# Egypt Blog - Peter Mitry



## Peter Mitry

Egypt's New Dawn 2012

During the past year the people of Egypt have see-sawed from highs to lows and back again. After the Revolution of January 25th 2011 and the elation that followed, came the realisation that nothing would change quickly after 60 years of repressive government and almost zero investment in infrastructure and new development.

The harsh reality is that after 60 years of dictatorship there were no natural successors to the ousted regime and without massive investment nothing was going to change quickly.

In the political vacuum which followed the Egyptian military took control of the country in order to restore order and soon after published their road map which would lead to Presidential elections in June 2012.

Tahrir Square in Cairo, which had been the focal point during the Revolution, continued to attract media attention from around the World. It provided a platform from where those Egyptians who were disgruntled because change was not immediately evident could continue to voice their protests, only now it became the continued presence of the military that was the focus of their anger. The eyes of the World came to expect that on Fridays after prayers people would continue to occupy Tahrir Square and this became the focus for continued negative media coverage. 

The effect of this was to depress tourist numbers and create fear and uncertainty in the minds of the many people who, until just prior to the Revolution, had boosted Egypt and the Red Sea in particular to one of the Worlds property investment hot-spots. The result? Egypt dropped from hero to zero in just a few months...

But what about the future? What is the reality in post Revolution Egypt?

What the media failed to report was that, just days after Mubarak's departure, millions of Egyptians, of all faiths, and thousands of tourists took to the streets across the country in a show of National pride; their weapons? Brooms, and plastic bags to carry out the biggest mass clean up the country had ever seen in an unprecidented demonstration of Nationalism. Where were the World's press on the many occasions when Christians encircled Muslims to protect them during prayers and vice versa?

The recent elections passed peacefully and most, including the International observers, seem pleased with the progress. In speaking to many Egyptian people across the entire political spectrum, few have any doubt that once the new President is elected the army will indeed return to barracks to their traditional role of National Defence.

Of course, the success of the Muslim Brotherhood in the parliamentary elections has again raised the spectre of an Islamist state with all of the repressive clap trap which is associated with it. Banning alcohol, banning bikinis and all of the other measures which would ensure that Egypt returns to the touristic wilderness! 

It's time for the World media to wake up! It's not going to happen. Muslims and Christians stood shoulder to shoulder during the Revolution and there are plenty of instances of the two faiths supporting each other in the community. It would be inconceivable in a country with 84 million people, and which is predominantly Muslim, if they did not take a lead in the elections. Of course, when atrocities happen which affects either faith it is bound to hit the headlines; but it is certainly not part of daily life in Egypt.

Outlook for Tourism

In Hurghada, Sharm el Sheikh, Marsa Alam and the other tourist hotspots along the Red Sea life during the past year has continued as normal, no hooded militias roaming the streets, no vigilantes, no soldiers toting automatic weapons just happy peaceful people going about their daily business but with one major difference; they have a renewed pride in being Egyptian and a new vision for a brighter future in a country which is preparing to take it's rightful place on the World stage providing opportunity and greater prosperity for everyone.

In every religion, as within every political group, there are always extremists with radical views either to the left or right of mainstream opinion. But in a democracy it is the opinion of the majority which shapes the future and the World's economic leaders have certainly decided that Egypt has a bright future. Just this week Egypt's Economy has been tipped to outstrip all others in the Middle East, including the oil rich Saudi Arabia.

Just a few days ago on Jan 15, 2012, in an effort to boost tourism, the Muslim Brotherhood has issued assurances that it will not seek to impose stringent restrictions on foreign tourists.

In a recent meeting with members of the Egyptian Businessmen Association, Ahmed Suleiman, the head of the tourism committee at the Freedom and Justice Party, said that tourists would be free to wear, drink and eat what they want.

"We're very sorry that tourism was affected after the revolution," added Suleiman.

Tourism Minister Mounir Fakhry Abdel Nour said that revenues from tourism were US$8.8 billion in 2011, down from $12.5 billion in 2010.

Tourism accounted for more than a tenth of Egypt's gross domestic product before last year's upheaval. It employed an estimated eighth of the national workforce in a country of high unemployment.

"We intend to encourage cultural tourism alongside beach tourism," he said, adding that the party also intends to bring out statues of Pharaohs that are kept in warehouses, and display them along the banks of the Nile in an open museum.

"And we will also promote medical and incentive tourism," he said.

