The future of Cairo is AI

Sunday, 29 Mar 2026

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Today at a glance

The Big Story Today

Israel extends gas state of emergency + war fallout weighs on Egypt's GDP.

INSIDE INDUSTRY

How Egypt’s cement industry is mapping out a new international strategy.

THE ENTERPRISE GUIDE

Your guide to CultureFest at AUC Tahrir.

ON THE TUBE TONIGHT

Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man takes viewers back to Birmingham, but will they like what they see?

Sports

France and Colombia take the field tonight in a friendly face-off.

Mark Your Calendar

Beyond Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience lands at New Cairo’s District 5.

WHAT WE’RE TRACKING TONIGHT

Israel extends gas state of emergency + war fallout weighs on Egypt's GDP

Good afternoon, friends, and welcome to your first full workweek in… well, a while. The week seems to be off to a rainy start, but nothing the past few days haven’t already prepared us for. Moreover, it’s a busy afternoon in the press, and we’ve got a bit of a packed issue for you this afternoon.

In today’s issue, we take a look at how Egypt’s cement sector found its global edge, break down everything you need to know about this year’s AUC Tahrir CultureFest, and check out the new Peaky Blinders movie to see if it stuck the landing. Without further ado, let’s dive in.

THE BIG STORY TODAY-

📍 Israel has extended its natural gas state of emergency — originally imposed on 28 February — until 15 April. This extension maintains the precautionary shutdowns of the Chevron-operated Leviathan and Karish gas fields amid the ongoing US-Israel-Iran war, Mees reports, after previously noting that a Leviathan resumption would come “soon.”

The continued suspension is expected to exacerbate regional shortages as Egypt begins implementing austerity measures that took effect yesterday, including earlier closing hours, reduced public lighting, and a temporary halt to diesel-intensive projects.

Egypt’s real GDP growth is now projected at 4.9% in FY 2025-26, down from a previous 5.2% forecast, according to a report from Fitch Solutions’ research arm BMI, as the fallout from the regional conflict weighs on consumption, investment, and net exports. Growth for FY 2026-27 was also revised down to 5.2% from 5.4%, reflecting a weaker starting point. Despite the downgrade, both figures remain above Egypt’s recent historical averages and would still mark the strongest expansion since FY 2021-22.

^^ We’ll have more on both stories in tomorrow’s edition of EnterpriseAM.

THE BIG STORY ABROAD-

🌐 It’s another busy afternoon in the global press, with the US-Israel-Iran war continuing to dominate the news cycle. Yemen’s Houthis fired a second wave of missiles and drones at southern Israel, after the Iran-backed militia joined the war on Saturday morning with a missile launch at Israel. Meanwhile, Iran’s parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said the country is waiting for a US ground invasion to “rain fire” upon troops. Some 3.5k additional US troops have landed in the region.

^^ Read more on: BBC, Bloomberg, CNN, and the Financial Times.

** CATCH UP QUICK on the top stories from today’s EnterpriseAM:

The cabinet has approved a debt-targeting draft general budget for the next fiscal year, which looks to build an EGP 1.2 tn primary surplus — or 5% of GDP — freeing up additional credit for debt reduction and social protection;
Unlocking the remaining USD 3.3 bn from Egypt’s IMF program now hinges on a faster pace of state asset sales. The government is currently pushing to extend the overall arrangement by two months to December to ensure it satisfies the Fund’s structural benchmarks;
Egypt ranks fourth among the most vulnerable EBRD regions to the war on Iran, with impacts felt through a combination of surging energy prices, disrupted trade, and a debt-servicing burden increasing fiscal pressure.

*** It’s Inside Industry day — your weekly Sunday briefing of all things industrial in Egypt. Inside Industry explores what it takes to turn Egypt into a manufacturing and export powerhouse, ranging from initial investment and planning through to product distribution, land allocation, industrial processes, supply chain management, labor, automation and technology, inputs and exports, and regulation and policy.

In today’s issue: We take a look at how Egypt’s cement sector is pivoting from local surplus to a global export powerhouse.

☀️ TOMORROW’S WEATHER- We’re hopefully in for some sun in Cairo tomorrow, with the mercury set to peak at 23°C, and a low of 13°C, according to our favorite weather app.

