Defense Showcase, Intelligence Controls, Mounting Economic Strain

Egypt Security Sector Report

This week’s report maps a series of developments that reveal how the security apparatus continues to shape political, economic, and cultural life. The defense expo showcased hardware framed as local breakthroughs but still rooted in foreign supply chains. Intelligence services tightened their oversight of Ramadan drama ahead of the 2026 season. Military prosecutors moved to take over a high-profile civilian case. Workers, refugees, and football fans faced renewed pressure, while the fiscal numbers again underscored the depth of the state’s budget strain. Together, they offer a clear snapshot of a system managing crises rather than resolving them.

Making Aid Work

I reviewed Making Aid Work: Dueling with Dictators and Warlords in the Middle East and North Africa, by Guilain Denoeux, Robert Springborg, and Hicham Alaoui.

EDEX 2025