Competitiveness is not merely a “race with others.”
At its core, it is:
A continuous improvement of the self, aimed at reaching the best possible version of who you are.
It is your ability to excel in your skills or work so that you become a better choice than others.
It is the ability to perform tasks with high quality, in the shortest time, at the lowest cost—at the right time.
The elements of competitiveness are well known.
Any “competitive” entity typically possesses:
- High quality
- Efficiency in performance
- Continuous innovation and development
- The ability to adapt to change
Competitiveness is not built in an annual report,
but in every daily decision:
- When a process is simplified… or complicated
- When a product is rewarded… or marginalized
- When opportunities are opened… or restricted
It is a culture of a state, not merely an economic indicator.
This is why competitiveness cannot improve in an environment where:
- Procedures are complex
- Decision-making is slow
- Risk-taking is discouraged
- Exceptional success is viewed with suspicion
In my view, the Egyptian state struggles between intent and control.
The state often declares its support for the private sector, yet in practice, the key question remains:
Does the state trust society and the market?
Or does it seek to manage and fully control them?
Competitiveness does not grow in an environment dominated by a single player,
but in one that is open, fair, and predictable.
Here lies the real challenge:
Transitioning from a mindset of control to one of regulation.
Political will may exist, and directives may be issued,
but without deep institutional reform, results remain limited.
Because:
- Bureaucracy resists change
- Established interests fear competition
- Administrative culture tends to preserve the status quo
Therefore, real change requires more than decisions…
It requires rebuilding the way institutions think.
Competitiveness and fairness: two sides of the same coin
A competitive economy cannot be built without a general sense of fairness.
- When an investor feels opportunities are equal… they invest
- When a citizen feels effort is rewarded… they innovate
- When a young person feels their future is in their hands… they take risks
But when fairness is absent,
the economy turns into: relationships instead of merit, and limited opportunities instead of an open market.
What is needed to turn competitiveness reports from diagnosis into reality?
We need three decisive shifts:
- Turning recommendations into commitments
Not just advice, but time-bound goals with accountability - Linking government performance to competitiveness indicators
Every ministry should be measured by how much it improves the economic environment - Engaging society and the private sector
Competitiveness is not built through centralized decisions, but through broad partnerships
Conclusion
The problem is not in the vision—though it is important—but in execution.
Egypt does not suffer from a lack of ideas, studies, or even ambition.
What it suffers from is something more complex:
A gap between what we know… what we declare… and what we actually do.
This leads to the critical question:
Do we want reports to remain mirrors reflecting our problems?
Or tools through which we change our reality?
Competitiveness is not a luxury…
It is a condition for survival in a world that waits for no one.
Nations do not fall behind because they do not know the way,
but because they hesitate to walk it.
My question is:
If we know what we want,
if we have clear visions,
and if Egypt possesses the capabilities and talents—
Why don’t we move with the required efficiency, at the right time, with the lowest cost, and the highest quality?
From my experience…
It is the political management of the country.
Everything ultimately comes back to politics.
It is not a complex chemical equation.
We have a societal agreement embodied in a constitution that separates powers—yet we do not respect it.
It affirms the possibility of peaceful transfer of power and the move toward empowering a decentralized society—yet we avoid it.
We have successful experiences that we drift away from, and failed ones that we repeat.
It is time to speak honestly, not to clash.
It is time for Egypt to rise—both for itself and its nation—because it deserves it.