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economy energy GDP Iran Israel WHAT WE’RE TRACKING TONIGHT

THE ENTERPRISE GUIDE

Your Guide to CultureFest at AUC Tahrir

🧑‍💻🔊 Attention arts and culture enthusiasts — we’re only a few days away from the kick-off of AUC’s CultureFest, hosted at its Tahrir campus. Titled Future C-AI-RO, this year’s edition is all about exploring the intersection of heritage and technology, particularly AI, and its impact on shaping the future of our beloved capital. The festival will run for three days from Thursday, 2 April through Saturday, 4 April.

NOTE- Entry is at no cost via registration at the gate — except for certain seminars that require online registration, as well as concerts requiring tickets. We'll be detailing everything below.

💡 The main events

TEDx on campus? Heading this year’s lineup is the launch of TEDx AUC under the theme Human Forward. The platform will play host to speakers from across a slew of different disciplines, including architecture, business, psychology, and the humanities, in talks running from 12-3pm on Saturday at Ewart Memorial Hall — here are the key highlights:

#1- Built to Last: Five Human Qualities that Outshine Any Algorithm: With our present (and future) being driven by AI, Basma Rady, chief data scientist at Beltone Holding and managing director at Robin Solutions, focuses on five essential human qualities needed to maintain brand authenticity and community connection.

#2- Dressed, but Disconnected: Personal stylist and intentional living advocate Caro Doss highlights how the never-ending “Ugh, I have nothing to wear” dilemma isn’t just about what’s in (or isn’t in) your wardrobe, but rather how it’s essentially an identity crisis. Doss will offer a practical guide on reclaiming identity and owning your visual footprint.

#3- Placemaking and Destination Creation: Al Ismaelia for Real Estate Investment Chairman Karim El Shafie will be exploring the role of arts and culture in shaping spaces and driving social change, dissecting residential neighborhoods as an urban fabric that leads development through a bottom-up approach.

#4- AI, The Creative Shift: Lamia Kamel, founder of CC Plus Consultants, The Narrative Summit, and Al Rawi Awards, will offer deep insights into how innovative future strategies and global communication trends contribute to leading regional creative transformation.

#5- Is AI Coming for My Job? Tech investor and entrepreneur ‍Mohamed Aboulnaga Nagaty will explore the broad implications of AI on the future of job creation and economic transformation within emerging markets.

#6- Lasagne is Not Koshary: Coconut Premium Interiors Founder Mostafa Salem will be sharing his vision on heritage and how to express cultural identity within interior design.

#7- Inclusion, Done Right‍: How important is inclusion, really? Well, that’s exactly what P&G Commercial Manager Omneya El Yammany will be dissecting in her talk, highlighting the habits and strategic decisions that transform diversity into tangible results.

#8- Reclaiming Your Voice in a Digital World: Sara Aziz, founder and CEO of Safe Egypt, will take a look at how social media can systematically marginalize individual voices, presenting ways to maintain digital safety and set clear personal boundaries.

💬 Panels and workshops

#1- Digital Resurrection: How Medical Imaging is Transforming Egyptology: In an intersection of med. and heritage, leading mummy expert and Professor of Radiology at Cairo University Sahar Saleem will be discussing the role of medical imaging in untangling the secrets of Ancient Egyptian history — and potentially rewriting Egyptology. Having studied hundreds of mummies — including a staggering 40 pharaohs — Saleem is a seasoned expert, to say the least.

WHEN- The session is on Friday at 4pm at Ewart Hall, with attendance on a first-come, first-served basis.

#2- Behind the Screen: How AI Is Changing What We Read, Watch, and Believe: Highlighting the role AI has to play in shaping local media content creation, this session will feature a number of experts and media professionals, including Ahram Online Digital Editor Dina Samak and Al Masry Al Youm Editor-in-Chief Alaa El Ghatriefy, alongside others.

WHEN- The session is on Saturday at 2:30pm at Ewart Hall, with attendance on a first-come, first-served basis.

#3- Higher Ed in the Age of AI: Amid radical shifts in education, this discussion will note how AI is reshaping teaching, learning, and assessment methods, focusing on the leadership role of universities in ensuring students are prepared for this era.

WHEN- The session is on Saturday at 4pm at Ewart Hall, with attendance on a first-come, first-served basis.

#4- AI and the Economy: What’s the actual impact of the rapid spread of LLMs and GenAI on the Egyptian economy, you may wonder? Throughout the seminar, a slew of experts will be tackling just that.

WHEN- The seminar is on Saturday at 5:30pm at Ewart Hall, with attendance on a first-come, first-served basis.

