Egypt

Research examines the political and economic situation in the country as well as Egypt’s foreign policy and relationship with other states in the region.

The political forces that have emerged since the overthrow of Hosni Mubarak in 2011 have struggled to overcome his regime’s economic legacy, particularly unemployment, inflation, the structural fiscal deficit and infrastructure weaknesses.

Egypt’s reform programme aims to restore macroeconomic stability and return the country to strong and sustainable growth by improving foreign exchange markets, reducing the budget deficit and government debt.

Creating jobs, especially for women and youth, while protecting the most vulnerable groups in the society is vital during the process of adjustment. But there is underlying precariousness in the Egyptian economy.

The future of the region is still up for grabs. It will be up to those who believe in democracy and progress to seize it.

Countries across the Middle East have engaged in an unprecedented pattern of reconciliation to protect their interests amid fluctuations in the international order. But without deliberate international support, these new ties can easily unravel.

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Helen Fitzwilliam on how the military regime in Cairo has curbed creative and cultural activity

There is and will continue to be an edge of rivalry in Egypt’s relations with the dominant Gulf Arab powers. This paper will focus primarily on the Egypt–Gulf relationship during the Sisi era.

This paper examines the benefits of a ‘synergistic’ approach to North African cooperation.

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What are China’s objectives in Africa, how valid is the concept of ‘debt trap’ diplomacy, and what are China’s military ambitions in the region?

Football in the Arab world has long served as a forum for debate about autocratic power and violence, and it has encouraged social solidarity.

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African leaders who went to St Petersburg expecting tangible results from Putin’s promised new programme of support for Africa will undoubtedly have concluded that Russia is unable to offer what they need.

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The historian tells Mike Higgins about the corporation’s contentious role in apartheid’s last years and how its outreach work empowers women and attracts criticism.

As dust storms in the Middle East become increasingly frequent and intense, adversaries must cooperate to address the causes.

Jewelry for sale at a shelter for lesbian, bisexual and queer women in 2023 in Kampala, Uganda

Uganda is among the latest countries to turn up the legal temperature on its LGBTQ+ populations. Countries in the Middle East and North Africa offer lessons on how to hold the ground on sexual health and rights.

Episode 27 of our weekly podcast examines the Syrian regime with signs that governments in the Middle East are prepared to engage with Bashar al-Assad again.

Football in the Arab world has long served as a forum for debate about autocratic power and violence, and it has encouraged social solidarity.

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The COP host has a crucial role to play in climate justice for the continent and in the vexed issue of African gas in the energy transition, says Karim Elgendy.

Examining the crossover between water security and climate change with the next two COPs taking place in regions with a history of being water stressed.

Why have authoritarian systems gained momentum in the Arab world?

A new podcast series explores the shifting political dynamics of the Arab world.

An exterior of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office in Whitehall, where flags hang from the Cenotaph, on 5th January 2022, in London.

The UK has axed its Middle East and North Africa minister. This will leave the Foreign Office stretched thin and constrain Britain’s global influence.

Hundreds of Tunisian taxi drivers block a tramway road to protest the new fuel price hikes in the capital city of Tunis, Tunisia on 15 April 2019. Photo by Yassine Gaidi/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images.

Experiences from the MENA region show that successful energy subsidy reforms must focus strongly on mitigating social impacts.

What do countries need to do ahead of COP27 in Egypt?

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The mother of the imprisoned Egyptian activist, Alaa Abd el-Fattah, on his book, You Have Not Yet Been Defeated

Osama Bin-Laden and Al-Qaeda first attracted global attention following US embassy bombings in Africa, enhancing their credibility to aspiring jihadists.

Three young adults sitting around a table in a library

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Leah de Haan on the need to give young people a role in the formation of policy

Women protest in Cairo on 26 November 2011 as thousands of Egyptians occupy Tahrir Square a year after the Arab Spring swept the region. Photo: Getty Images.

In a series exploring women in international affairs, Alanoud Alsharekh and Azadeh Pourzand speak to Gitika Bhardwaj about the evolution of women’s rights across the Middle East.

Turkey making overtures to Egypt and Saudi Arabia is symptomatic of a wider aim to end its international isolation and be a player in the Eastern Mediterranean.

A new alliance between Egypt, Iraq and Jordan could bring Iraq back into the Arab fold. But Iran is hardly going to look the other way and let this happen.

China has been accused of using its vaccine to expand its influence, but for many struggling economies it is filling a gap left by Western states and donors.

Despite huge economic cooperation and unrestrained reciprocal praise, Egypt and China’s relationship is more complex and unilateral than either would admit.

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The country fails to thrive under autocrats or democrats, writes Ezzedine Fishere

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Greg Shapland on a study of hydro-politics in a troubled region

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Judith Matloff applauds the bravery of female war reporters

Competing factions within the movement have lost the one issue on which they could find common ground.

To have any chance of success, post-conflict governance models for Iraq and Libya must acknowledge ‘hybrid’ armed groups and incorporate them in rebuilding the state, but focus on improving their accountability.

Internal opposition to Pope Tawadros’s dealings with the Egyptian state could block his attempts to reach out to other churches.

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Helen Fitzwilliam on a novelist capturing a descent into chaos

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Burhan Wazir looks at an account of the war that remains the most consequential of all the regional wars in the Middle East

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A conference where analysts and experts reflect on their experiences and lessons learned from a decade of upheaval and contention in the region since the Arab Spring.