. The list is long and only continues to grow. How many scholarships does the university offer, and who is eligible? We are committed to making AUB education accessible – to being more intellectually elite than financially elite. 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What are the most notable research projects conducted at the AUB across various disciplines, and what impact have they had on the community or the region as a whole? Are there any research collaborations with other universities? There are many. In health, we have led cancer treatment advances and COVID-19 vaccine delivery. Our Refugee Health Program is a model for care in crisis zones. In climate and food systems, we're developing sustainable farming methods through the Environment and Sustainable Development Unit. One growing area is research on religious fasting, which has relevance across health, nutrition, and culture, especially in this region. And yes, we collaborate with universities like Stanford, Harvard, and Oxford on joint projects. Our upcoming Research in Crisis Settings conference hopes to bring together academics from across the Arab world, many of which we hope will be from Egypt, to explore how we can keep producing knowledge even during conflict. We're proud of the collaborations we've built with Egyptian universities, and we see real potential to do more together. One of the conference's goals is to build networks and expand collaboration in the region. Based on your experience and knowledge, which, in your opinion, are the most prominent scientific research projects globally today that may have the greatest impact on human life? Climate science and AI are leading the way. But I'd add genomic medicine, renewable energy, and neuroscience. The intersection of data science and biology will revolutionize how we understand and treat disease. And advances in clean water and food security will determine the fate of billions in the Global South. Are there any joint collaborations with the American University in Cairo (AUC) or other Egyptian universities? If so, in what fields? Yes, we have strong academic ties with Egypt. In recent years, researchers from the AUB have co-authored nearly 190 studies with partners at AUC, Cairo University, Alexandria University, and others, in areas such as public health, medicine, and social sciences. We've also collaborated on funded research supported by institutions and international organizations based in Egypt, with projects ranging from clinical trials to development grants in health and medical sciences, agriculture and food systems, and social and civic development. These collaborations are growing, and we hope they will lead to even more shared learning and progress across the region. Upon meeting the new Lebanese President, Joseph Aoun, you stated: 'We will place all our advisory and medical capabilities at the American University of Beirut in service of the Lebanese nation. We hope to provide what is most needed for the revival of the Lebanese state under the president's leadership.' How will this be implemented? We are already working on expanding access to quality healthcare across the country. We will continue to provide advisory support on health policy, offer free and subsidized care through our medical centers, and scale public health interventions. We are also training the next generation of physicians, nurses, and health leaders who will be vital to Lebanon's recovery. We are also very active on the policy front, including through the Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs, the Knowledge to Policy Center, which focuses on public health issues, and our Nature Conservation Center for sustainability and ecological issues. Finally, we are committed to supporting a revamping of Lebanon's education sector, particularly K-12 education, both public and private, to enhance the preparation of citizens and residents of Lebanon. An educated community is an empowered one. What is your view on the political and economic future of Lebanon, and what is required for Beirut to return to its former glory? Lebanon has immense human capital and potential. What is needed is leadership that prioritizes the public good, institutional reform, and long-term investment. Beirut can and should return to being a champion of and leader in culture, knowledge, and innovation, but only if we restore trust, fight corruption, and empower our youth. Lebanon, therefore, badly needs public servants at the national, regional, and municipal level who can institute reforms, accountability, and transparency, while combating corruption, inequality, and lack of opportunity, which all lead to emigration and despair. The AUB is always ready to assist in these measures. US President Donald Trump has imposed restrictions on funding universities. What is your comment on this policy? We are grateful for the support the US government has provided over the years, which has enabled many talented students to join AUB with full assistance. While recent reductions in funding present challenges, we remain committed to maintaining strong financial aid and investing in our core priorities. With careful planning, we remain fully committed to advancing AUB's mission despite any funding constraints. Lebanon has faced several waves of economic collapse following the Beirut port blast, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the brutal Israeli war on the South. How has AUB responded to these crises in terms of serving the community and the students? The AUB has consistently responded with urgency and compassion during times of national crisis. Medical teams provided emergency care during the port explosion, led national vaccination efforts during the pandemic, and extended vital medical and social services to displaced communities during the war. The university safeguarded academic continuity, expanded financial aid dramatically, and mobilized students and faculty for grassroots relief through swift action, community service, and strategic planning. Under your leadership at the university, you have successfully raised over US$805 million in donations. Where were these funds spent? The BOLDLY AUB campaign, launched on January 16, 2017 and concluded on June 30, 2024, surpassed its $650 million goal by raising over US$805 million. With donor support and donations across 103 countries, the campaign achieved 64 percent alumni participation. The funds were allocated to key priorities, including scholarships and fellowships, patient support, buildings and facilities, academic and healthcare units, professorial chairs, and endowment growth. As a specialist physician and cancer researcher, what new treatments are available? Is there any truth to the claims that an effective cure exists, or are they mere allegations? There have been dramatic improvements in early diagnosis, treatment, prevention, and screening for cancer over the course of my four-decade professional lifetime. Many diseases which resulted in rapid death are now treatable. Our goal has always been multifold–to prevent cancer where possible, to detect it early enough to cure it where it exists, and where cure is not possible, to convert a previously fatal disease into a chronic, treatable illness with excellent to good quality of life. With progress in all of the above, including targeted genomic therapies, better chemotherapy, radiation and surgical options, and the advent of immunotherapy, all of this is becoming possible. Blood tests and imaging which can detect cancer at its earliest stages will continue to bring us closer to the above goals. What are the best cancer prevention methods? Which types of cancer are considered the most aggressive and critical, and which are the least severe? The best cancer prevention methods are the cessation of smoking and careful screening, both of which have improved by leaps and bounds over the last two decades. The most uniformly fatal cancers are pancreatic cancer, lung cancer, and anaplastic thyroid cancer, as well as some very rare leukemias. The most curable or treatable include follicular and papillary thyroid cancers, Hodgkins Disease among others. But there has been progress in the detection and treatment of all the above over the last two decades. There will need to be more investment in basic, translational, and clinical research before we see the worst of these diseases rendered chronic and even curable. The US has borne the lion's share of investment in research in these diseases, but Europe, Canada, China, Japan, South Korea, and the rest of the world, including Arab and African countries, will need to pick up the burden of investment in the prevention and treatment of cancer with the US reducing funding in these areas. After all, data suggests that a reduction in cancer incidence and mortality in the US and major industrialized countries will be more than offset by the increased incidence in the rest of the world – the so-called Global South.
