The Economic Research Forum (ERF) will hold a national dialogue under the title “Between Political Reform and Economic Development…Egypt the Future” on September 30, 2015. The event emanates from ERF’s understanding of the importance of having a serious discussion on the future of Egypt.
Renowned economists, political scientists, policy makers and journalists are expected to attend the dialogue to debate the nature of the relationship between economic development and political reform. This timely topic comes as Egypt approaches the holding of much anticipated parliamentary elections – the third and final step of the political roadmap set forth after the June 30 uprising – making the need to clarify the relationship between political reform and economic development all the more pressing.
The dialogue will be moderated by ERF Managing Director Ahmed Galal and will feature former Arab League head Amr Moussa, former Minister of International Cooperation Ziad Bahaa el-Din, former Member of Parliament Amr El-Shobaki, and former Director of Research at the National Bank of Egypt Salwa el-Antary.
The dialogue, to be held in Arabic, will touch on such questions as: Is there really a “cruel choice” between economic growth and political reform? Conversely, does the pursuit of economic and political reform need to be simultaneous? If not, which should come first, economic development or political reform?
“ERF’s upcoming national dialogue provides an open platform for the discussion of an issue that is of immense importance to Egypt’s development trajectory, namely: to what extent are economic development and political reform intertwined,” commented ERF Managing Director Ahmed Galal, a former minister of finance who served under the transitional government that was formed following Egypt’s June 30 Revolution. “After two revolutions, Egyptians legitimately expect their standard of living to improve, but that will not materialize without the convergence of good governance and sound economic management.”
