
On the 1st of January 2010
This blog is a public media for communication between the the joint task force working on the EMSA / IFMSA-Egypt merger. We'll be updating you with the concepts, problems faced, issues currently being handled and questions we need your input in answering. Your comments, questions and feedbacks are always welcome on each of the posts of this blog, this is how we will be able to get your general feedback and tendencies about what we reach. Just make sure you let us know who you are.
a. No financial profit from IFMSA-Exchange whether it is on the national or local levels.
b. National exchange system for outgoing students, open equally to all medical students in Egypt, regardless of where they are studying and according to a unified set of criteria that guarantees equal chances to all.
c. Handling of all exchange finances according to the NGO financial administration.
Please find a summary of the concerns expressed by IFMSA-Egypt community as regards the process of the merger. I would like to thank Ahmed Ghazy; ex-IFMSA Egypt President for moderating that Presidents’ session in our last IFMSA-Egypt GA held in SSS Cairo; where all that outcome was produced:
The current structure has proved to be handy in various aspects. IFMSA-Egypt members would like to preserve the current structure as regards the LCs as members & the team of officials (board) as the administrative body. We cannot also accept non-medical students within our structure because it’s a medical students’ organization, yet other forms of cooperation or collaboration may be ventured on.
· Decision Making & Autonomy:
In IFMSA-Egypt ; the GA is the highest decision making power . One of the important factors that need to be maintained is the autonomy of IFMSA-Egypt & the decisions taken by the GA. We do not accept a higher level of full supervision on al the decision that our members make through voting in GAs or those taken by the board as a part of the administrative process.
· Financial Independence:
As a byproduct of autonomy ; the funds belonging to IFMSA-Egypt need to be protected from external manipulation & for IFMSA-Egypt treasurer; the right to access the account balance as per the GA adopted decisions should be secured. there should be no interference in the direction of spending the finances after setting the rules to be followed.
· IFMSA representation:
IFMSA-Egypt believes it still owns the right to represent the medical students activities in EGYPT in IFMSA. Any other arrangements should include this as a red line for negotiations.
· System for membership:
What are the imposed implications on IFMSA-Egypt members after the merger? What extra responsibility is put on their shoulders? What are the authority in the NGO administration hands that could deprive IFMSA-Egypt members from membership of the organization?
· LCs vs LBs system:
What are the authorities & fields of work for each? There will be an overlap of work & sometimes conflicts if there are 2 groups of people operating in the same field.
· Exchange System:
The current exchange system will undergo modifications that we believe are necessary but the application process through the exchange system should remain through IFMSA-Egypt as the representative of IFMSA in Egypt.
· Personal Conflicts:
IFMSA-Egypt members are all undergraduate students while those in EMSA are mostly graduated or in their final phase of internship. This signifies & echoes the point mentioned above that there is a stagnancy in the levels of membership in EMSA with no appropriate turnover; also we have to mention that although some mistakes were made from IFMSA-Egypt side in some points in the past, but EMSA side has also made some serious mistakes in the approach at the beginning of their foundation , something that lead to an endless list of personal conflicts that cannot be omitted especially that the same people are still there in EMSA while IFMSA-Egypt’s turnover of generation has occurred. So we do not accept the fact that the system in IFMSA-Egypt is branded as corrupt & that EMSA’s sole purpose is to combat corruption. We have to courageously acknowledge some mistakes made in the past from BOTH sides.
Dear IFMSA EB and EMR RC,
Since our last encounter in Macedonia, we have been working with IFMSA-Egypt towards the merger between the two entities.
We wanted to keep you updated with what we currently doing and what we have done so far. This is why we are sending you this progress report about the negations and achievements that have been reached this far.
Since August 2009, and following the decision made during the IFMSA General Assembly, mutual efforts have been provided from representatives of both entities to meet the deadline given by IFMSA, the 1st of January 2010, to complete the merger.
Incentive:
Although the biggest incentive for the merger is the avoidance of any damages caused by the application of the decision taken by the IFMSA GA, yet, the concept and efforts for the merger are innate in the concerned parties and they also working on that to guarantee the best working conditions for medical students in Egypt with a keen understanding of the vitality of the issue & the tightness of the timeline available to finish the whole process.
The following steps took place in chronological order:
“ IFMSA-Egypt recognizes the importance of caring after the welfare of medical students in Egypt who deserve to have a stable medium for practicing their activities, summoned powers that work together not against , one voice that conveys their opinion to the whole world through IFMSA. We are willing to work together for the best of medical students in Egypt.
During the last IFMSA GA in Ohrid, Macedonia; the General Assembly voted in their plenary endorsing a merger between IFMSA-Egypt & the Egyptian Medical Students Association (EMSA) & didn't want to have 2 NMOs from Egypt as abiding by the IFMSA bylaws. This was mainly because of the concerns raised by IFMSA EB about the financial transparency & exchange system that we operate. We are innately willing to improve any defect in our work & although the GA decision puts a lot of pressure on IFMSA-Egypt to finish the negotiations before 1st January 2010 or else our activities will be frozen completely & in spite the rigidity of the decision that we have seen as very tightening , we are willing to create a taskforce from both sides to maximize the benefits of such a merger & maintain our rights to have an autonomous NMO with its rights in IFMSA ; representing all Egyptian students & at the same time benefiting from the opportunities provided to NMOs & also abide by IFMSA decisions & newly adopted exchange policies
We would like to ensure you that we are working our outmost for the best of all LCs & that all steps in negotiations will be announced regularly to LCs to make them aware of all the consequences. There will be also a joint session between IFMSA-Egypt & EMSA representatives in the negotiations which is preparatory for the taskforce work. It is really important that all concerned people attend to ask all the questions they have in mind & even if they don’t have immediate questions; they will raise the awareness of the taskforce to put it on the negotiations agenda
All the best.
Mohamed Salah
Secretary General & Treasurer 2008-2009
IFMSA-Egypt
President 2008-2010
Zagazig Medical Students' Scientific Association
International Federation of Medical Students` Association
E-mail: mohammed_salah.ahmed@yahoo.com
MSN: hamada2004eg@hotmail.comCell: +2010 3738335
Give us a visit Today! www.ifmsa-egypt.org. "
Issues to tackle in the upcoming period:
The task force is now put to the test by being asked to find solutions for a complex situation, the upcoming period, the following issues will be the areas of concern: