‘Who would reject a blessing?’ and ‘A blessing, and whoever spurns it is blind’—two popular proverbs that sharply criticize anyone who receives a blessing but rejects it, inviting the wrath of heaven upon themselves.

However, the concept of what constitutes a ‘blessing’ is subjective. Not every gift is innocent, nor is every handout well-intentioned. Some grants and favors humiliate and strip the free of their dignity. There are ‘blessings’ that deserve to be rejected with both feet.

This has been the case since the early 1990s in the relationship between Egypt, as the recipient of such ‘blessings,’ and the IMF, along with its sibling, the World Bank. These ‘gifts’ turned rulers into debt-bound prisoners, left the wealthy as unchecked capitalist monstrosities, and made the poor ever hungrier and quieter by the day. This, in essence, has been the IMF’s relationship with Egypt—and still is with most developing nations. Scientifically-backed research evidence filling libraries and search engines is available for anyone who wishes to verify this reality.

A fundamental question must be asked: Why are the IMF and the World Bank so insistent on ‘helping’ us? Is it for the love of the revolution? Of course not! Their interest lies in the strategic and central position of this country that happens to be Egypt. Losing Egypt as a long-time ally (thanks to past governments) within the unjust and opportunistic global system—one of the most exploitative in history—would be a strategic catastrophe for the major powers of this system, led by the United States, the primary beneficiary of these two institutions.

This fear of losing control over Egypt’s decisions alarmed the Americans, prompting an unusual alliance between polar opposites: Democratic Senator John Kerry and Republican Senator John McCain, both former presidential candidates with differing agendas. Together, they deemed losing Egypt an unthinkable prospect.

Accompanied by a group of American investors with bulging portfolios—owners of predatory corporations notorious for their global market dominance and bullying practices—the delegation arrived. Highlighting the mission’s importance and sensitivity, not only did the delegation include the current U.S. ambassador, but also her predecessor. Together, they embarked on a symbolic visit to Tahrir Square that only lacked cucumber and cheese sandwiches and juice boxes for a complete picnic vibe.

Addressing passersby and the media, McCain—a figure infamous for his anti-Arab and anti-Muslim rhetoric, as highlighted by his failed presidential campaign—stated during his second visit to Tahrir Square since January 25th: ‘America is ready to invest in jobs and opportunities. We will continue to support their efforts for democracy, freedom, and economic growth.’ Of course, this was all, as noted earlier, purely out of admiration for the Egyptian revolution.

Eventually, Egypt’s current economically troubled government, through its finance minister, Dr. Samir Radwan, declared that Egypt does not currently require loans from the IMF or the World Bank. He emphasized ongoing technical cooperation and benefiting from the expertise of these international organisations, highlighting Egypt’s strong relations with them.

Wonderful! Especially the latter part, which reflects a diplomatically respectful yet implicit rejection of the two corrupt institutions. It is certainly unwise to enter into conflicts or overt criticism with entities whose wrath or conspiracies might be difficult to handle during such a critical period. Perhaps it is enough to thank them and say, ‘Not today,’ accompanied by a forced smile for the cameras.

This article is originally published by AlBorsa in Arabic and later AI-translated by South Push.