🎨 Art, music, books, and everything in between

Now you shouldn’t miss out on any of the fun, should you? This year’s CultureFest offers myriad fun activities and not-to-miss exhibitions — here’s what’s on our radar:

#1- Rappin’ it up at AUC Tahrir this weekend is none other than viral Egyptian rapper Lege-cy, who’s set to perform on the opening day on Thursday. More into classical tunes? Hesham Kharma will be taking the stage on Thursday from 8-10pm. Tickets are available on Tazkarti.

#2- Salute to Gaza Choir: Having launched in Cairo in October of 2024 through an Edward Said National Conservatory of Music initiative, this choir represents a powerful, timely message, as well as a vital space for solidarity. The choir is set to take the stage on Saturday from 6-7pm on the Open Air Stage.

#3- The Sound of Intelligence: AUC’s student music club, Musicana, joins the festival to present a three-act live performance addressing themes of hope, loss, and resistance in the age of technology. This will be accompanied by a discussion session with composer Amr Mostafa, where he highlights the radical role of AI in reshaping the music industry. The event will run from 7:30-9:30pm.

#4- Books for days: The festival will include a book fair, featuring a slew of English-language publications alongside a selection of Arabic titles. Alongside the book fair, the festival will also include a bazaar spotlighting local creatives and brands. Both the book fair and the bazaar will run on 3-4 April, from 12-9pm.

#5- Best of Animatex 2026: Over two days, the Marriott Hall will host four different screenings featuring a selection of awarded films from the animation festival competitions. These range from children’s short films to animated works celebrating 90 years of animation art in Egypt. Screenings begin at 3pm and 4pm, with entry on a first-come, first-served basis.

#6- Future Cairo Experience: The campus garden will play host to an immersive tech experience powered by 5DVR. On the menu is an interactive, AI-powered booth transporting visitors to a future Cairo. Looking to try it out for yourself? It’ll be available on Saturday from 12-9pm.

#7- Back to Cairo: From Firsts to the Future Tour: What if the streets of Downtown could tell their own stories? In this tour, starting from Howard Hall on Friday from 10am to 3:30pm, Qahrawya, in collaboration with the Tahrir Cultural Center, will take visitors on a historical journey to explore the milestones that shaped the city. Tickets and pre-registration are required through this link.

…And that’s not even everything, we’ll leave a few surprises for you. Alongside all the aforementioned, the CultureFest will feature a number of art exhibitions exploring tech, heritage, and contemporary Cairene life. If you’re bringing the young ones along, you’ll be happy to know they’ll have plenty to do. Getting hungry, already? That’s covered, too. The festival will include a one-of-a-kind Flavor Fusion experience, spotlighting prominent dishes and flavors from around the world. Food will be on the menu throughout the entire festival’s duration at the fountain.

(** Tap or click the headline above to read this story with all of the links to our background as well as external sources.)

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AI AUC culture technology THE ENTERPRISE GUIDE

ON THE TUBE TONIGHT

By order of the Peaky Blinders, this is your next watch

📺 Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man seeks to fill the hole left behind since the epic gangster family concluded in 2022. Set some four years after the events of the series finale, the film follows Tommy Shelby (Cillian Murphy) into 1940 as World War II unfolds. Nazi Germany begins its quest for power, and the regime attempts to destabilize the UK by injecting a trove of counterfeit currency into the British economy. The goal? Triggering hyperinflation.

Tommy’s back: While the film lacks the same unhinged, jaw-dropping moments of the original series, we liked seeing Tommy back in action — and Cillian Murphy was certainly on his A-game. Barry Keoghan also delivered what is arguably one of his best performances to date as Tommy’s son, Duke Shelby. The Saltburn star portrayed a character that is deeply disturbed, ruthless, and yet still… vulnerable, with certain scenes — particularly one early on in the film — delivered in a bone-chilling manner.

What we liked: The cinematography is stellar, pulling the viewer straight back into the grim world of Peaky Blinders, supported by an equally fitting soundtrack that makes for an immersive experience. The film also introduced a slew of new faces, including Rebecca Furgeson, whose identity in the Peaky Blinders universe we’ll refrain from mentioning lest we spoil.

What we found tired: The plot leans heavily on the trope of the retired and repentant bad guy returning to save his son. The ending has left viewers divided; whether or not you’ll find satisfaction in the closing frames, we cannot say. We felt it was a fitting conclusion to a certain character’s arc, despite some disappointment still harboring in the back of our minds. What we’ll say, however, is that the film set in motion the beginning of an entirely new era for the Peaky Blinders — the old gang is gone, and in its stead, an entirely new, younger one has formed, one we will be seeing more of, now that a spin-off sequel has been confirmed.

