Egypt Right Now: An Outsider's Perspective From the Inside

(Note: the observations and questions made below are not made with a critical intent.  We are grateful guests within the country of Egypt, and our lives are richer for having lived here.  We have a western lens from which we view life and events here, but that lens is becoming increasingly more appreciative of the Middle Eastern perspectives, and definitely far, far less tainted by American culture and media.  We share these events and observations for the benefit of those who love us and want to know about our lives and service in Egypt.)

We've been back in the Middle East for six weeks after two months away visiting with friends and

Advertisements like this one appeared throughout NYC ahead of
Egypt President El Sisi's visit to the United Nations earlier this month.
Under the caption of "Peace, Prosperity & Growth",
there are (L-R) Abu Simbel Temple, new factory, wind turbines,
the Giza Pyramids, a cargo ship, and an off-shore drilling platform.
(Our nephew Jake took this pic of the
banner ad on the back of a bus in Manhattan.)

family in the USA.  We're nearing the conclusion of our third year of living in Egypt; three very unique years of change, uncertainty, more change, and more uncertainty.

We left knowing that our return trip was near the anniversary of difficult events that may lead to additional difficulties.  And so, as we made our return, we were not sure what we would find.

We have taken our time in writing an update regarding the state of the country we now call home.  We wanted to settle into our routines, talk with other international guests

As the US P-R campaign became public here in Egypt,
many young people scoffed at the effort and created their
own representations that circulated throughout social media,
 like this one captured via Twitter.
Sadly, the image on the left depicts an actual event here in Egypt--
between September 24-25, a man hung himself from a billboard
along a major highway.

like our own family, as well as Egyptians citizens we serve and those we have met.  We've been able to interact again with old and young, Christian and Muslim, Egyptians and foreigners.  And this is what we have discovered:

Egypt seems to be increasing in peace and stability.

The anniversary of the Rabaa Square clearing (see Dispersing Protestors and In the Shadow of Heartache) did not result in additional violent protests.  This was a huge, controversial event that you would expect would lead to passionate demonstration, but turnouts and controversy were low.

As we have driven around town, there seems to be increasingly more police presence and activity, resulting in more order in this chaotic city.  No parking areas are being enforced leaving roads clear for traffic to flow a little more freely; police are taking charge of stopping and releasing traffic at major roundabouts.  Police are helping school children and families cross streets near to schools as they have gotten back into session this past week.  

This doesn't mean that all is peaceful and well.  As President Sisi stated in this recent interview with Charlie Rose (video below), Egypt's border with Libya has moments of contention, the Sinai has pockets of extremists who attack Egyptian forces nearly daily, and there are still militant issues that come close to or within the metropolitan areas from time to time, like a recent bombing near the Cairo foreign ministry building. 

Still, the day to day life has not been as affected by marches; we do not have the weekly scheduling of protests.  Though some younger people are especially critical on this point, stating that the lack of protests does not indicate an acceptance of all that is happening.  No, they would argue, the lack of protests are the result of a controversial "anti-protest law" put in place in November 2013.  Under this new legal restriction, protestors have to file for permission to protest--meanwhile, many young people especially have been protesting the protest law, leading to regularly appearing stories like this one, "Security Forces Arrest 16 Protestors in Tahrir Square."

 Speaking of Tahrir Square, Cairo's now iconic epicenter of revolution, is a much cleaner and orderly place--largely from keeping out regular protests.  The Square has a visible police and military presence, and can be shut off from traffic easily due to large metal gates constructed at roadways that come into the Square.  The Metro train line still does not stop at Sadat station that runs below Tahrir--though rumors are that it may open "soon."

Tahrir is not the only cleaner square throughout the city.  An effort to clean up and spruce up the traffic centers has definitely been undertaken.  Old, dying vegetation has been replaced with grass, flowers, and newly planted trees.  Many squares now have flag poles with massive Egyptian colors flying.  And vendors are being cleared from street corners and squares; selling in this way is now subject to a fine, and an alternative location for these "startups" has been provided, though I am not sure how many have taken to the new market space--but it does make a difference in attempting to move through the city streets. 

