Urban & Economy

Why financing costs still weigh on Egypt’s private sector

Urban & Economy_

Egypt’s private sector is living in the lag between policy and reality, where debt rises faster than relief can arrive.

Hager Atteya_ 11-4-2026

Why financing costs still weigh on Egypt’s private sector

Egypt's emergency rations: Who is poor enough to count?

Urban & Economy_

In homes balanced on pensions, credit and charity, exclusion from a 400-pound grant reveals a deeper crisis of opacity and neglect.

Omneya Qalawoun_ 5-4-2026

Egypt's emergency rations: Who is poor enough to count?

Striking fragility: Egypt’s Gulf dependency in the line of fire

Urban & Economy_

What happens when the Gulf can no longer stabilize Egypt’s economy? War is exposing the fragility of a decades-long dependency.

Amr Adly_ 29-3-2026

Striking fragility: Egypt’s Gulf dependency in the line of fire

Egypt’s debt trap tightens as war on Iran bites

Urban & Economy_

War-related shocks are exposing the fragility of Egypt’s recent economic gains, with rising import costs and weaker inflows reviving borrowing pressure.

Doaa Elsayed_ 24-3-2026

Egypt’s debt trap tightens as war on Iran bites

One flew over “the Colony’s” nest: a silent revolution for the right to live

Urban & Economy_

In 2011, hundreds occupied vacant state housing in Cairo. Discover how "The Colony" turned abandoned concrete into a radical act of survival and a challenge to housing policy.

Amr Abotawila_ 12-3-2026

One flew over “the Colony’s” nest: a silent revolution for the right to live

Explainer| Egypt enters the derivatives era, but what are they?

Urban & Economy_

Egypt’s exchange is set to launch derivatives in March, starting with EGX30 futures. Here’s how they work, who benefits, and why leverage can cut both ways.

Hager Atteya_ 1-3-2026

Explainer| Egypt enters the derivatives era, but what are they?

What stalled Egypt's monorail, and who pays?

Urban & Economy_

Weeks after its expected launch, the New Capital monorail remains idle. Internal sources reveal that accumulated delays have cost the state at least 45 billion Egyptian pounds.

Mohamed Ismail_ 24-2-2026

What stalled Egypt's monorail, and who pays?

Meat on day one, lentils after: How Egyptians are cutting back in Ramadan

Urban & Economy_

Millions face limited food choices this Ramadan as incomes lag prices, turning iftar into a monthly math problem for families across income levels.

Enas Hussein_ 24-2-2026

Meat on day one, lentils after: How Egyptians are cutting back in Ramadan

“Egypt’s Future” on the backs of peasants

Urban & Economy_

Transformations routinely presented as hallmarks of modernization and efficiency amount to a slow dismantling of the countryside’s capacity to reproduce its own life in practice.

Saker El Nour_ 5-2-2026

“Egypt’s Future” on the backs of peasants

The Zohr pipedream: Egypt's enduring gas gap

Urban & Economy_

Eni’s $8B pledge revives hopes for Egypt’s gas comeback, but insiders say there’s no new Zohr, and the giant field won’t return to peak output.

Laila El-Abd_ 3-2-2026

The Zohr pipedream: Egypt's enduring gas gap

Explainer| Why does Egypt export gas it does not have?

Urban & Economy_

To satisfy local requirements, Egypt is reliant on importing roughly 2 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day.

Mahmoud Salem_ 13-1-2026

Explainer| Why does Egypt export gas it does not have?

Debt swaps and the devil in the details

Urban & Economy_

Egypt is moving past "quick fix" land sales like Ras El-Hekma to historic debt swaps. But is the $8B China deal a developmental win or a Sri Lanka-style risk?

Doaa Elsayed_ 11-1-2026

Debt swaps and the devil in the details

The year of anger: What 100 worker protests in 2025 tell us

Urban & Economy_

Minimum wage became Egypt’s breaking point in 2025 sparking 100 worker protests against inflation, abuse, and state crackdowns.