WHERE TO WATCH- The film is streaming on Netflix. Watch the trailer on YouTube (watch, runtime: 2:40).

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Sports

France and Colombia go head-to-head

⚽ The international friendly schedule continues today, headlined by France vs. Colombia at 9pm, airing on beIN Sports 1. This marks the second warm-up match for Les Bleus as they prepare for the World Cup, following their 2-1 victory over Brazil last Thursday.

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Mark Your Calendar

Step into Van Gogh’s masterpieces with an immersive exhibition

🎨 You will soon be able to immerse yourself into the world of Vincent Van Gogh. The masterpiece Starry Night along with over 700 works by the iconic artist will come to life at the Beyond Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience, hosted at District 5 by Marakez on Tuesday, 7 April. Ticket sale details will be announced tomorrow, 30 March at 2pm on the exhibition’s website. Additional dates are set to be confirmed soon.

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Events lifestyle MARK YOUR CALENDAR worth trying

GO WITH THE FLOW

What the markets are doing on 29 March 2026

The EGX30 fell 1.3% at today’s close on turnover of EGP 6.2 bn (5.7% below the 90-day average). International investors were the sole net sellers. The index is up 10.9% YTD.

In the green: Qalaa Holdings (+6.6%), Egypt Aluminum (+6.2%), and Orascom Investment Holding (+3.9%).

In the red: Abu Qir Fertilizers (-4.5%), Edita (-4.2%), and Rameda (-4.0%).

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EGX Go with the Flow

Our weekly look at the issues, trends, and policies that are shaping Egypt's manufacturing industries.

Published every Sunday in EnterprisePM.

Read Inside Industry

INSIDE INDUSTRY

How Egypt’s cement sector found its global edge

🏭 Egyptian cement has evolved into an export powerhouse, transitioning from a domestic construction staple into a vital generator of hard currency. As local production surpluses expand and operational efficiencies improve, companies are aggressively broadening their international footprint. This shift is reshaping the Egyptian industry following years of supply gaps that were finally closed last year.

Egyptian cement exports saw significant growth in February 2026, with volumes rising 8.4% y-o-y to some 1.9 mn tons from 1.75 mn tons, according to aggregate market data seen by EnterpriseAM. Revenue followed suit, reaching roughly USD 82 mn versus USD 79.6 mn in February 2025. This 3% uptick comes despite fluctuations in global pricing. Overall production climbed to 5.8 mn tons from 5.15 mn tons a year prior, representing a 12.5% annual jump supported by stable energy supplies and a manufacturing pivot toward alternative fuels.

So, what changed? Just a year ago, Egyptian cement producers were primarily focused on absorbing cost shocks triggered by rising energy prices and exchange rate volatility. With energy accounting for 50-60% of production costs per ton, margins remained under heavy pressure throughout 2024 and early 2025. By 2026, however, investments in alternative fuel mixes began to pay off. Factories expanded their use of industrial waste, refuse-derived fuel, and coal, which helped stabilize production costs and allowed firms to maintain operational margins. Analysts at Al Ahly Pharos and HC Securities believe this shift was more than a cost-cutting measure — it fundamentally altered the sector's entire strategy.

For years, the Egyptian cement sector has grappled with a massive production surplus estimated at 15-20 mn tons above domestic needs, according to Ahmed Shireen Korayem, head of the Cement Division at the Federation of Egyptian Industries. Rather than scaling back, companies transformed this surplus into an export window. This explains the rise in production to 5.8 mn tons in February 2026, as an increasing portion of output is now channeled to approximately 100 foreign markets. Research from Al Ahly Pharos suggests the sector is gradually decoupling from local demand cycles to become more reliant on regional and international markets.

The export surge is not just about volume, but also product composition. While exports were previously dominated by clinker, the share of finished cement and higher-value-added products has recently increased. In February 2026, finished cement exports reached 1.2 mn tons, compared to 700k tons of clinker, a shift analysts say enhances the value added per exported ton. Additionally, some companies have begun expanding production of low-carbon cement, a move intended to give Egyptian products a competitive edge in markets moving toward stricter green regulations, particularly European markets.

