Egypt's Prosperity Lies in Urbanization

Egypt's economic growth has stalled over the last 30 years due to the fact that it has become less urban. Development has faltered, says Leonhardt, who also points out that Egyptians have had difficulty using their skills to advance the city.

"So one of the tasks facing Mr. Mubarak's successors will be creating places within Egypt where Egyptians want to move,"

"These will be the places where Egyptian companies become less reliant on the state and more exposed to global competition. They will be places where research and development, which is scant in Egypt today, take off. They will be places where ingenuity - the same kind of ingenuity that just toppled a dictator - creates jobs."

"Whatever the details, you can be sure that a more prosperous Egypt will be a more urban one."