Ahmed Khalifa_ 8-1-2026

The year of anger: What 100 worker protests in 2025 tell us

Buried in paperwork, Egypt’s gold incentives fail to glitter

Urban & Economy_

Egypt pitched new incentives to lure gold explorers, but the Sukari mine’s discoverer calls them cosmetic. Experts want transparent rules and predictable costs.

Laila El-Abd_ 6-1-2026

Buried in paperwork, Egypt’s gold incentives fail to glitter

Abu Dhabi’s quiet takeover of Egypt’s ports: Why turn to an Emirati company?

Urban & Economy_

Abu Dhabi Ports is tightening its grip on Egypt’s transport sector. Officials cite necessity; critics warn of overconcentration. Is the bet on foreign operators paying off?

Mohamed Ismail_ 31-12-2025

Abu Dhabi’s quiet takeover of Egypt’s ports: Why turn to an Emirati company?

From Ras El-Hekma to Alam Al-Roum: The risks of selling land to service debt

Urban & Economy_

Egypt is leaning on megadeals like Ras El-Hekma and Alam Al-Roum to ease debt pressure. Analysts warn land sales can’t replace sustainable growth.

Doaa Elsayed_ 21-12-2025

From Ras El-Hekma to Alam Al-Roum: The risks of selling land to service debt

Why Egypt’s budget problem isn’t subsidies

Urban & Economy_

Are subsidies really to blame for Egypt’s economic crisis? A closer look at budgets, debt, and IMF prescriptions reveals where the real pressure on public finances lies.

Elhamy Elmerghany_ 17-12-2025

Why Egypt’s budget problem isn’t subsidies

Egypt's debt strategy: What the first round missed and what comes next

Urban & Economy_

As Egypt prepares a new debt strategy, experts question missed targets, rising debt-service costs and reliance on short-term borrowing and external inflows.

Doaa Elsayed_ 8-12-2025

Egypt's debt strategy: What the first round missed and what comes next

Container wars: Can Egypt’s state operators compete with global port giants?

Urban & Economy_

State container terminals face mounting pressure as global shipping giants expand their hold on Egypt’s ports, challenging public operators.

Mohamed Ismail_ 2-12-2025

Container wars: Can Egypt’s state operators compete with global port giants?

Unemployment may be falling, but labor market tells a deeper story

Urban & Economy_

Egypt’s jobless rate dipped to 6.1% in Q2 2025, but shrinking cohorts and a mass exit from the labor force, especially among women, mask weak job quality and a coming youth surge.

Mohamed Gad_ 16-11-2025

Unemployment may be falling, but labor market tells a deeper story

Evicted by inflation: The rising cost of renting in Egypt’s working-class districts

Urban & Economy_

Rents in Egypt’s working-class neighborhoods are skyrocketing, forcing families to downsize, delay marriage, and give up essentials just to keep a roof overhead.

Laila El-Abd_ 12-11-2025

Evicted by inflation: The rising cost of renting in Egypt’s working-class districts

Will GEM deliver the promised tourism boom?

Urban & Economy_

The Grand Egyptian Museum marks a milestone for Egypt’s tourism, but without broader development, it risks becoming another fragile pillar of an uneven economy.

Amr Adly_ 10-11-2025

Will GEM deliver the promised tourism boom?

The High Cost of Low Prices| Egypt’s agricultural exports

Urban & Economy_

Egypt’s booming farm exports mask hidden costs—massive water loss, underpaid labor, and cheap prices shaped by global competition and currency devaluation.

Osama Diab_ 6-11-2025

The High Cost of Low Prices| Egypt’s agricultural exports

The High Cost of Low Prices| What do we exchange when we trade?

Urban & Economy_

Unequal trade burdens poorer countries with heavy environmental and labor costs while yielding little value, but collective strategies could shift global pricing power.

Osama Diab_ 6-11-2025

The High Cost of Low Prices| What do we exchange when we trade?