Egyptian Society of Analytical Chemistry

The co-operation between Egypt and the Working Party of Analytical Chemistry (WPAC) of the Federation of European Chemical Societies (FECS) started rather early in the year 1979 when I had the honor to be nominated by the Egyptian Chemical Society and Cairo University to represent Egypt as an observer in WPAC.

          Prof. H. Malissa , the chairman of the WPAC suggested an expanded scientific co-operation. We had many meetings together with Prof. R. Kellner as the secretary and Prof. M. Grasserbauer in the TU Vienna. The discussions were about the transfer of knowledge between north and south and how both sides would benefit from such cooperation. 

          One of the most important results of this sincere and friendly co-operation was the first International Symposium on New Trends in Chemistry, the role of Analytical Chemistry in National Development that was held at Cairo in January 1984 and supported by WPAC and TU Vienna.

          Pronounced scientific support was established by the presence of ten professors who were members of the WPAC, representing Austria, Belgium, Finland, Germany, Hungary and United Kingdom. It was a very successful broad spectrum Analytical Symposium which aimed to draw the attention of decision makers in Egypt about the importance of Analytical Chemistry in all aspects of life. The recommendations of this Symposium were then circulated to all interested and important groups.

           According to one of the recommendations, the Egyptian Society of Analytical Chemistry was founded and registered in 1986. In addition, annual publication of the Egyptian Journal of Analytical Chemistry (EJAC) began. It is abstracted in both the Analytical and Chemical Abstracts.  Volume 25 is now in the final preparation. The success of the first symposium encouraged us to process the following volumes in 1989, 1994, 1997, 2000, 2003 and 2006……...

          The support and co-operation of the WPAC continued. I was honored to be elected several times as the Chairperson of the Egyptian Society for Analytical Chemistry and to see its growing success. The support of Egyptian, Arabic and European friends and colleagues members of the Scientific Community who showed real understanding for the broad meaning of the scientific co-operation is acknowledged with gratitude. They realized that we are all living in a very small world becoming smaller with more scientific achievements and that we have to co-operate to keep it in the best living conditions for new generations to come.

           Since the start of the activity of the Egyptian Society of Analytical Chemistry (ESAC) our interest was to strengthen the co-operation between Analytical Chemists in Egypt with Arabic and African colleagues so we joined the Arabic Union of Chemists in 1998 becoming an active member. In 2006 we shared in founding the African Federation of Societies of Chemistry (FASC), of which I am honored being the Vice chairperson of the Federation.

          To conclude, the main goal of the Society is to stimulate the progress of Analytical Chemistry and to draw the attention of colleagues and decision makers to the importance of Analytical Chemistry for the welfare of Community and for a better life. We are honored and grateful for the support which we had got from the late Professors Dr. H. Khalifa and Dr. E. Khairy without which we could not have achieved any success.

 Thanks are due to all Rectors of Cairo University, Presidents of the Egyptian Academy of Science and research from 1984 till now for their understanding and support.

M. M. Khater