Journal Articles & Book Chapters Safa Joudeh Journal Articles & Book Chapters Safa Joudeh

Understanding Chinese Industrial Zone Practices from an Egyptian Perspective

This paper examines China's overseas industrial zone in Egypt from a local perspective, assessing whether Belt and Road (BRI)-linked zones have effectively responded to local needs and development objectives. China’s industrial parks under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) have facilitated Chinese investment abroad while aiming to support host countries' industrialisation, but their effectiveness varies.

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Working Paper Javier Guirado Alonso Working Paper Javier Guirado Alonso

High Beams in Oman. How China and Green Energy Have Opened a New Economic Corridor in the Arabian Peninsula

This working paper explores the new frontiers of green capitalism in the Arabian Peninsula by taking Ibri II as a case study. Ibri II is a solar plant inaugurated in Oman in 2022 with seed funding provided by China. Its establishment has facilitated the development of a land corridor that links Saudi Arabia to Oman through a new highway, connecting Red Sea and Indian Ocean trade routes and reshaping the economic geography of the Arabian Peninsula.

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Working Paper Zaynab El Bernoussi Working Paper Zaynab El Bernoussi

The Expansion of Halal Certification: China and the Prospect of Halal Diplomacy

Halal is principally a standard of what is permissible for consumption and use in Islam. It presents both a growth opportunity for different social actors (firms, government institutions, consumers) and is also becoming a trend in its own right. This working paper explores the general expansion of global halal markets, focusing particularly on halal food. It provides an overview of the crucial role of actors engaged in halal certification and quality standardization, and analyzes the possibility of China emerging as a major player in the global halal industry, particularly in the MENA region.

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Blogs Abdelhamid Mecheri Blogs Abdelhamid Mecheri

Connecting Stories: The Role of Memory Narratives in Promoting the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative in the Arab Region

This next instalment of blog pieces developed by participants at the Mapping Connections Institute presents an analysis of China's memory narratives and their role in supporting Sino-Arab diplomatic and economic initiatives. It is written by Abdelhamid Mecheri, a Lecturer at Boumerdes University (UMBB), Algeria

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Blogs Francesco Amoruso Blogs Francesco Amoruso

In the Middle East, the Old Is Dying and the New Cannot Be Born

Over the coming weeks, we will be presenting blogs written by participants at the Mapping Connections Institute, held in Beirut between 27-30 May 2024 as part of the Inter-Asia Partnership's (IAP) 'Inter-Asia Week'. The first of these explores the new regional dynamics of the Middle East in light of the war in Gaza and heightening US-China rivalries.

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Working Paper Omnia Khalil Working Paper Omnia Khalil

State Capitalism and Sino-Egyptian Urban Development

Following the inception of the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative in 2013, in 2017, the Egyptian government entered into a bilateral collaboration with China. This Sino-Egyptian collaboration entails several infrastructure projects in Egypt, including light railways, and the construction of skyscrapers as part of new mega-projects. These economic changes in Egypt came about due to the political decisions made by the new militarized regime, four years after the 2013 coup. These political shifts entailed the deepening of the state’s role in the Egyptian political economy. In this paper, I explain the urban development projects supported by the Sino-Egyptian bilateral collaboration. I examine the nature of the agreement and how it contributes to the Egyptian economy: do urban development projects contribute to state capitalism in Egypt, or not?

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