Cairo, Egypt

After the United States, Italy represents the second largest market for Egyptian exports, and worldwide it is the fourth largest supplier to the Arab Republic of Egypt after the United States, China and Germany. “A system of trade relations which move forward without the people,” reiterated departing Prime Minister Romano Prodi when trying to appear reassuring and who was visibly moved during the three days of the Italy’s trade mission in Egypt on 8-10 April. The delegation, led by Confindustria, ABI (Italian Bankers Association) and ICE (National Institute for Foreign Commerce) and accompanied by the Minister of International Trade and European Policies, Emma Bonino, and of course by former Prime Minister Romani Prodi, involved around 250 people. And yet the reconciliatory dialogue of businessmen, bankers and Italian industrialists has not made a mark on the distrust of Egyptian journalists and economists, accompanying the delusion of the aborted bilateral summit which should have taken place in Rome at the end of January. The historical event was cancelled at the last moment due to the fall of the Italian Government.

“And who knows when a date will next be set”, Egyptian journalists are now sceptically asking Italian colleagues. And with just as much scepticism, at least during the first hours after the Italian vote, observers did not mince their words in reporting the results. Thus on 14th April, a correspondent from Rome from the first Egyptian television station concisely announced “the return of the Italian Right to power, hostile to both Arabs and Muslims.” As the days go by tones are gradually becoming muffled and, particularly in the pro-government press, a huge emphasis has been placed on the good wishes from President Hosni Mubarak to Berlusconi. Members of the opposition are hardly interested; they are busy following the serious economic and social crisis which has hit Egypt in recent months. In newspaper editorials published days before the election, attention was increasingly given to the disappearance of the small parties, Walter Veltroni’s ‘fair play’ in recognising defeat without hesitation, the deeds of the Northern League.

Yet judgements and expectations are poised “given that the government’s shape has yet to form”, says Amir El Shobaki to ResetDoc, politics student at the Al-Ahram Centre for Political & Strategic Studies in Cairo and editor for newspaper El Masri El Youm (The Egyptian Today). El Shobaki would have followed the bilateral summit in Rome for the independent paper. “Time is moving on, Arab observers are waiting to see who will be responsible for Foreign Affairs”, stresses the researcher. The fear is that after two years of heavy Italian involvement in the Middle East, Rome will take a step back with regards to Lebanon and, moreover, will take an openly pro-Israeli position. “When recalling the political orientations of Berlusconi’s previous mandates, I am hardly optimistic towards Italy’s role in the peace process [between Israel and Palestine],” the student adds, holding back, however, on going into more depth regarding the list of Ministers. Before making presumptions, Cairo is therefore waiting to understand how much power the ‘billionaire media tycoon’ (Al Ahram Weekly) will give to the ‘pro-federalist and anti-immigrant’ Northern League (Al Dustour, The Constitution).

Translation by Helen Waghorn