Eventful times at the Nile.

I ended up in Cairo more by chance than by design. After Vienna and Istanbul, “Umm al-Dunya” (the mother of the world), as this mega-metropolis of 20 million likes to call itself, was my third assignment as a foreign correspondent. I had been interested in the Middle East for some time, learning Arabic out of curiosity and traveling in the region. After my time in Istanbul, Cairo was no great leap. I got into journalism as soon as I finished studying economics in Basel, majoring in economic policy.

People often associate Egypt with archaeology and the colorful history of the Pharaohs. However, my focus has always been on observing the political, social and economic developments in this third world country. The exotic culture and the extreme contrasts in many areas of life – between rich and poor, between those with access to education and those without, between town and country – are a rich source of material for many fascinating topics.

What is more, Cairo is the perfect location from which to report on much of the Arab world. My first few years there were relatively uneventful. “Stability” was the catchphrase of long-time ruler Hosni Mubarak, until revolts in the spring of 2011 – primarily driven by younger generations – culminated in the regime’s downfall. The tumultuous years that followed brought instability, political violence and economic strife, the latter exacerbated by a sharp decline in foreign tourism and investment.

The election of former army chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi as president in 2014 marked the beginning of a new era in Egypt. “Stability” is once again the top priority, pursued with every means available. Critical voices have for the most part faded away; people are above all exhausted by the struggles of everyday life. Following drastic economic reforms in November 2016, the Egyptian pound lost half its value compared to the US dollar. These are not easy times for foreign correspondents in Cairo, who are expected to follow official reporting guidelines to the letter, stick solely to positive news coverage, and refrain from shining a critical light on the government’s activities. Another noticeable change is that far fewer foreigners live in Cairo after the turmoil of recent years. For the first time in all the years I have been here, I feel I am something of an oddity – hardly the best conditions for making long-term plans.