How did Egypt become so corrupt?
A picture is emerging of a state where wealth fuels political power and political power buys wealth.
It has been nearly two weeks and the protesters in Egypt are still calling for the president to leave.
Many Egyptians feel that the only ones benefitting from the country’s wealth are businessmen with ties to the ruling National Democratic Party.
Reports about the wealth of Hosni Mubarak, his family and the people close to him have started to emerge. According to some reports, Mubarak himself has an estimated net worth of $40bn to $70bn.
They paint a picture of a state where wealth fuels political power and political power buys wealth.
How did Egypt become so corrupt? And what can a new government really do about it?
Joining us to discuss these issues are: Arwa Hassan, a senior programme coordinator at Transparency International; Ibrahim Khayat, an economist and business analyst; and Husam Abdullah, a UK-based Egyptian activist and a member of the Egyptian Association for Change.
This episode of Inside Story aired from Monday, February 7, 2011.