A Daring Enterprise: A US-Egyptian Partnership and the Case for Soft Power

The inside story of one of the most successful US foreign aid programs in the Middle East in recent decades

What happens when the United States launches an unconventional foreign aid program in the aftermath of a national uprising? In this behind-the-scenes account of the Egyptian-American Enterprise Fund—a private investment fund created by the U.S. Congress to jumpstart Egypt’s private sector after the 2011 Egyptian revolution—A Daring Enterprise tells the story of one of the most effective, yet little known, U.S. foreign policy programs today in the Middle East.

Through the firsthand account of the Fund’s chairman James Harmon, a veteran investment banker and former Clinton administration official, the authors reveal how a small, U.S.-backed investment fund partnered with Egyptians to spark investment, create jobs, and expand opportunities for women in the Arab world’s largest country—all against a backdrop of political instability, anti-Americanism, and Washington dysfunction.

At a time when America’s budget deficit is rising and foreign aid is being scaled back, A Daring Enterprise Fund reveals how a new model of foreign assistance can tackle urgent development challenges while delivering real returns for U.S. taxpayers. Most importantly, it is a powerful reminder of the value of foreign aid and why smart foreign investment is key to America’s future prosperity.

• Publication date: 12 May 2026
• Page count: 240
• Dimensions: Height 229 mm; Width 152 mm
• Publisher: American University in Cairo Press
• Format: Hardback
• ISBN-13: 9781649035059