Solving Egypt’s Economic Crisis: The Strategic Role of Chinese, Russian, and Egyptian Media Narratives

ABSTRACT

This study examined Chinese, Russian, and Egyptian news articles from December 2014 to December 2019 on 18 different native language news sites to determine how countries with close media-state relationships use Egypt’s economic crisis to build narrative alliances and boost national identity. Using a ratio-oriented approach to strategic crisis narratives, this article shows that Scene-driven ratios are instrumental for crisis-ridden countries to rhetorically rebuild their economic order for national audiences and for other countries to forge alliances and boost their national economic identities. Similarities in narrative ratios and shifts between Chinese and Egyptian national media suggest a dual strategy by which China exploits Egypt’s economic crisis to enhance its national identity and depict Egypt as an economic partner in its Road and Belt initiative. Russia’s narrative ratios and shifts highlight Russia’s economic and military actors as the dominant drivers influencing Russian-Egyptian relations, indicating more short-term and self-centered narrative strategies. This article advances ideas about strategic crisis narratives by introducing a framework for theorizing relationships between the (in)consistency of ratios and international actors’ ability to narrate crisis resolutions and elevate their crisis identities and interests for national audiences.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

¹ MIST News. 11.30.14 IMF calls for more flexibility in exchange rates.

² Alborsar. 8.28.16.

³ Arab Finance. 9.6.17 Central: Foreign reserves rose by 11.8 billion dollars in 8 months.

⁴ Arab Finance. 6.3.18 27 billion dollars increase in foreign reserves during the first Sisi period.

⁵ Al Akhbar 4.16.19 Madbouly: The Egyptian economy is ready to move towards higher levels of growth.

⁶ Watani 2.19.18 Egypt’s deputy free: Sisi’s mandate to the government on free labor confirms his bias to the poor.

⁷ Al Akhbar 2.23.18 Prime Minister: Economic reform and national projects will achieve a qualitative leap for the citizen.

⁸ Xinhua, 12.8.17, (Economy) Egypt and World Bank Sign US $1.15 Billion Loan Agreement.

⁹ Xinhua, 8.4.17 (Economic) Egypt ’s exports in the first half of this year increased by nearly 9% year-on-year.

¹⁰ Xinhua, 5.1.17 (One Belt, One Road, Win-win Cooperation) China-US-Egypt Oil and Gas Cooperation Creates a Trilateral Win-Win Under the Belt and Road Initiative.

¹¹ Global Times. 3.17.15 Egypt is back on track for politics and economy.

¹² People’s Daily. 1.5.18 China International Import Expo Promotion Conference Held in Cairo.

¹³ People’s Daily. 1.23.16 Egyptian-Chinese pragmatic cooperation benefits people’s livelihood.

¹⁴ Global Times. 9.5.16. Shortage of Egyptian dollar, black market activated.

¹⁵ Global Times. 12.23.14.

¹⁶ Xinhua 9.1.16. (Focus on G20) High-end interview: Egypt appreciates China’s global governance plan and looks forward to learning from China’s successful experience-Interview with Egyptian President Sisi.

¹⁷ RIA News. 4.2.15. INTERVIEW: Egypt expects $ 135 billion investment from Russia – trade representative.

¹⁸ Rossiyskaya Gazeta 11.9.15. West of Egypt.

¹⁹ TASS 11.8.15 Egypt daily loses up to $ 4 million due to the departure of tourists from Russia and the UK.

²⁰ Kommersant. 1.27.15. Vladimir Putin has an Egyptian campaign.

²¹ TASS. 10.9.19. EAEU countries plan to enter the African market through the Russian industrial zone in Egypt.

²² TASS. 10. 16.18 DOSSIER: Russian-Egyptian economic relations.

²³ RIAN News. 10.3.18 Egyptian President expects to discuss tourism and return of charters when visiting Russia.

²⁴ Rossiyskaya Gazeta 12.22.15. Low start benefits.