Abou Ali was, like every evening, in the middle of a game of dominoes in an old café in downtown Cairo when everything shut down, in compliance with the commercial curfew imposed in Egypt to save energy due to the war in the Middle East.
“Usually, I stay here until 2 a.m., now, I’m home by 11 p.m. at the latest, just to watch the news,” laments the 63-year-old retiree. “This is not the Cairo we know.”
The one-month decree requires businesses to close at 9 p.m. on weekdays and 10 p.m. on weekends, with a brief extension to 11 p.m. next week for Coptic Easter. The change is abrupt in a city famous for never sleeping at night.
Thursday evening, the eve of the weekend, the streets buzz with those window shopping, those dining out, those chatting in cafes, and those stuck in traffic jams.
Now, evenings boil down to a final frenzied hour of shopping before the lights go out and the metal shutters clang shut. Police patrols ensuring compliance, life on the dark streets of the capital quickly narrows down to just deliveries on motorcycles.
“Usually, work starts at this time,” sighs Ali Haggag, a vendor in front of his suddenly quiet clothing store. “It feels like we are reliving the Covid period,” he says, referring to the 2020 lockdown.
Context: The commercial curfew imposed in Egypt due to energy conservation measures has significantly impacted daily life and businesses in the bustling city of Cairo.
Fact Check: The prices of energy worldwide have surged due to the conflict between the United States and Israel against Iran, leading to economic challenges in Egypt.
Critics argue that the early closures severely penalize the informal economy, which accounts for around two-thirds of the employment in the country.
“The majority of box office revenues come from the 9 p.m. and midnight sessions, it’s catastrophic,” he says. According to him, film releases have been postponed and productions delayed indefinitely.
The tourism sector, a crucial source of foreign currency that was beginning to recover after years of political instability and the pandemic, also fears a setback.
Historical sites in Cairo, like the old Khan el-Khalili souk, have not benefited from the exemptions granted to tourist establishments.
At 9 p.m., as tourists wander the alleys, merchants pack up their goods and close their stands. “It’s almost 8 p.m. and tourists are still arriving,” says Ahmed Ali. “How can they expect me to close at 9 p.m.? It’s nonsensical.”
