Eng. Ahmed Ezz, Chairman of the Arab Iron and Steel Union and head of Egypt’s Ezz Steel, declared that the era of unfettered globalization is over, as nations increasingly turn to protective trade policies to shield domestic industries. Speaking in an exclusive interview with Al Arabiya Business on the sidelines of the 3rd Saudi International Iron and Steel Conference in Riyadh, Ezz described recent tariff measures notably those initiated by the United States as a turning point in global economic thinking.
“The idea of a borderless global village no longer exists,” Ezz asserted, arguing that the wave of customs duties and trade safeguards reflects a fundamental shift toward economic nationalism. He defended such actions as legitimate, citing former U.S. President Donald Trump’s steel and aluminum tariffs as a justified exercise of national sovereignty to protect American manufacturing.
Ezz emphasized that the critical issue is not whether protectionism is right or wrong, but how it is reshaping global trade dynamics. “The U.S. move sent a clear signal,” he said, noting that it prompted the European Union and dozens of other countries to adopt similar measures 8especially in the steel sector, which has faced nearly 600 protectionist actions worldwide in recent years.
Raising a pointed question for the Arab world, Ezz asked: “Will we take steps to protect our own industries, or continue to leave them vulnerable to unregulated global competition?” He warned that the implications extend far beyond steel, signaling a broader redefinition of international trade principles.
“We are no longer in a borderless world,” he concluded. “We are entering a new national era where every country prioritizes its industrial base and reasserts its economic sovereignty.”
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