War between Russia and Ukraine has put the Egyptian economy under pressure. Last month, the Egyptian government announced it had requested the International Monetary Fund (IMF)’s support to mitigate the shocks the country’s economy has endured since the eruption of the war.
Turkey has significantly recalibrated its foreign policy in the Middle East and North Africa. After having played a proactive role in the region, for over a year Ankara has gradually softened its assertive foreign policy, as it has grown increasingly aware of the need to defuse tensions, break out of its regional isolation, and mend fences with regional competitors due to international, regional, and domestic shifts.
Turkey has launched a normalisation initiative with several countries with which it has had problematic relations for the last decade. Egypt has been one of them. The relations between the two countries had hit rock bottom after the toppling of then-President Mohammed Morsi by a coup in 2013. Turkey immediately became one of the staunchest critics of the coup and new President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi's policies against the Muslim Brotherhood and its leaders.
Se in politica estera l’Egitto continua a giocare una partita da protagonista nella complessa scacchiera mediorientale e con i principali partner internazionali, mostrando una strategia basata su diplomazia e dialogo, a livello interno il Cairo sembra puntare sul rilancio dell’immagine pubblica del governo attraverso un apparente cambiamento di rotta e timidi cenni di apertura democratica. Parole d’ordine: diritti umani e rilancio delle relazioni con i partner storici.
Egypt’s situation in terms of sustainability is far from excellent. The ecological footprint per capita is already 4.5 times higher than the country's biocapacity. Furthermore, Egypt is highly vulnerable to the threat of climate change on multiple fronts, including rising sea levels, heat waves, and water scarcity. Increasing the pace of decarbonization and energy diversification with low-carbon resources is an urgent priority for the country to achieve a more sustainable future.
The MED This Week newsletter provides expert analysis and informed insights on the most significant developments in the MENA region, bringing together unique opinions on the topic and reliable foresight on future scenarios. Today, we focus on the United States and Egypt, whose delegates have recently met in Washington for their first Strategic Dialogue since 2015, reaffirming the lasting cooperation between the two actors and the strategic mediator role Cairo is playing in many of the region’s open issues.
On the 3rd of July 2013, the Egyptian military, supported by a large part of the Egyptian population as well as the judiciary, political opposition, and prominent religious representatives, ended the rule of the Muslim Brotherhood after only one year in power. Supporters of the Muslims Brothers refused this decision and insisted they would remain in the streets to protest these measures. However, after 40 days, the Egyptian security forces intervened and ended these sit-ins in Cairo and Giza.
The MED This Week newsletter provides expert analysis and informed insights on the most significant developments in the MENA region, bringing together unique opinions on the topic and reliable foresight on future scenarios. Today, we turn the spotlight on the Nile, where the dispute between Ethiopia and downstream countries over Addis Ababa’s plan to further fill his "Renaissance" dam is increasingly pressuring Arab states to mediate among quarrelling stakeholders.
Turkey’s recent diplomatic initiatives to settle outstanding disputes with Egypt and Israel can be seen as a clear indication that Turkey’s ‘precious loneliness’ has already proven too burdensome and costly in the Eastern Mediterranean.
The MED This Week newsletter provides expert analysis and informed insights on the most significant developments in the MENA region, bringing together unique opinions on the topic and reliable foresight on future scenarios. Today, we focus on Egypt and Turkey, whose latest attempt to repair their long strained bilateral relations may have ramifications across the MENA region.
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One month after the Egyptian revolution succeeded and ousted long-time dictator Hosni Mubarak on 11 February 2011, I was in Cairo with a delegation of the European Parliament. From the reactions of many young revolutionaries we understood that they didn’t feel any support from the West in their struggle for freedom and democracy. They had done this themselves and they were proud of it. During a meeting with prime minister and later presidential candidate Ahmed Shafik, another message was given to us, surprised Europeans: “You supported Mubarak.
Ten years after the Arab Spring, Egypt has become more authoritarian than ever. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who came to power through a military coup in June 2013, has reconstructed the country into a military-police state.