In the UK the Telegraph newspaper's travel writers have listed Egypt as one of the best places to go on holiday.
Journalist Fiona Duncan visited post-revolution Egypt with her family and travelled to Cairo to see the pyramids. The Telegraph writer described the experience as a "rare and unforgettable privilege." She stated that whilst in Egypt she felt safe when her family were sightseeing and that her children enjoyed the experience.

Despite problems Egypt has faced this year tourists are still visiting the country to see the ancient pyramids and museums, whilst others are simply choosing the country for its warm weather and popular Red Sea resorts.
The fact that travel journalists are still writing that Egypt is a great place to visit despite the revolution is a good sign that the country is on track to a healthy recovery.
Source: The Telegraph

Outlook for Investment

Further good news came from HSBC; a year after the bank released its 2050 report which estimated that Egypt would surpass Saudi Arabia as the largest economy in the Middle East, the bank has dug deeper in its crystal ball-gazing research.
The first report limited its forecast to the world's 30 largest economies by 2050 - but has now expanded it to 100 nations and includes more Middle East nations. And like the first edition of the report, there are a few surprises.
The report makes for some fascinating reading and the underlying theme is that the economies we currently call "emerging" are going to power global growth over the next four decades, says HSBC.
"We identify 26 fast-growth countries. They share a very low level of development but have made great progress in improving fundamentals," says HSBC, which identifies 'fast growth' above 5%.

Egypt and Jordan are tipped as having the greatest potential for growth in the Middle East.

"The West is not getting poorer, but high levels of income per capita and weak demographics will limit growth," says HSBC. "It is the small-population, ageing economies in Europe that are the big relative losers, seeing the biggest moves down the table."

Outlook for Real Estate


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## MaidenScotland

The worlds press printed photos of the faiths protecting each other during prayer times and there was reports of the clean up after the revolution in the local papers. It is maybe just as well the world press didn't report on the clean up as it didn't last for long.


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## canuck2010

Could have fooled me, they are burning garbage after dark here around Maadi.


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## expatagogo

There used to be bins at regular intervals in this neighborhood, emptied nearly every day, and the streets were swept frequently.

Now, where the bins are gone and there's piles of trash where they used to be. I have no choice but to fling mine into it, too, and it _kills_ me. The stray cats and dogs get a good bunch of it, as well as recyclers. What's left gets scooped up once or twice a week with a piece of heavy equipment and put into a dump truck to be hauled away. I've seen the street sort of swept once and that's it.

It never used to be like this.


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## crewmeal

> Tourism accounted for more than a tenth of Egypt's gross domestic product before last year's upheaval


What is the other 9/10ths then? I would have put tourism much higher.


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## Peter Mitry

expatagogo said:


> There used to be bins at regular intervals in this neighborhood, emptied nearly every day, and the streets were swept frequently.
> 
> Now, where the bins are gone and there's piles of trash where they used to be. I have no choice but to fling mine into it, too, and it _kills_ me. The stray cats and dogs get a good bunch of it, as well as recyclers. What's left gets scooped up once or twice a week with a piece of heavy equipment and put into a dump truck to be hauled away. I've seen the street sort of swept once and that's it.
> 
> It never used to be like this.


Since before the Revolution Hurghada based NGO HEPCA have been cleaning up the reefs and the beaches and we now have a fleet of bright Red refuse disposal lorries with red bins everywhere, road sweepers and all of the things we were used to at home. This is a definite move in the right direction. See: HEPCA: Hurghada Environmental Protection and Conservation Association - Caring for the Red Sea


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## Peter Mitry

canuck2010 said:


> Could have fooled me, they are burning garbage after dark here around Maadi.


I had no idea things were so bad in Cairo; the following link shows how solid waste is being processed in Hurghada HEPCA: Hurghada Environmental Protection and Conservation Association - Caring for the Red Sea.

Sounds like an opportunity for a private initiative to show the government how it should be done...


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## MaidenScotland

crewmeal said:


> What is the other 9/10ths then? I would have put tourism much higher.




Suez canal is I think Egypts biggest earner.. payment is made is US dollars.


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## MaidenScotland

Peter Mitry said:


> I had no idea things were so bad in Cairo; the following link shows how solid waste is being processed in Hurghada HEPCA: Hurghada Environmental Protection and Conservation Association - Caring for the Red Sea.
> 
> Sounds like an opportunity for a private initiative to show the government how it should be done...




