Unlocking Egypt's Economic Potential: A Closer Look at Challenges and Required Reforms

Wed. November 15th, 2023

In Person - Washington, D.C. & Live Online

Despite Egypt’s possession of numerous economic resources, the country’s economic growth has yet to sufficiently reflect these advantages and meet the aspirations of the population. The country has also been facing a growing debt crisis as a result of deeply-rooted structural weaknesses and adverse shocks that have hit the global economy. And while Egypt has engaged in repeated IMF programs over the years, it has so far struggled to control its budget deficit, achieve macroeconomic stability, and emerge from its recurrent debt and financial crises. How did Egypt arrive at this juncture? How are politics shaping the government’s policy decisions? And what kind of reforms are needed to ensure sustainable growth and development and achieve a more equitable distribution of wealth?

To delve deeper into these issues, the Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center and the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace are organizing a hybrid event, in collaboration with American University in Cairo Press, on November 15, at 10 a.m. EST, 5:00 p.m. EET. The event will take place at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington, D.C. and will also be livestreamed. The speakers will be Khalid Ikram, Heba Nassar, Timothy Kaldas, and Mirette Mabrouk. The discussion will be held in English and moderated by Nur Arafeh, a fellow at the Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center.

For more information, please contact Najwa Yassine at najwa.yassine@carnegie-mec.org.

event speakers

Nur Arafeh
Fellow, Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center
Khalid Ikram
Khalid Ikram is an economist and consultant for over a dozen major international development organizations, following a 25-year career in the World Bank. He's been involved with the Egyptian economy for more than 45 years. He's the editor of a recent book, "The Egyptian Economy in the 21st Century".
Timothy Kaldas
Timothy E. Kaldas is a Policy Fellow at the Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy. His research focuses on transitional politics in Egypt, regime survival strategies, and Egyptian political economy and foreign policy.
Mirette F. Mabrouk
Senior Fellow and Founding Director of the Egypt Program, Middle East Institute
Heba Nassar
Heba Nassar, professor of economics at the Faculty of Economics and Political Science (FEPS) Cairo University (CU) and former vice president of Cairo University. She is the editor in chief of the Review of Economic and Political Science (REPS) (Web of Science and Scopus indexed), vice president of JHASS, Cairo University. She is also the vice chair of the Cairo University alumni and chair of the Arab Health Economic Platform, director of the professional master’s in health economics, Faculty of Economics and Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University.

event speakers

Nur Arafeh
Fellow, Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center
Khalid Ikram
Khalid Ikram is an economist and consultant for over a dozen major international development organizations, following a 25-year career in the World Bank. He's been involved with the Egyptian economy for more than 45 years. He's the editor of a recent book, "The Egyptian Economy in the 21st Century".
Timothy Kaldas
Timothy E. Kaldas is a Policy Fellow at the Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy. His research focuses on transitional politics in Egypt, regime survival strategies, and Egyptian political economy and foreign policy.
Mirette F. Mabrouk
Senior Fellow and Founding Director of the Egypt Program, Middle East Institute
Heba Nassar
Heba Nassar, professor of economics at the Faculty of Economics and Political Science (FEPS) Cairo University (CU) and former vice president of Cairo University. She is the editor in chief of the Review of Economic and Political Science (REPS) (Web of Science and Scopus indexed), vice president of JHASS, Cairo University. She is also the vice chair of the Cairo University alumni and chair of the Arab Health Economic Platform, director of the professional master’s in health economics, Faculty of Economics and Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University.