Orascom: How do you solve a problem like Korea?

Naguib Sawiris has built large parts of his empire by being prepared to do business where other companies would fear to tread. He explains how he became a telecoms operator, banker and even an hotelier in the biggest rogue state of all, North Korea.

Not so lonely: Jang Song Thaek, vice chairman of the National Defense Commission, Naguib Sawiris and Kim Jong Il

Not so lonely: Jang Song Thaek, vice chairman of the National Defense Commission, Naguib Sawiris and Kim Jong Il

“We looked at a map of the world and there were only three countries that did not have cellular service – Cuba, Burma and North Korea,” explains Sawiris.

“So I went to Cuba first and I couldn’t believe they were still believing in communism, so the trip was a failure. Then I went to Burma and met the minister of telecom, a general, and he told me to come back in three years.

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