Egypt, United States Must Navigate a New Alliance

Strategic priorities in Cairo and Washington have shifted somewhat in recent years leaving what was once a critical relationship out of unison.

The Disrupting Stabilizer

Summer 2020 / Essays

How Russia’s military, diplomatic, and economic roles in the Mediterranean have developed in recent years

The EU-Arab Summit: A Chance to Reset Relations with the Arab World?

February 17, 2019 / Tahrir Forum

With EU and Arab League leaders set to convene a landmark summit for the first time in Sharm El-Sheikh this February, the stakes are high to agree on key issues, including migration, counter-terrorism and steps to end the war in Yemen.

Pompeo’s “Real New Beginning”?

Winter 2019 / Midan

In a speech which may have policy implications for the Trump Administration’s Middle East policy, the United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo lays out plans for the region at the American University in Cairo.

Are Egyptian Women Empowered?

Spring 2018 / Essays

Seven years after the Egyptian uprising, what have Egyptian women achieved and what challenges have they faced? A lot still needs to be done before they gain more political and social power.

The Middle East According to Egypt

Spring 2018 / Essays

The Egyptian government is charting a role for itself as new and critical developments unfold in the region.

Egypt’s Shifting Foreign Policy Priorities

Spring 2018 / Essays

How are Abdel Fattah El-Sisi’s foreign policy priorities expected to change after his reelection?

Sixty Years of Egyptian Politics: What Has Changed?

Spring 2018 / Essays

The Egyptian state has undergone three major regime transitions since Gamal Abdel Nasser’s rule, with the current regime reversing much of the policies put in place by the first.

Video: The Three Mindsets of Egyptian Voters

March 28, 2018 / Tahrir Forum

In this Tahrir Dialogue talk, Abdel Monem Said Aly speaks about three “stories” or narratives about the state of Egyptian politics, which represent how people are voting in these elections.

Reflections of a Statesman

Winter 2018 / Q & A

Amre Moussa is one of Egypt’s most widely respected diplomats and politicians. He speaks to Cairo Review Associate Editor Asmaa Abdallah about the way out of the Arab World’s crises, and the need for a political system in Egypt that reflects the “spirit of the twenty-first century.”

The Battle over Al-Azhar

June 6, 2017 / Tahrir Forum

The effort to curb the Islamic institution’s autonomy has stalled, for now.

Plight of an Arab Intellectual

Spring 2017 / Q & A

The oeuvre of Egyptian novelist Sonallah Ibrahim chronicles his country’s political dramas from the time of Gamal Abdel Nasser. He speaks to Cairo Review Contributing Editor Jonathan Guyer about the “beautiful generation” of the Tahrir Square revolution and how the military saved Egypt from the Muslim Brotherhood.

Convergent Authoritarianisms in Egypt and Turkey

May 2, 2017 / Tahrir Forum

After Turkey’s constitutional referendum, it is increasingly apparent that its government is exhibiting similar authoritarian tendencies to Egypt since 2013.

Egypt, a Partner for Peace and Stability

March 19, 2017 / Tahrir Forum

U.S.-Egyptian relations are at a crossroads.

The Attack on Civil Society Outside Cairo

February 15, 2017 / Tahrir Forum

Since President El-Sisi has taken office, an unprecedented government crackdown has rendered large parts of the country without any independent human rights groups.

Art of War in Egypt

January 29, 2017 / Tahrir Forum

Egypt’s massive military purchases to build its air power may be aimed at repressing an anticipated urban uprising that resembles Syria’s.

Will Trump and El-Sisi Avert a Proven Disaster?

January 25, 2017 / Tahrir Forum

I think we should all be very worried about the tone and direction of Trump’s apparent views on how the United States should pursue its relations with Egypt.

Egypt, Rebranded

Winter 2017 / Essays

The “Egypt The Future” economic development conference reaffirmed the primacy of the strongman in Egyptian politics. That may win the hearts and minds of some global capitalists, but will Tahrir Square revolutionaries buy it?

Egypt’s Orwellian Populisms

November 15, 2016 / Tahrir Forum

The ruling establishment claims to defend the people even as its actions target the people.

Toward an Egyptian Open Society

Fall 2016 / Midan

After two years as president of Egypt, is Abdel Fattah El-Sisi fulfilling his promises?

The Limits of Fighting Corruption in Egypt

October 15, 2016 / Tahrir Forum

Hisham Geneina’s trial is a tool to deter sharing information about corruption within state institutions.

The Expanding Jurisdiction of Egypt’s Military Courts

October 13, 2016 / Tahrir Forum

As the military expands its economic activities, more public property and institutions fall under the potential jurisdiction of military courts.

The Shrinking Independence of Egypt’s Labor Unions

September 22, 2016 / Tahrir Forum

Egypt’s government is trying to bring independent labor organizations under the state syndicate’s control, threatening one of the few remaining independent civil society actors.

Egypt’s Ad Hoc Economy

July 21, 2016 / Tahrir Forum

Grand projects, though moving quickly, are doing nothing to address the underlying structural problems plaguing Egypt’s economy.

A Court Case in Egypt Worth Watching

June 22, 2016 / Tahrir Forum

An unfolding legal drama over the disputed Red Sea islands unravels a number of political issues.

Fear and the Egyptian State

June 9, 2016 / Tahrir Forum

Rising oppression might signal a weaker, not stronger, government.

A Day of Arab Despair and Radical Change

April 28, 2016 / Tahrir Forum

Four very different events on the same day all confirm once again the hard consequences of the unsustainable policies that all Arab governments, without exception, pursued since the 1970s.