First broadcast on BBC World Service in July 2006
The Sphinx
In recent years, a number of Gulf countries have been making progress towards economic, social and even limited political reforms.
These advances are so rapid that many believe the Gulf - once seen as a relatively backward region - could one day eclipse the Arab world's more established centres of influence, such as Egypt and Lebanon.
The BBC's Arab Affairs Analyst Magdi Abdelhadi investigates how far these changes might go.
Part Four: Egypt
Magdi Abdelhadi travels to his native Egypt to find out why traditional Arab centres are faring less well than the more modern Gulf societies.
Should Egypt copy the achievements of places like Dubai and Qatar? Or is there another way for it to move forward?
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