I live in Agouza right on the Nile and the place is nothing short of filthy.. the police station behind me has a big skip that when full is emptied onto the ground, the street cleaners sweep but they pile it up in a corner or even better they throw it on the stairs leading up to the bridge make it a nightmare to use the staircase. I went to the post office last week and had to basically walk through piles of rubbish to get in to the building.
There are no rubbish bins in the street other than Zamalek and the shops fills them up with their rubbish. There is one recycling bin in Zamalek but other than the CSA I have not seen any others.
I believe this is not an expat problem as everyone I know complains about the rubbish laying on the streets plus their is no .. it's not my job to pick up rubbish attitude from them. 
The business on the floor above me does not allow smoking in the office so they go out to the landing to smoke.. do they use the ashtray that has been given, NO they throw their smely ends on the stairs so that I have to walk throw them. I have complained only to be told no it's not them it's the bowab.. no way is it the bowab because quite simply he is never around to wash the floorsl

You learn to hop skip and jump in days when you arrive here.

Years ago we had private outside contractors to clear the rubbish, I think they were Spanish.. they gave up and went home when they weren't paid and realised they were fighting a loosing battle.


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## Peter Mitry

MaidenScotland said:


> I live in Agouza right on the Nile and the place is nothing short of filthy.. the police station behind me has a big skip that when full is emptied onto the ground, the street cleaners sweep but they pile it up in a corner or even better they throw it on the stairs leading up to the bridge make it a nightmare to use the staircase. I went to the post office last week and had to basically walk through piles of rubbish to get in to the building.
> There are no rubbish bins in the street other than Zamalek and the shops fills them up with their rubbish. There is one recycling bin in Zamalek but other than the CSA I have not seen any others.
> I believe this is not an expat problem as everyone I know complains about the rubbish laying on the streets plus their is no .. it's not my job to pick up rubbish attitude from them.
> The business on the floor above me does not allow smoking in the office so they go out to the landing to smoke.. do they use the ashtray that has been given, NO they throw their smely ends on the stairs so that I have to walk throw them. I have complained only to be told no it's not them it's the bowab.. no way is it the bowab because quite simply he is never around to wash the floorsl
> 
> You learn to hop skip and jump in days when you arrive here.
> 
> Years ago we had private outside contractors to clear the rubbish, I think they were Spanish.. they gave up and went home when they weren't paid and realised they were fighting a loosing battle.


I don't know how you cope; my wife couldn't for sure. We moved to Spain in '97 and whilst it wasn't that bad it was pretty dire. But hey it was cheap and we had a nice lifestyle. Now, since Spain went into the euro in 2002, its cleaner, refuse disposal is daily and they even pressure wash the bins! There is huge choice of produce in the supermarkets and the streets you could almost eat off! BUT, yes there is always a BUT, since the euro, prices have risen nearly 300% and many Brits don't have enough money to live there any more and are returning home. The moral? Everything comes at a cost....


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## MaidenScotland

Peter Mitry said:


> I don't know how you cope; my wife couldn't for sure. We moved to Spain in '97 and whilst it wasn't that bad it was pretty dire. But hey it was cheap and we had a nice lifestyle. Now, since Spain went into the euro in 2002, its cleaner, refuse disposal is daily and they even pressure wash the bins! There is huge choice of produce in the supermarkets and the streets you could almost eat off! BUT, yes there is always a BUT, since the euro, prices have risen nearly 300% and many Brits don't have enough money to live there any more and are returning home. The moral? Everything comes at a cost....





It doesn't cost to

take your rubbish home
not throw cigarettes ends out of your car window
wash out your cans, and bag up your rubbish.


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## Sonrisa

and...IF many brits cannot afford to live in Spain, where many services are still free (many of which we take for grated such as a playground) and local produce is super cheap, then they surely will not afford to live in Egypt whcih I find cost of living higher than at home.


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## Peter Mitry

Sonrisa said:


> and...IF many brits cannot afford to live in Spain, where many services are still free (many of which we take for grated such as a playground) and local produce is super cheap, then they surely will not afford to live in Egypt whcih I find cost of living higher than at home.


If you shop in supermarkets here, and if you buy anything imported, then the cost of living is rising fast, around 14.5% per annum inflation over each of the last four years.

This is the first time in my life I have not been able to afford a second car for my wife! On the plus side, there would be no point as there's nowhere to go!!!


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## Pheonix500

~ Karma / Kamma ~

The Laws of Cause and Effect

As you sow so shall you reap.

Muslims do not believe in Karma or the Laws of cause and effect.


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## shameelah25

Wondering where the third picture was taken? Very beautiful I would love to visit.


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## Peter Mitry

shameelah25 said:


> Wondering where the third picture was taken? Very beautiful I would love to visit.


The third picture in my Blog is of Lake Nasser near to Aswan, where the Nile Cruises go.


