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When Egyptians lived in Iraq
Kifah .n. Abdullah / 05 August 2008
As oil became the main source of energy in the world in the 1970s Iraq became one of the richest countries in the Middle East.This pushed Iraq toward developing the country on the theory that a strong state depends on a strong army .
Because of the increased industrial productivity, there was a great need for workers. Egypt is considered to have the largest source of laborers in the world in general and the Arab world in particular. So Iraq opened economic relations with Egypt despite the political break between the two countries caused by the Egyptian peace treaty signed at Camp David which had been opposed by Iraq.
Quickly, tens of thousands of Egyptians moved to Iraq where the government allowed them to stay unconditionally with no visa for any length of time. In July 1979, Saddam Hussein became President of the Republic of Iraq and on September 4, 1980 the war between Iraq and Iran began. Month after month, the army required more men to fight on the 1,200 kilometer Iraq / Iran border. The need for Egyptian workers increased. So Saddam Hussein ordered Iraqi authorities to further facilitate the arrival of Egyptian labour. By the end of 1981 the number of Egyptians working in Iraq reached more than three million. By 1985 the number was six and a half million, and in 1987 there were eight million Egyptians, according to official reports issued at that time.
Most Egyptians worked in Iraq in ministries and government institutions but many worked in private sector factories, farms, and service projects. The Iraqi government passed more laws to facilitate work for Egyptians in Iraq, including the right to establish companies, institutions, factories, and personal projects, They were exempt from taxes and had unlimited foreign fund transfers, They could register their children free in all public schools and universities and had free access to all hospitals and health centers. They also had the right to Iraqi nationality. By this time, the rights of Egyptians in Iraq had exceeded the rights of Iraqi citizens For this reason, Egyptians are today are greatly favorably inclined toward former dictator Saddam Hussein.
Remittances in dollars for Egyptians working in Iraq jumped from four to seven million dollars per month according to the Central Bank of Iraq at that time. This money, much of which was sent home to Egypt, helped improve and develop the Egyptian economy. Even more important, the millions of Egyptians working in Iraq helped reduce unemployment in Egypt. On February 8, 1990 Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait. The UN Security Council imposed sanctions on Iraq that weakened the economy, which was further crippled by the mass destruction of the second Gulf War, Desert Storm.
At the end of 1991, Egyptians began leaving Iraq and by 1996 few Egyptians remained. They returned to their homes in Egypt, some after more than twenty years living and working in Iraq, carrying many thousands of dollars and memories of the happiest years of their lives.
Now we are here in Egypt, where many of us know by name the Egyptians we knew in the years they spent in our country. But here we Iraqis are not allowed to work, or have any of the privileges Egyptians enjoyed in Iraq. It is a bitter pill for us to swallow.
