Egypt's Economic Potential
Over the last ten years the Egyptian economy has undergone a major transformation which has led to greater decentralisation and international competition. This transformation, along with changing circumstances in the surrounding Arab areas and the end of hostilities with Israel, has given a boost to the Egyptian economy. Without underestimating the obstacles that still stand in the way of sustained economic growth and development, this book foresees a more optimistic outlook for Egypt than do other such studies carried out by international organisations such as the World Bank. Egypt’s Economic Potential argues that the main problem facing the Egyptian economy is that the government must resort to expensive public expenditure policies, in particular subsidising foodstuffs, in order to maintain the political consensus. This creates a savings gap which prevents the authorities from channelling savings towards financing the projects which will cerate economic growth. However, the book suggests that because the present regime is fundamentally stable and even further change at the top would be unlikely to alter the institutional framework of the country, the Egyptian economy has the potential for stable and rapid growth.
Final result of the research project "Le prospettive di sviluppo e di stabilità dell'Egitto" conducted by the Istituto Affari internazionali (IAI) on behalf of the Istituto Bancario San Paolo di Torino. Published also: London/New York, Routledge, 2013 (Routledge Library Editions: Egypt ; 7), ISBN 978-1-13-881124-9 ; 978-1-135-74654-8 (ebk). Texts of Aliboni, Ibrahim and Padoan published also in The International Spectator, Vol. 18, No. 1-2 (January-June 1983).
List of tables
List of figures
List of abbreviations
Note on the authors
Acknowledgements
Introduction, Roberto Aliboni, p. 1-17
1. The Egyptian Economy and Financial Structure: An Overview, Pier Carlo Padoan, p. 18-83
From planning to the open door economic policy
An overview of the Egyptian economy and finance
Growth, inflation, savings and investment; Public finance and the question of subsidies: the roots of the savings gap
The impact of subsidies on the Egyptian economy
Liquidity creation, monetary policy and the credit system
The balance of payments
An overview of macroeconomics and finance in Egypt
2. The Structure of the Egyptian Economy, Giacomo Luciani, p. 84-162
Introduction
The obvious assets of the Egyptian economy
Obstacles to development: the demographic evolution of Egypt
Industrial growth: prospects and obstacles
3. Egypt’s Social Equilibrium and Global Outlook, Saad Eddin Ibrahim, Ali Hillal Dessouki, Roberto Aliboni, p. 163-225
Egypt in the eighties: a sociological profile
The political background
Security, foreign policy and public expenditure
Bibliography, p. 226-233
Index, p. 234-239