Why not swiftly prepare to host a global economic conference to promote new investment opportunities following the Egyptian revolution? This could also involve reintroducing previously tainted opportunities under the former corrupt regime in a fair and transparent manner. Some might say this proposal is neither novel nor groundbreaking—it is, in fact, so logical and straightforward that it is puzzling why it has not yet been implemented.
Such a conference would undoubtedly have a positive impact on promoting Egyptian investment opportunities and restoring the flow of foreign investments. These investments would play a pivotal role in bolstering the national economy, helping it confront the legitimate economic demands for which the revolution was waged. Beyond this, the conference could yield a range of direct and indirect benefits.
Among these is the ability to convey a powerful message to the world: the current government, brought to power by the revolution, is capable of organising and planning large-scale events. This would counter the exaggerated image often presented by global media, portraying Egyptians as waking and sleeping on the pavements of Tahrir Square. The conference should invite key global economic and political figures, including heads of states, international organisations, experts, prominent regional and international business leaders, and major corporations.
Another direct benefit relates to tourism. Such an event would drive hotel occupancy and demand for related services, such as flights and hospitality, due to the presence of invited dignitaries and other participating delegations of varying sizes. Additionally, journalists and media professionals drawn by the event would continue the global curiosity about the trajectory of Egypt’s revolution, which remains a captivating media story. Indirectly, the conference could bolster the confidence of foreign tourists who would see in the media that the event, which must be significant, reflects a safe and stable Egyptian street, encouraging them to visit without hesitation.
Would such a conference cost the government anything? The answer is confidently no—it would even be profitable!
The government need only leverage its public relations machinery and the marketing expertise of its youth to attract sponsors and advertisers from local and international companies and institutions. These entities are often eager to promote themselves at large-scale events by featuring their logos on conference materials. If the event spans three days, promotional spaces near the conference venues could also generate income. This is not unfamiliar to those experienced in organising conferences before the revolution. Some of those events were widely praised for their management. However, it is essential that the organisation be entirely Egyptian for two key reasons: first, to keep a significant portion of the financial returns within the country, and second, to send a message to the world that says: ‘Yes, we can do this ourselves.’
Returning to the core goal of the conference—attracting or restoring crucial foreign investments during this critical phase—there is a need to market Egypt’s economy differently. In the past, Egypt attracted a type of foreign investment that exploited the corruption of Mubarak’s regime and the cronyism of Gamal Mubarak’s circle. Some foreign companies avoided dealing with Egypt due to the unsavoury environment that this created.
Now, Egypt must promote itself to investors with ethical and principled approaches. This is not empty rhetoric; records from the former regime are filled with cases of companies that proposed projects but were refused because they declined to pay bribes and commissions, practices that were rampant at the time. These companies must now be assured that post-revolution Egypt is striving to be fundamentally different from its past, even if change does not happen overnight. Time moves forward, and the clock cannot turn back.
This article is originally published by AlBorsa in Arabic and later AI-translated by South Push.