Since their launch and expansion, the two big big book fairs in Abu Dhabi and Sharjah have attracted the most attention from non-Arab publishers. But Cairo is now attempting to throw its hat into the ring with the city’s first-ever professional program:

From Publishing Perspectives:

In early 2015, the Cairo International Book Fair will launch its first-ever professional program. The program’s set to be held from January 29 through 31, on the eve of the city’s 47th fair.

The Cairo book fair, which boasts two million annual visitors and more than 700 publishers, has seen hard times in the last several years. The fair was cancelled in 2011, and the fairs that followed have each had their organizational challenges.

But Egyptian politics isn’t the only hurdle facing a professional program in Cairo. A number of international publishers are already attending Arabic-focused book fairs in Sharjah or Abu Dhabi.

But Sherif…