The Saudization of Egypt has begun with the intent of derailing democratic transition or preventing it from taking roots for years to come. According to Al Arabiya,120 new Saudi companies have been established since the Egyptian Revolution on Jan. 25, 2011. Saudis are investing in every sector of the Egyptian economy where many poverty stricken Egyptians will be hired to make living , an investment that is understandable and that can be appreciated. The major problem with this is that wherever Saudi money goes, Wahhabism "follows and swallows."
The West could supremely beat the Saudi and other Gulf States' investment in Egypt. Western governments and companies are in positions to introduce projects that could demonstrate to the Egyptians that democracy, free market and creativity are superior to landlord-dominated businesses under dehumanizing conditions.
Investing in Egypt with the intent of introducing the individual liberty to think and create freely is a commodity money cannot buy. This is an opportunity tto see hat the West and other democratic governments and companies do not fall into the hands of those whose objective is to ensure the continuity of oppression, corruption, intolerance, lack of respect for basic human rights, marginalization of women and hate for non-Muslims, including the more than 10 million Egyptian Christians.
Ali H. Alyami is Executive Director of the Center for Democracy and Human Rights in Saudi Arabia.