This pic is from this news story
citing the death of 14 people in this accident :(

But moving through those city streets may still be the larger threat to the Egyptian population.  An article a few years ago shocked many as it reported nearly 20 people a day die on Egyptian roads; a number that is reportedly skewed lower as one is not counted as a traffic fatality unless you are dead at the scene.  Poorly maintained roads lined with debris, coupled with disregard for traffic rules by motorists,  and further complicated with irregular road way traffic from tuk-tuks to donkey carts to pedestrians, all traveling with, against or across traffic--all this creates danger on a continuous basis.  Egypt's struggling tourism did not need an August 22nd tour bus crash which killed 33 near the popular Sharm el Shiekh resort community near the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula.  But out of this tragedy, regulation for traffic is coming--buses and large trucks now have specific operating hours--making the new laws was easy enough and now the hard part of enforcement begins.

Egypt is seeing needed improvements, and has need for much more improvement.

Aside from the beautification of the various traffic circles and sidewalk areas, there are many long term projects that have been finished, and roadways are being repaired.  Prior to our move nearly three years ago, one of the Metro stations near us began a reconstruction--it was going on months before our arrival and seemed to move at the pace of one brick per day in all our time here.  When we left for the summer, there was still much work to be done--but, when we returned, it was nearly completed--more took place in those two months than in the several years prior.

Other improvements are also underway.  A massive expansion and deepening of the Suez Canal is underway.  Plans to expand the Metro system from it's two current lines to more six in the next several years has been "fast-tracked."

For all that is planned, improvements cannot come fast enough.  Egypt is attempting to address it's energy needs with potential wind farms, partnership in solar energy, drilling rights in the Western Desert and Mediterranean, and building another 6 traditional power plants, too--all a part of President El Sisi's appeal at the United Nations for investment in Egypt's energy needs.  These are good plans, and will provide jobs which are desperately needed here within Egypt--but the need for increased energy for the demands of this country, especially in the summer months, is extremely high.  Rolling brownouts last about an hour, and though things have improved in the last month, they still happen regularly in some parts of the city; before the last month, some complained of these happening six or more times per day.  One day last month, power was out for 10 hours straight through most of the city of Cairo--in the midst of sweltering heat.

While the new Egyptian government seeks to bring "Peace, Prosperity and Growth" to

This pic appeared with The Clarion Project story linked at left.

Egypt on the world stage, Peace will need to be addressed through decline in the staggering rate of sexual harassment of women in the country; the UN's 2013 report of 99.6 women reporting being harassed in some manner pointed the finger at a sad epidemic to which the new President began to try correct.  El-Sisi's visit and apology to a rape victim were a good start--but more has to be done to continue the fight against this type of victimization experienced by women of all ages, all nationalities, and all religions. 

Peace needs to be further established in a Growth of mental health services.  The caricature above of the actual event of a man hanging himself from an Egyptian billboard only highlighted the growing downward spiral of depression throughout Egypt.  This Cairo Scene article relays some telling statistics of the need for more compassionate and educated approaches to helping people deal with the struggles experienced throughout the country on a daily basis within each community.

And Prosperity will surely be linked to a Growth in jobs for so many unemployed.  Again, the possibility of new power plants and developing new energy sources is a great start.  The expansion of the Metro system throughout Cairo could also lead to jobs, not just in the building, but also in each location for a functioning network.  Many subsidies were cut at the beginning of the summer, raising prices at the fuel pump and at stores--but will this be enough to generate the income needed by the government for all theses development goals?    

Sure, question marks still remain large within and over Egypt.  But we're experiencing a different Egypt today than when we arrived nearly three years ago.  And, we still love it here--love the people, love the responsibilities, love the challenges.  We see God at work in the lives of people here, and we're excited to have the opportunity to walk along side of them.  And, the best part, is that as Egypt's stability has increased, so has our confidence in beginning to plan for groups to come stay and meet some of those we are serving here in Egypt.  Stay tuned and when we can make such an invitation, we will get the word out.

Until then, thank you for your continuing prayers, encouragement and support of our family and those we serve here throughout the Middle East.