Almost two years after COVID-19 first appeared, the world was finally starting to gain a grip on the pandemic. The U.A.E. recorded a 90% vaccination rate; Belgium over 75%; the U.S. over 60%. However, Egypt lagged behind at 20%. While Egypt has picked up efforts in recent months, it now has to balance meeting its initial vaccination goals with giving booster shots that give immunity against the new Omicron strain. Statistically speaking Over the summer, Nader Saad, the spokesman for the Council of Ministers, told Al Hayah news channel that the goal is to vaccinate 50% of the population against…
Author: Nada Naguib
In December, U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson made the shocking statement that the world might have to “say goodbye” to Alexandria, saying it “will all sink underwater.” Rising sea levels and weather extremes have made it increasingly clear Egyptian cities are under direct threat from climate change. If the pattern continues, parts of the country might become uninhabitable. Egypt is responsible for 1% of global greenhouse emissions, according to Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly. And it is striving to be a part of the solution. The government promoted the New Administrative Capital (NAC) as a modern green metropolis. With its goal…
With the rise of social media, the type of content people consume has evolved. Entertainment no longer means movies shown in a cinema or television series starring actors paid millions. Today, anyone can create and distribute content and make money doing it. Over the past decade, social media has proven to create astounding success stories. YouTube star PewDiePie (real name Felix Kjellberg) is one example of achieving fame and fortune. With 110 million subscribers, PewDiePie has the most on YouTube. He started making videos of himself playing video games in 2010, and in 2011 left his industrial engineering studies to…
For the New Administrative Capital to live up to its promise of carbon neutrality, there must be changes in public awareness, technology and regulations inside and outside the city. In Business Monthly’s efforts to cover all aspects of the New Administrative Capital (NAC) ahead of the relocation of ministries and governmental entities, Egytrans CEO Abir Leheta assesses the city’s logistics and transportation system. Egyptian Transport & Commercial Services Co. (Egytrans) is a leader in the field of transportation and logistics covering ocean and land freight, warehousing and customs clearance. In terms of project logistics, the company’s portfolio includes wind farms;…
In April, U.S. pop star Katy Perry announced the launch of a new footwear collection featuring shoes inspired by her 2019 trip to Egypt. Sandals decorated with ankhs, Eyes of Horus and pyramids. Retailing for $49 to $129 and with Perry’s star power behind them, the sandals sold out on the Katy Perry Collection website in just a few days, although some remain available through Amazon U.S. As people flocked to purchase Perry’s Egypt-inspired footwear, Egypt remained a bystander. Mona Bassel of Egyptian Streets, an independent news website, questioned whether the collection amounts to cultural appropriation. Verywell Mind, a mental…
As the reality of accumulating waste begins to threaten the sustainability of the planet, it becomes a global responsibility to fight it. The European Union (EU) issued its waste framework directive in 2008, with the United Nations (U.N.) following in 2016 with a list of guidelines for nations seeking to introduce waste management solutions. In October, according to legal adviser to the Ministry of Environment Ehab Tarek, Egypt came out with its own law for integrated waste management. Tarek explained the purpose is to promote the concept by “using incentives, not punishment and fines, as well as by strengthening partnerships…
The world breathed a sigh of relief when the first vaccine against COVID-19 was approved in November. After months of lockdowns, curfews and financial losses, there was an end in sight to a painful pandemic. As of mid-June, 3.1% of the Egyptian population had received at least one dose of the vaccine, according to Our World in Data, a science website. With the Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) doubling down on its efforts by opening new vaccination centers and launching awareness campaigns, the number of people vaccinated should continue to rise at a faster pace. The goal is to…
Mohamed Mostafa, a retired mechanical engineer, receives several calls a day from real estate companies. “Mr. Mohamed,” they begin. “We have noticed your interest in properties in up-and-coming areas, and we have some locations we think you would like to see.” Mostafa promptly turns down all these offers. While he has previously expressed interest in real estate, the frequency of calls has become bothersome. “I do not understand this as a sales strategy,” he says. “If I am looking for something, I will approach them. These callers do not know what size property I want or what my budget is.”…
For all the economic turmoil in 2020, one winner stands out: e-commerce. Internet services increased by 50% and everything digital got a lot more attention. Online retail sales saw as much as a 500% increase compared to the previous year, according to Islam El-Saadany, a strategic consultant and marketing trends analyst, speaking to eMarketing Egypt. With stores closed and mobile service providers offering faster speeds and higher data limits, people flocked to online shopping to continue buying what they want. Fashion and jewelry benefited greatly from that transition, noted market experts. That presented a window of opportunity for Egyptian brands…
From being buried with their gold to the intricately detailed busts of pharaohs and sturdy copper jewelry still found in museums, ancient Egyptians were attached to the metals mined off their land. Viewed as a divine metal, gold held a revered spot in their lives and afterlives. Recently, though, metals lost a lot of their meaning in Egyptians’ lives as the industry slowed down. When foreign companies involved in mining left after the 1952 Revolution, the industry fell to the side in favor of other sectors where locals had the know-how. That opened the door for an oil and gas…