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Faulty delivery tests the will to reform
 For a country with a deep sensitivity to criticism and an allergy to bad news, Egypt's mere admission that its much-trumpeted economic reforms have taken a wrong turn in the past year may be considered a sign of progress. But, although the government of President Hosni Mubarak has started addressing the concerns, it has yet to restore confidence in its ability to put the reforms back on track. ...more
FOREIGN POLICY:
Back at the heart of the action
Last year's election of Ehud Barak, the Israeli prime minister, and his promises of a comprehensive Middle East peace, gave Egypt another chance to play its favourite role as regional leader. Cairo has again become the buzzing centre of Arab diplomacy. Both Mr Barak and Yasser Arafat, the Palestinian leader, are frequent visitors. ...more
BANKING:
Search for a new formula
Despite a decade of reform in Egypt's banking sector, the system remains overbanked and dominated by four state-owned commercial banks which have yet to provide a lead in modernising the sector. Hopes of major reform in the sector had been pinned on gradual privatisation, though this has now been put on hold. ...more
GAS:
The Nile emerges as a rich source
The nutrient-rich waters of the Nile River have nourished Egypt for countless centuries. But it is only now dawning on Egyptians that the river which has allowed agriculture to flourish in the Nile Delta is also the source of large reserves of natural gas, the sheer size of which are only now becoming apparent. ...more
TOURISM:
Opera boosts the country's image
The herds of tourist buses that hover around the Pyramids like modern-day beasts of burden and the fleets of cruise boats that crowd the overnight anchorages on stretches of the Nile River in upper Egypt are testimony to the importance of tourism to Egypt's economy. ...more
WOMEN:
Small advance for gender justice
A furious debate erupted earlier this year when the Egyptian parliament was considering an amendment to the personal status code. It would allow women for the first time to file for divorce on grounds of incompatibility. Women were portrayed in newspaper cartoons wearing moustaches and men were seen tied in chains. ...more
RELATIONS WITH THE EU AND AFRICA:
Policy makers continue to play for time
Egyptian foreign policy-makers' key contribution to greater prosperity for the country is their recent negotiation of a new "partnership" trade pact with the European Union. At the same time, Egypt is also going through one of its bursts of diplomatic engagement with its African neighbours. ...more
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