Three consecutive incidents last week highlighted the growing marginalisation of Egyptians in their own country. What was striking was the sheer frequency of these encounters—within just a few days, I was repeatedly reminded: ‘Sorry, you’re Egyptian.’
The first incident occurred when I was invited to meet an acquaintance at a five-star hotel in Cairo. Arriving just minutes before the scheduled time and in a rush to be punctual, I lost my way inside the massive hotel. As I was about to enter one of the halls, staff members stopped me, saying: ‘Sorry, sir! Foreigners only.’ I later discovered it was the hotel’s exclusive casino. I did not argue—I had no time to waste—but I soon learned that all nationalities, including those who openly profess Islam, particularly ‘our Gulf brothers’, were permitted entry. The only ones barred from setting foot inside were the people of this land. Putting aside the religious prohibition on gambling, haven’t we been told time and again that such activities are illegal in Egypt? But this, of course, is not the real issue—after all, how many Egyptians even dream of, or are aware of, the existence of casinos in their country, let alone wish to participate?
The second incident happened when I decided to rent a new apartment, as my current lease was nearing its end. A property agent helped me find a suitable place at a relatively affordable price for the area. I arranged to meet the owner—a fellow Egyptian—to finalise the contract. The moment he saw me, however, his expression soured, and he turned to the agent, exclaiming: ‘Since when do you bring me Egyptians?’ He reacted as if I were carrying a contagious disease that might infect his property. Then, with a mix of arrogance and condescension, he apologised, saying: ‘I’m sorry, sir, but I only rent to foreigners.’ I asked him why, and he simply replied: ‘It’s easier.’ What made it even more absurd was that his apartment was actually priced lower than similar ones rented out to Egyptians. It was as if he were offering financial aid to struggling foreigners, seeking shelter in Egypt—the land of wealth and prosperity, God forbid.
The third incident, however, involved a violation protected by ‘international law’, not our own Egyptian regulations. This was a case of blatant hypocrisy from global organisations that preach equal opportunities yet practise the exact opposite. A friend of mine works for the International Organisation for Migration at Cairo Airport. She has a fellow Egyptian colleague, and together, they facilitate the travel procedures of refugees, most of whom are African or Iraqi. I asked her why two people were needed for what seemed like a straightforward job. She explained: ‘The organisation does not accept signatures from Egyptians.’ Her role, as a foreigner, was simply to sign off on paperwork once she confirmed that ‘everything was in order.’ Ironically, she did not even hold a work visa—just a renewable one-year tourist visa. As a result, she was exempt from paying taxes while occupying a job that could have gone to an Egyptian who was undoubtedly more entitled to it than this European ‘young lady’.
These three stories are a grim reminder of the concession laws introduced under Khedive Said and Khedive Ismail, which granted foreigners special privileges that even the rightful owners of the land could not access. The situation today, thankfully, has not reached such extremes—at least no special courts have been established for foreigners, as was the case back then. To be clear, the presence of foreigners in Egypt is not inherently a bad thing. On the contrary, it can foster global connections and facilitate the exchange of expertise. But when privileges expand at the expense of the rightful citizens, it becomes a genuine tragedy—one that will only fuel further injustice and may ultimately provoke extreme reactions or resentment towards foreigners. As the Egyptian saying goes: ‘Two blows to the head hurt.’ But what happened within a single week were three painful blows—enough to provoke a bitter backlash in someone else’s heart.
This article is originally published by AlBorsa in Arabic and later AI-translated by South Push.