Egypt's recovery from a period of economic, social and political upheaval is now well under way and, says minister of finance Hany Kadry Dimian, a new fiscal policy is playing a key role within this comeback, while also ensuring that all sections of society feel its benefits.

The global financial crisis and Arab Spring uprisings all but decimated Egypt's economy. However, its banks survived this period with admirable resilience, and now that the economy is back on an upward spiral, they are looking to cash in.

The countries of north Africa have been proving attractive for lenders from the Gulf region for decades, but in recent years this activity has picked up, with Egypt a particularly popular destination. Tom Stevenson looks at the reasons why Gulf banks are heading west. 

The election of a new government has helped turn around Egypt's economic fortunes and, according to the country's minister of investment, Ashraf Salman, further reforms will see the country's investment environment become even more attractive. 

Egypt’s banks were well insulated from the global financial crisis, but with continuing political instability since the overthrow of former president Hosni Mubarak, many are wondering just how long the country's banks can outpace its slowing economy. 

Amid global economic stagnation and domestic upheaval, the Egyptian banking sector has performed remarkably steadily. However, one of the key facets behind its success – its conservatism – is coming under increasing criticism from some, who claim its reluctance to lend beyond large corporations and government entities is holding the country back.

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development's managing director for the southern and eastern Mediterranean region, Hildegard Gacek, explains how expertise and past experience are now enabling the EBRD to assist Egypt, Morocco, Jordan and Tunisia through a period of great economic and political change.

The Arab Spring uprisings have brought change on an unprecedented scale to north Africa over the past couple of years, but what impact have these changes had upon the region's appetite for Islamic finance?

Islamic finance is increasingly being viewed as a credible alternative to conventional finance, but Hussain Al-Qemzi, group chief executive of Dubai-based Noor Investment Group and chief executive of Noor Islamic Bank, recognises that Islamic institutions must work together if they are to compete with conventional banks.