Special edition: Finding Egypt abroad 🗺️

Over the past few years, something quietly transformative has been happening to our country — from inside to out.

Egypt is no longer just exporting raw materials, migrant labor, or tourism experiences. It is exporting business models, institutional leadership, cultural identity, and regional ambition.

From fintech firms scaling into neighboring markets, to Egyptians being elected into top global institutions, to local street food earning UNESCO recognition, a growing number of Egyptian success stories are now being written beyond the country’s borders.

This special edition of the Egypt Weekly Roundup takes a closer look at how homegrown Egyptian businesses, people, and ideas are increasingly making their mark abroad — economically, diplomatically, politically, and culturally.

FINTECH | JORDAN | REGIONAL EXPANSION
VALU GOES REGIONAL: EGYPT’S FINTECH LEADER EXPANDS TO JORDAN

After years of rapid growth and fintech innovations at home, Valu has officially secured final approval from the Central Bank of Jordan, clearing the way for the company to launch its services in the Jordanian market.

To Egypt and beyond: Valu first received initial approval from Jordan’s central bank in mid-2025, an early signal that its business model and regulatory track record had earned regional confidence. The newly granted final approval now allows Valu to begin operating under a Specialized Finance license — marking its first full expansion outside Egypt.

Why Jordan matters: Jordan’s financial ecosystem has been steadily modernizing, with growing demand for flexible, digital-first financial solutions. For Valu, the move reflects how its scale, performance, and consumer adoption in Egypt have positioned it as a credible regional player, not just a domestic one.

To anchor its Jordanian operations, Valu has appointed seasoned local leadership, including former Jordanian Minister of Investment Eng. Mothanna Gharaibeh as Chairman, alongside an experienced executive team on the ground. The aim: adapt Valu’s model to local market needs while maintaining the same operational rigor that drove its growth in Egypt.

A broader signal: Valu’s Jordan expansion is less about geography and more about momentum. It highlights how Egyptian fintechs — once focused purely on solving local gaps — are increasingly exporting their models regionally, backed by regulatory trust and real economic impact.

What comes next will be closely watched — not just by users in Jordan, but by a region where homegrown fintech success stories are becoming sources of inspiration to many startups.

KOSHARY | CUISINE
FOM STREET FOOD TO WORLD HERITAGE: KOSHARY WINS UNESCO RECOGNITION

Egypt’s most iconic street food just earned global cultural recognition. Koshary — the humble mix of rice, lentils, pasta, chickpeas, fried onions, and tomato sauce found on nearly every Egyptian street corner — was officially inscribed on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list.

The recognition elevated a deeply local, everyday Egyptian dish onto the world stage, turning a staple of downtown Cairo into a symbol of national identity and cultural soft power.

More than a culinary milestone: The listing reflects how culture itself is becoming one of Egypt’s most powerful exports — telling stories of resilience, creativity, and shared identity through food. From street carts to international kitchens, koshary’s rise now mirrors a broader story: Egypt exporting not just goods and services, but heritage and belonging.

UNESCO | KHALED EL-ENANY
KHALED EL-ENANY: UNESCO’S FIRST EGYPTIAN AND ARAB LEADER

In a historic diplomatic milestone, former Egyptian Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Khaled El-Enany was elected Director-General of UNESCO, becoming the first Egyptian and Arab to ever lead the organization.

Exporting diplomacy: The election marked a major moment for Egypt’s diplomatic soft power, signaling renewed international confidence in Egyptian leadership at the highest levels of global cultural and educational governance.

El-Enany’s broad backing from member states reflected not just his personal credentials as a renowned Egyptologist and academic, but also Egypt’s growing role in cultural diplomacy and multilateral engagement.

Beyond symbolism: His appointment positions Egypt at the heart of global conversations around heritage protection, education, scientific cooperation, and cultural exchange — areas where soft power increasingly translates into real geopolitical influence.