Creating new perspectives since 2009
Items by Mahmoud Hassan
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Why did Egypt block the Caravan of Steadfastness?
The fate of the Caravan of Steadfastness, which returned to Tunisia last Thursday after initially setting off for the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip, raises serious questions about the extent and nature of Egypt’s role in exacerbating the war of starvation and blockade imposed on...
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Sisi woos Trump and manoeuvres around the Gulf
Egyptian-American relations are going through a period of coldness, marked by tension, against the backdrop of differing positions on the war in Gaza; Washington’s plan to relocate residents of the Strip to Egypt and Jordan; the situation in the Red Sea and the Suez Canal; as well as other regional issues....
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Sawiris’ remarks embarrass the Egyptian Army
“Our army sells cookies and shrimps, while Turkey manufactures drones.” This may well be the strongest public criticism to emerge from within Egypt, in response to the expanding economic empire of the military under President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi. Egyptian billionaire and prominent businessman Naguib Sawiris renewed his criticism of...
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How the UAE took control of Egypt’s ports
The acquisition of rights to develop and operate a logistics zone near the Suez Canal by Abu Dhabi Ports Group has raised deep concerns among Egyptians. Many fear that this growing control over Egypt’s ports could undermine the future of the vital international waterway. The controversial project centres on...
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Why Egyptian doctors are leaving the country
Egyptian anaesthesiologist Dr Ahmed Salah El-Din lies between life and death after being stabbed earlier this week in Luxor Governorate, in southern Egypt. The incident is not the first of its kind but part of a growing pattern of assaults against doctors in Egypt, throwing open the doors to...
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Fatwa chaos deepens Gaza’s suffering
Despite the ongoing Israeli war on the Gaza Strip — now surpassing 560 days and resulting in over 51,000 martyrs and 116,000 injured — the conflicting fatwas issued by religious authorities across the Arab and Islamic worlds regarding the course of the war continue unabated. This controversy, both complex...
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Anaemia is ravaging the people of Egypt
The official announcement that 40 per cent of Egyptians are afflicted with anaemia paints a stark picture of the nation’s suffering due to malnutrition, a result of rising inflation, a dire economy and deteriorating living conditions. More than one-third of Egypt’s population — approximately 110 million people — suffer...
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Is Netanyahu harming Egypt’s economy?
The ceasefire between Israel and the Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas was short-lived, once again depriving Egypt of the opportunity to revive its strained, debt-laden economy, which has been under pressure for the past decade. Egypt is among the most affected by Israel’s violation of the ceasefire agreement on 18...
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Complex dynamics hinder Egypt-Syria rapprochement
The relations between Egypt and Syria remain stalled amid caution and anticipation, despite the participation of interim Syrian President Ahmad Al-Sharaa in the emergency Arab summit hosted by Cairo earlier this month. The Egyptians have yet to come to terms fully with the sudden shift in the Syrian political...
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Solitary confinement can last for years in Egypt’s prisons
The words of an Egyptian child whose father endures the anguish of imprisonment tell us a lot about the current state of Egypt. “For the first time, my father is fasting Ramadan in solitary confinement,” said Amjad Ali. I have changed the child’s name for his protection. Perhaps he...
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How do the Egyptian authorities seize business and personal assets?
For over 11 years, the Egyptian authorities have tightened their grip on businessmen, seizing private companies in a manner that makes the future of investment in the most populous Arab country uncertain. Initially, they specifically targeted Islamists following the coup of July, 2013, but repressive practices expanded to include...
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Marriage for people with disabilities is an often forbidden right in Egypt
A woman in her fifties reflected the struggles faced by people with disabilities in Egypt when it comes to realising their dream of getting marriage. “I suffer from polio and am deprived of marriage,” she said. This forbidden right is evident when looking at the world of the visually...
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Who will govern Gaza the day after the war?
The governance of the Gaza Strip on the day after the war remains a major concern for Tel Aviv, Washington and several Arab capitals, amid regional and international anticipation regarding the sustainability of the ceasefire agreement and the prisoner exchange deal between Israel and Palestinian resistance factions, mainly Hamas....
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Love and marriage are expensive in Egypt
You may have to pay as much as a million Egyptian pounds (about $20,000) to get married in Egypt — and some pay twice as much — even though the country has a growing number of unmarried men and women. The most populous Arab country, with a population in...
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Why the great escape from Egypt?
Businessmen, athletes, influencers on social media and others are the protagonists of a dramatic wave of departures from Egypt. The stars of the “Great Escape” series, who are leaving Egypt in search of a safe haven for their investments and activities abroad, are raising many questions about the future...
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Egypt’s options for the displacement of Palestinians from Gaza
US President Donald Trump’s insistence that Egypt and Jordan will accept displaced Palestinians from the Gaza Strip raises significant concerns about a potential deal being negotiated behind closed doors to facilitate their forced displacement. In other words: ethnic cleansing. The final details of such a deal may not yet...
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Egypt faces a tough test
The Egyptian government faces a critical test on Tuesday, 28 January, when it will appear before the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) amid allegations of increasing human rights violations and oppressive practices against political opponents. The administration of President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi seeks to showcase steps it has...
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When will Egyptians reclaim the January Revolution?
Next Saturday, Egyptians will mark the 14th anniversary of the 25 January Revolution of 2011, amidst a nostalgic longing for the unfulfilled promises of the uprising and ongoing questions about how to rekindle the popular momentum that toppled the regime of late President Hosni Mubarak after 30 years in...
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Al-Sisi expands the military’s economic share
A new network of commercial outlets affiliated with Egypt’s Ministry of Defence has spread widely across the country’s governorates. These outlets specialise in selling dairy products, meat, food items and essential goods, marking the latest public economic activity of the Egyptian military. The organisation, Future of Egypt for Sustainable...
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Egypt and the new Syria: Concerns about the spread of revolution
Extreme fear and caution dominate Egypt’s ruling circles regarding the new Syria in the post-Assad era. This comes amid a campaign to discredit Syria’s new leadership, cast doubt on their intentions and spread fear among Syrians about an uncertain future. Cairo appears to be one of the most hard-line...
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New asylum law raises concerns of violations in Egypt
Egypt’s first asylum law raises concerns of violations being committed against refugees and asylum seekers, especially after responsibility for registering asylum seekers and determining their refugee status is transferred from the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to the Egyptian government. A few days ago, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah...
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Does Egypt have its own Sednaya Prison?
The horrific Sednaya Prison in Syria has thrown the spotlight on the reality of Egypt’s prisons, the files of those forgotten behind bars, and the fate of the victims of torture and forced disappearance during the rule of current Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi. Thousands of Egyptian families fear...
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What does Assad’s downfall mean for Sisi’s regime?
The fall of Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad’s regime last week has triggered contrasting reactions in Egypt. While the Egyptian public has welcomed the development with joy and hope, the ruling circles are visibly anxious and fearful. This dichotomy reflects Egyptian aspirations for potential change from the iron grip that’s...
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Egypt’s judges are facing three crises
Egypt’s judges are facing three crises which have sparked open discontent and anger within the judiciary. The country has around 22,000 judges, of which 11,000 serve in civil and criminal courts; 2,500 serve in the State Council; and the rest are in the State Litigation Authority and Administrative Prosecution....