The majority of Egypt’s regional governors are retired army officers. Many of the big civilian institutions and public sector corporations are run by former generals. The country’s three main land-developing authorities (agricultural, urban and tourism) are headed by former military officers who, in addition to their pensions, receive lucrative salaries and perks associated with their civilian jobs. The generals clearly like their privileges. But there’s another rationale to them being in business, one that goes beyond their individual choices. Any attempt to open up, let alone privatise, the military’s business empire will face stiff resistance, not just from the generals but also from powerful allies within the state bureaucracy; people … Continue reading Magdi Abdelhadi