From the unrelenting aftermath of 7 October, which reshaped the dynamics of conflict across the Middle East, to Egypt’s determined efforts to stabilize amid regional turbulence, this issue offers a comprehensive look at the defining moments of a challenging year.

Domestically, Egypt grappled with economic crossroads, making strides in private sector engagement and tourism recovery while navigating the complex impacts of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam and an influx of refugees. Landmark legislation and budgetary discipline underscored the government’s commitment to tackling pressing socio-economic issues.

Regionally, the Middle East continues to bear the scars of unresolved conflicts, with Gaza’s humanitarian tragedy deepening, Syria undergoing significant political shifts, and Sudan teetering on the brink of collapse. Meanwhile, global instability and aggressive policies in Israel, Iran, and beyond paint a sobering picture of the geopolitical landscape.

Beyond politics, the environmental crisis reached alarming levels, cultural expressions offered poignant reflections on survival and loss, and sports provided moments of pride amidst adversity.

This yearender issue captures the essence of 2024 — a year marked by resilience, reckoning, and the relentless pursuit of hope in the face of unprecedented challenges.

Ongoing aftermath

Ezzat Ibrahim reviews the year-long fallout of 7 October — all the way into Syria

Egypt

Towards stability

Navigating safely through a series of escalating regional crises has been Egypt’s top priority, writes Dina Ezzat

Economic crossroads for refugees in Egypt 

The huge influx of refugees into Egypt has opened a debate on whether it is harming or benefiting the country’s strained economy, writes Gihan Shahine

GERD: Damage deflected — for now

Despite measures taken to contain its impacts, the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam still poses a significant danger to Egypt, writes Doaa El-Bey

Making room for the private sector

2024 saw Egypt offering new sectors and companies for private entities to own and operate, writes Sherine Abdel-Razek  

Upping the economic performance

It was a year that started with an agreement with the International Monetary Fund and ended with negotiations to soften its terms, writes Niveen Wahish 

Going the extra mile on public expenses

The government has been at pains to meet its commitment to reduce public expenses throughout the year, reports Sherine Abdel-Razek  

Milestone legislation

Laws covering domestic tenancies, refugees, political detainees, and labour regulations were all passed in 2024, writes Gamal Essam El-Din

Tourism positive in 2024

Egypt benefited from the global recovery in tourism in 2024, making it a landmark year for the industry, reports Nevine El-Aref

World

A spectre haunting the Middle East

With the multiple conflicts in the region remaining unresolved, the Middle East is heading towards another year of immense uncertainty, writes Salah Nasrawi

Ongoing humanitarian tragedy in Gaza

Tens of thousands of Palestinians forcibly displaced in Gaza on the orders of the Israeli army are bracing themselves for a second winter as the 14-month offensive shows no sign of ending, writes Siham Shamlakh

Hope and despair in the Middle East — the case of Syria

The intertwining of hope and despair has marked a region torn by occupation, war, and human rights violations throughout the year, writes Amr Hamzawy

Syria under change

Syria’s new government will have to deal with the challenges of rebuilding the country and its political future after the fall of the regime led by former Syrian president Bashar Al-Assad, writes Rabha Allam

Sudan’s abyss

A staggering humanitarian toll, economic collapse, political squabbles, and endless violence: Sudan does not have much time before totally collapsing, writes Asmaa Al-Husseini

Israel, Hamas, and Hizbullah

Israel may have inflicted a military defeat on Hamas and Hizbullah, but it is far from having succeeded in their elimination, writes Ahmed Kamel Al-Beheiry

Tehran counts its losses

As 2024 draws to a close, Iran finds itself grappling with the profound repercussions of a year that has significantly undermined its regional influence, writes Manal Lotfy

Israel’s warmongering

Israel’s policy of warmongering across the region is designed to serve Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s personal interests and the security objectives of the Israeli state, writes Dina Ezzat

Unparalleled calamities

Without viable political solutions, the region’s humanitarian disasters will only grow more complicated, reports Haitham Nouri

Global chaos reigns

Unchecked aggression has become the norm in an increasingly disordered and fragmented world, writes Manal Lotfy

Opinion

Prospects for a fast changing world

Escalating geopolitical tensions and conflicts top the list of concerns for the world in 2025, with forecasts not offering a rosy prognosis for the global economy, writes Mahmoud Mohieldin

Russia: Open to de-escalation

The re-election of former US president Donald Trump could provide a much-needed opening for a European de-escalation process with Russia, writes Hussein Haridy

Features

An environmental wake-up call

This year has been a wake-up call for humanity with the deepening of the worldwide environmental crisis and acceleration of climate change, writes Sawsan Samy ElAwady

Culture

Multicolour tears

While the genocide in Gaza and the civil war in Sudan continue, Arab artists have been tackling the horror for a year, writes Rania Khallaf

The vagaries of survival

Sarah Enany looks back on a year of theatre

The music of exile

Ati Metwaly reviews a year of Sudanese music in Cairo

Demons and dreams

Hani Mustafa reviews a year of inevitably political cinema

Obituaries

Sports

Not all was glitter

Egypt won a pentathlon gold medal in the Paris Olympics, but other shiny objects in 2024 proved elusive. Al-Ahram Weekly details the country’s ebbs and flows in sports