Tag Archive

Modern Egypt: Perception vs. Reality

By Ben Morales-Correa

In her article “Western Perceptions of “Third-World” Egypt are Inaccurate“, Chloe Jenkins-Sleczkowski explores the pervading western perception of Egypt as a country of ancient history that now only exists as a struggling postcolonial nation. As part of an independent research project to study the role of women in modern Egyptian society, Jenkins-Sleczkowski discovered that the... »

Egypt hires Hill and Knowlton to communicate its expanding economy

By Ben Morales-Correa

Global public relations firm Hill and Knowlton is to spearhead an international campaign for Egypt to help generate investment into the country from across the globe. The country wants to highlight its evolution from a developing economy into a secure international marketplace. The focus will be to communicate the competitive advantage Egypt offers companies locating... »

Egypt tourism expected to break even by year end

By Ben Morales-Correa

Image by khalid almasoud via Flickr Revenues and the number of visitors from last year are expected to be the same this year, as the effect of the global economic crisis appears to be less severe than expected. Currently, the Egyptian tourism industry is 4-5 percent below last year’s revenues. The Ministry of Tourism is investing even... »

World Bank loans Egypt $300 million for housing program

By Ben Morales-Correa

Approximately 75 percent of newly formed households cannot afford to acquire a formal sector house without a subsidy and have to rent or own in the informal sector. Current supply side subsidies targeted to this income group and channeled through developers are not always efficient, transparent, or equitable. The Affordable Mortgage Finance Program will gradually... »

Egypt renewable energy technologies

By Ben Morales-Correa

Egypt is fast on track to become the leading country in Middle Eastern renewable energy initiatives. The country has adopted an ambitious plan to cover 20% (12000 MW) of all generated electricity by renewable sources in 2020, including a 12% (7200 MW) contribution from wind energy. The new Electricity Act, subject to the approval... »

Nile River making a comeback as a major trade route

By Ben Morales-Correa

Image via Wikipedia The Egyptian government and several private companies are preparing to invest hundreds of millions of pounds in an ambitious effort to revive shipping along the Nile. Their plans call for at least a half dozen new ports, a series of barrages and extensive dredging. Advocates say the work will help relieve pressure... »

Egypt facing the challenge of a slowdown in tourism

By Ben Morales-Correa

Despite the impact of the global downturn on Egypt’s important tourism industry, international investors continue to recognise that there are numerous lucrative opportunities worth exploiting in the market. Some notable examples of new investments announced at the end of 2008 and the beginning of 2009 include the renovation of the Nile Hilton costing $64 million... »

Egypt: Economy expected to grow 5% this fiscal year

By Ben Morales-Correa

Egypt’s economy may grow nearly 5 percent in the fiscal year that ends in June 2010, Finance Minister Youssef Boutros-Ghali said today. The economy of the most populous Arab country is expected to expand by up to 4.7 percent in the fiscal year that ended in June, compared to 7.2 percent in the previous year,... »

Can anything be cooler than Egyptian cotton?

By Ben Morales-Correa

Egyptian cotton…seems as oxymoronic as English tea or Irish coffee. Ancient Egypt used linen and flax not cotton, both for the living and the dead. But Egyptian cotton is the new wonder fabric from an antique land, and unlike Egyptian linen, its magic has not been hidden and forgotten in pyramids for centuries. Mohammed Ali... »

American Visa cardholders contribute $144 million to Egypt’s tourism economy in 2008

By Ben Morales-Correa

U.S. visitors to Egypt were strong contributors to the national tourism economy, contributing $144 million to tourism revenues in 2008, up 24 percent from 2007,  according to the new Tourism Outlook: USA report from Visa Inc. The average purchase amount for travelers from the U.S. while visiting Egypt was $209.55. At the same time, Egyptian travelers... »