This pivot serves as a hedge against any potential domestic construction slowdown. With local demand currently driven by national projects — accounting for 62% of consumption — exports provide a safety valve. They also provide listed companies with a source of foreign currency revenue, which was reflected in several firms’ balance sheets over the past year, according to Al Ahly Pharos and HC Securities analysts.

The government stepped in to ensure domestic price stability. In October, an exceptional incentive was introduced for manufacturers who increase supply for the local market, offering temporary markdowns on administrative fees for modifying production capacities. This followed a July mandate giving factories one month to restart idle production lines to meet local demand. Since the abolition of the quota system in May 2025, cement prices have stabilized near USD 81 per ton (EGP 3.9k), up from USD 50 per ton (EGP 2.1k) a year ago, with consumer retail prices holding between EGP 4-4.2k per ton this month.

Factories are currently building inventories in anticipation of the spring construction season. Cement stocks rose to around 4.2 mn tons by the end of February 2026, a 5% increase from the 4 mn held during the same period last year. This increase reflects corporate readiness for seasonal demand and government efforts to balance domestic supply with export requirements, Korayem tells us.

This has boosted the performance of cement stocks on the EGX, with several companies reporting notable growth in 2025. Arabian Cement saw strong earnings driven by efficiency gains, while Misr Cement Qena benefited from its proximity to export markets in Sudan and East Africa. Sinai Cement was back in the green following a debt restructuring, and Misr Beni Suef Cement maintained its investor appeal through stable production and dividends. While South Valley Cement continues to report losses, it has managed to narrow them significantly amid ongoing development plans.

(** Tap or click the headline above to read this story with all of the links to our background as well as external sources.)

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THE ENTERPRISEPM ENTERTAINMENT CALENDAR

🗓️ MARCH

26-29 March (Thursday-Sunday): D5 Home by Efreshli at New Cairo’s Marakez District 5 Mall.

29 March (Sunday): Arabic Calligraphy: When Words Become Art at AUC New Cairo.

31 March (Tuesday) - 5 April (Sunday): Cuban artist Maria Maher’s exhibition at New Cairo’s Maison69 at Garden 8.

31 March (Tuesday): Cairo Comedy Club at CJC 610.

APRIL

1 April (Wednesday): Ziad Khaled and El Waili at CJC 610.

2 April (Thursday): Lege-Cy at AUC CultureFest at AUC Tahrir Square.

2-4 April (Thursday-Saturday): AUC Tahrir CultureFest 2026 at AUC Tahrir Square.

3 April (Friday): Ehab Tawfik at CJC 610.

3 April (Friday): Salah El Daly at Theatro Arkan.

3 April (Friday): Dogs Day Out — Beyond the Message by Eastwind at Hyde Park.

3-4 April (Friday-Saturday): Egypt Career Summit 2026 at BUE.

6-7 April (Monday-Tuesday): Omar Khairat at Cairo Opera House Main Hall.

7 April (Tuesday): Beyond Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience at District 5 by Marakez in New Cairo.

8 April (Wednesday): Black Theama at CJC 610.

12 April (Sunday): Backyard Festival: Tamer Hosny and French Montana at Azha Ain El Sokhna.

13 April (Monday): Sham El Nessim.

17 April (Friday): Amr Selim at Small Theatre, Cairo Opera House.

17 April (Friday): Tul8te at Al Ittihad Alexandria Club, Alexandria.

24 April (Friday): Daylight saving time begins.

24 April (Friday): Marwan Pablo at Music Arena in Antoniads, Alexandria.

25 April (Saturday): Sinai Liberation Day.

MAY

1 May (Friday): Labor Day.

7-9 May (Thursday-Saturday): Sandbox Festival in El Gouna.

26 May (Tuesday): Arafat’s Day.

26 May (Tuesday): Andrea Bocelli at the City of Arts and Culture in the New Administrative Capital.

27-29 May (Wednesday-Friday): Eid El Adha (TBC).

JUNE

16 June (Tuesday): Islamic New Year.

30 June (Tuesday): June 30th Revolution.

JULY

23 July (Thursday): July 23rd Revolution 1952.

24 July (Friday): Adriatique at the North Coast.

AUGUST

21 August (Friday): Black Coffee at Cubix North Coast.

25 August (Thursday): Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday.

OCTOBER

6 October (Tuesday): Armed Forces Day.

24 October (Saturday): Blue 25th Anniversary Tour at New Capital.

NOVEMBER

28 November (Saturday): Shakira at the Pyramids of Giza.

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