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## speedwing

Peter Mitry said:


> I don't know how you cope; my wife couldn't for sure. We moved to Spain in '97 and whilst it wasn't that bad it was pretty dire. But hey it was cheap and we had a nice lifestyle. Now, since Spain went into the euro in 2002, its cleaner, refuse disposal is daily and they even pressure wash the bins! There is huge choice of produce in the supermarkets and the streets you could almost eat off! BUT, yes there is always a BUT, since the euro, prices have risen nearly 300% and many Brits don't have enough money to live there any more and are returning home. The moral? Everything comes at a cost....


Don't know where you moved to in Spain buy we moved there in late '89 for a few years and was far from "dire" even then we had daily refuse collection (at 5am in the morning!) Even the road cleaning machines did one side of the road from the 1st to the 15th of the month then at midnight you had to move your car over to the the other side so they could clean it until the end of the month...imported food food was more expensive even then just like here, but i have found some imported foods cheaper here than in the UK!!!


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## Peter Mitry

speedwing said:


> Don't know where you moved to in Spain buy we moved there in late '89 for a few years and was far from "dire" even then we had daily refuse collection (at 5am in the morning!) Even the road cleaning machines did one side of the road from the 1st to the 15th of the month then at midnight you had to move your car over to the the other side so they could clean it until the end of the month...imported food food was more expensive even then just like here, but i have found some imported foods cheaper here than in the UK!!!


In '97 we moved from the UK to Chiclana near to Cadiz, it was very Spanish and there were few expats remaining although we heard of many Europeans families who had been there in the early 80's who had since moved on. Later we moved to Jimena de la Frontera, 30kms inland from Gibraltar; true pueblo living and it was great.

In 2002 we moved to Puerto Duquesa, west of Estepona, and by this time there was plenty of evidence of EEC money being spent, with virtually every inch of campo being cultivated, many new urban projects, new roads and modern street cleaning equipment.

We have been in Egypt now for four years and are moving back to Almeria; it will be interesting to see how things have changed since the collapse of the construction industry and the current austerity measures.


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## Biffy

Never mind burning the rubbish after dark - a few months ago the rubbish was piled up so high under one of the bridges in Cairo that the police / fire brigade were called, and the local radio got reports that the bridge was on fire the flames were so high!

Also out towards areas like 6th October - they pick up the rubbish in the trucks and because hey are so lazy they can't be bothered to take it to the designated place - they dump tons of it literally) on the dual carriage way (end of the ring road & cairo - alex road).
And it stays there until they have to set fire to it to stop the smell and flies!!


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## MaidenScotland

Biffy said:


> Never mind burning the rubbish after dark - a few months ago the rubish was piled up so high under one of the bridges in Cairo that the police / fire brigade were called, and the local radio got reports that the bridge was on fire the flames were so high!
> 
> Also out towards areas like 5th October - they pick up the rubbich in the truckas and becuase hey are so lazy they can't be bothered to take it to the designated place - they dump tons of it Iliterally) on the dual carriage way (end of the ring road & cairo - alex road).
> ANd ut stays there until they have to set fire to it to stop the smell and flies!!




On the autostrad the other day I was stuck in traffic because the rubbish burning had blown the smoke across the road and no one could see... but at least they stopped driving and didnt try to go through it at their usual breakneck speed


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## Peter Mitry

*Rubbish Collection*



MaidenScotland said:


> On the autostrad the other day I was stuck in traffic because the rubbish burning had blown the smoke across the road and no one could see... but at least they stopped driving and didnt try to go through it at their usual breakneck speed


In Hurghada we are more fortunate; HEPCA is an organisation dedicated to preserving the natural habitat in the Red Sea and they now have refuse collection lorries, uniformed staff, red refuse bins and even street hoovers in some areas!

Its a far cry from the burning piles of street rubbish that we used to endure.


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## MaidenScotland

Peter Mitry said:


> In Hurghada we are more fortunate; HEPCA is an organisation dedicated to preserving the natural habitat in the Red Sea and they now have refuse collection lorries, uniformed staff, red refuse bins and even street hoovers in some areas!
> 
> Its a far cry from the burning piles of street rubbish that we used to endure.




Lucky Hurghada... years ago we had a Spanish company doing refuse pick up.. the left as they didn't get paid and plus I think they realised they were fighting a loosing battle. 

Now we step through rubbish to get into buildings..


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## Peter Mitry

As a follow up to my last post we have just returned from a shopping trip to Hurghada where we saw around 100 new red garbage skips being delivered! A definite move in the right direction!!


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