Egypt

Egypt (Arabic: مصر; English: Egypt) is a country in northeastern Africa, with part of it (the Sinai Peninsula) located in Asia. Its capital is Cairo. The majority of the population lives along the Nile River and its delta, which means the population density is very high in small areas while the rest is sparsely inhabited. International statistical bodies, such as the World Bank, update population figures annually.

The system of government is a presidential republic. Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has held office since 2014. Egypt's Electoral Commission announced that he won the presidential election held in December 2023 (with the term beginning in 2024) with 89.6% of the valid votes cast, reportedly from more than 39 million voters. A constitutional amendment in 2019 extended the presidential term to six years.

Economy and IMF program

Egypt has been engaged in an economic program with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) called the Extended Fund Facility (EFF)—a loan agreement tied to structural adjustment conditions. In March 2024, the IMF Executive Board completed the first and second reviews and increased the agreement to approximately 8 billion dollars. The conditions included exchange rate liberalization with market determination, monetary policy tightening, and reduction of the role of state-owned enterprises and military-linked companies.

Institutional analysis of the program raised concerns that the success of economic adjustment depends on political change and implementation capacity, given the interconnection between state funding issues and political matters.

The Suez Canal

The Suez Canal is one of the world's largest sources of foreign currency. Due to attacks on shipping in the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb in 2024, many vessels diverted around Cape of Good Hope. A statement from Egypt's presidency said that canal revenues in 2024 fell more than 60% compared to 2023, representing losses approaching 7 billion dollars. The head of the Suez Canal Authority previously stated that revenues had declined from 9.4 billion dollars in the 2022/2023 financial year to 7.2 billion in 2023/2024.

Nile waters and the water rights dispute

Egypt depends on the Blue Nile, which originates in Ethiopia. The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) has caused a dispute spanning years. In September 2024, Egypt lodged a complaint with the UN Security Council concerning the filling and management of the dam, while Ethiopia argued it has the right to develop its resources. Analysts from research institutions characterized the situation as reflecting a lack of coordinated water management in the Nile Basin, without a complete legal agreement in place.

Human rights

Human rights organizations have reported widespread detentions of activists, including lawyers, journalists, and opposition figures. Amnesty International stated that between September 2024 and May 2025 approximately 6,000 people were referred to courts on terrorism-related charges. In March 2024, the government announced the suspension of case 173/2011, known as 'foreign funding'. The Egyptian government typically responds by stating that such measures are legally and security justified.