Egypt

Policy Analysis on Egypt

Regional Consequences of Trump's Travel Ban

On January 27, 2017, President Donald Trump issued an executive order suspending the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, indefinitely prohibiting all Syrian refugees from entering the United States and banning immigrants from seven Muslim-majority countries: Syria, Iraq, Iran, Libya, Sudan, Somalia, and Yemen. The executive order unleashed a storm of criticism

Apr 20, 2017

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Mohamed Abdelaziz

Articles & Testimony

Despite Attacks Egypt Maintains Conventional Military Strategy

Having demonstrated that he is a sincere partner and friend, President Trump can now approach Sisi for a serious conversation about helping Cairo improve its performance against jihadis in the Sinai.

Apr 9, 2017

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Eric Trager

Articles & Testimony

Egypt's Awkward Reset with Washington

After Trump welcomes Sisi, the Syria crisis puts relations in sudden limbo.

Apr 7, 2017

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Eric Trager

Articles & Testimony

Enhancing Egyptian-Israeli Ties under the Trump Administration

U.S. officials should take a four-pronged approach to lowering the barriers that have long impeded true normalization between the two countries.

Apr 2, 2017

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Haisam Hassanein

Brief Analysis

President Trump Talks Terror with Egypt's Sisi

To help Washington in the war against the Islamic State, Cairo must first help itself, in part by adopting a modern COIN approach in Sinai and refocusing its military spending toward that end.

Mar 30, 2017

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David Schenker

Articles & Testimony

Can Trump Cut a Deal With Egypt?

Washington has a strong hand to ask for real concessions on issues such as aid priorities and prosecution of Americans, as well as clarification of Russia's reported military deployments.

Mar 30, 2017

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Eric Trager

Fikra Forum

Sisi and the Copts: Grim Prospects for a Troubled Relationship

March 20, 2017 On December 11, a massive explosion shattered St. Mark’s Cathedral in Abbasia, central Cairo, claiming the lives of more than 25 worshipers and wounding scores of others. The event cast even more anxiety and strain over the situation of Egypt’s Copts, which has been volatile and troubled

Mar 20, 2017

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Ramy Aziz

Articles & Testimony

Sisi's Domesticated Foreign Policy

Much to his Gulf allies' chagrin, Egypt's president has not toed their anti-Iranian line in the region, instead following his own pattern of supporting state actors against non-state actors.

Mar 8, 2017

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Eric Trager

Articles & Testimony

Burning Questions for Trump on the Middle East: We Still Don't Know Where His Gut Instincts Are

Short-term benefits aside, America's partners in the Middle East will all suffer in the end if estrangement from the region becomes the norm of U.S. foreign policy.

Mar 7, 2017

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Robert Satloff

Fikra Forum

Al-Azhar and the President: Breaking Down the Relationship

March 6, 2017 On January 24, during a speech for National Police Day, President Sisi – to everyone’s surprise – brought up the issue of the high divorce rate in Egypt and its dangerous impact on family security and stability, calling for an amendment of divorce laws. According to Sisi’s

Mar 6, 2017

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Maged Atef

Articles & Testimony

What an Egyptian-Iranian Thaw Would Mean for U.S. Foreign Policy in the Region

If Washington fails to address Egypt's financial problems, its dispute with Saudi Arabia, and its over-emphasis on the dangers of Sunni Islamism, then American efforts to contain Iran could be in jeopardy.

Mar 4, 2017

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Haisam Hassanein

Brief Analysis

Bab al-Mandab Shipping Chokepoint Under Threat

Reports of Yemeni rebel mining activity are only the latest in a string of threats to international vessels transiting the narrow link between the Suez Canal and the Indian Ocean.

Mar 1, 2017

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Jeremy Vaughan
Simon Henderson

Articles & Testimony

The Future of Egyptian-Israeli Relations: Cairo More Committed to Peace Than Normalization

Egypt remains an essential component of any future Palestinian peace process, but the country's deep anti-Israel propaganda is a persistent stumbling block.

Feb 18, 2017

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Haisam Hassanein

Articles & Testimony

The U.S. Should Be Wary About Overplaying Its Hand on the Muslim Brotherhood

The idea of formally designating the group as a terrorist organization raises technical and legal issues that could bolster already-marginalized Brotherhood members in unintended ways if handled improperly.

Feb 9, 2017

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Eric Trager

Articles & Testimony

Stuck With Sisi

Six years after Egypt's Tahrir Square uprising and the 'Arab Spring' dreams it inspired, the country is economically and politically stuck.

Jan 24, 2017

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Eric Trager

Fikra Forum

NGO Law in Egypt

January 12, 2017 At the end of November, Egyptian parliament approved a new law on non-governmental organizations (NGOs), spreading worry in the minds of those interested in Egyptian affairs in general. This law is the latest step toward finishing off rights organizations in Egypt. In addition to targeting NGO workers

Jan 12, 2017

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Maged Atef

Articles & Testimony

Commercial Diplomacy in the Middle East

In addition to boosting the economic prospects of individual countries, the QIZ arrangements between Egypt, Israel, and the United States show how trade can be used as a powerful catalyst for multilateral cooperation on other fronts.

Jan 11, 2017

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Haisam Hassanein

Egyptian and Israeli flags along the Sinai border

Fikra Forum

A New Era in Egypt-Israel Relations?

In this era, a political observer will not have to look towards the statements coming out of Tel Aviv to learn the nature of Israeli-Egyptian cooperation.

Dec 20, 2016

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Mohammed Soliman

An Egyptian guard inspects bomb damage near the Gaza border in Sinai

Maintaining Relationships Behind Closed Doors

Although Egypt's security, diplomatic, and economic cooperation with Israel continues to improve, the optics of such rapprochement remain a political liability for President Sisi.

Dec 15, 2016

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David Schenker

Articles & Testimony

Egypt's Economy: Not Out of the Woods Yet

Although Cairo has taken significant steps to address capital shortages in recent weeks, the government knows that these steps will entail significant pain and could therefore spark unrest.

Nov 18, 2016

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Eric Trager

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Program on Arab Politics

The Washington Institute's Program on Arab Politics focuses on social, political, and economic developments in the Arab world, with an emphasis on the Arab countries of the Levant.

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Egypt

Policy Analysis on Egypt

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Policy Analysis on Egypt

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