Achievements of Egypt’s Industrialization Project

Post-Colonialisms Today researchers Kareem Megahed and Omar Ghannam explain how early post-independence Egypt sought economic independence via industrialization. Self sufficiency was a major focus at the time, and there was a rise in domestic production for domestic supply and consumption. However, limitation existed in the lack of natural resources, so Egypt remained dependent on foreign supply. Another example provided by Ghannam and Megahed is Egypt’s defiance of the World Bank, IMF, and the U.S.; however, this did end up adversely impacting their access to finance, impeding their industrial production. Both researchers go in depth into the wins, obstacles, and strategies of this time period, all of which offer lessons for contemporary struggles against neoliberalism on the continent.

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This video is part of the Post-Colonialisms Today Intergenerational Dialogue in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

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