Building Egypt as a Strategic Hub for the Global South

Diplomatist spoke with Prof. (Dr.) Hebatallah Adam, on how countries like Egypt can recalibrate their trade, industrial, and financial strategies amid today's shifting global architectures.

- Prof. (Dr.) Hebatallah Adam

In this wide-ranging conversation, she highlights how South-South cooperation, green industrial policy, and diaspora linkages can be leveraged to transform geography into genuine competitiveness. She underscores the importance of institutional reforms, transparent governance, and digital trade facilitation in positioning Egyptand other Global South economies-as reliable and strategic supply-chain hubs rather than mere transit corridors.

You have written extensively about the shifting architectures of South-South cooperation. Given recent Belt-and-Block realignments, how should countries like Egypt recalibrate their trade and diplomatic strategies to avoid being a transactional partner and instead become a strategic node in emergent Global South supply-chains?

The Belt-and-Block realignments extend beyond great-power rivalry; they present an opportunity for countries such as Egypt to establish themselves as vital hubs within Global South supply networks, rather than merely as transit routes.

The critical challenge is to transform geography into competencies. For Egypt, this entails three priorities:

Firstly, develop the SCZone — nonetheless, insist on value enhancement. Incentives must be linked to local content, technology transfer, and supplier development to ensure that investors establish genuine manufacturing rather than mere warehousing.

Secondly, utilise AfCFTA and continental corridors for real markets expansion. By streamlining origin regulations, standardising criteria, and establishing corridor partnerships, Egypt can transform African connectivity into economies of scale.

Third, diversify and ensure resilience for the future. Avoid exclusive dependence on China or BRICS. Engage many partners across Europe, the GCC, India, and Africa to secure investments in green hydrogen, renewable energy, and digital hardware, which represent the forthcoming growth catalysts.