letter fromCairo Bi-monthly Perioidical/Second Edition/August,2015 Egypt - rejoicing # New Suez Canal Egypt’s gift to the world Suez Canal story Egyptian Citizens , heros of new suez canal 1 Letter From Cairo -Second Edition/ August 2015 Second Edition/ August, 2015 "Special Edition" Letter from Cairo A Bi-Monthly Periodical released Editorial in different languages on the current political, economic, and cultural developments in Egypt A dream that came true Issued by Foreign Media Sector State Information Service Arab Republic of Egypt The release of this issue of “Letter from Cairo” coin- cides with the most important event Egypt is witness- ing nowadays. On August 6, 2015, the dream of the Egyptian people will come true as their strong will be Board Chairman manifested on the ground given the inauguration of the new Suez Canal, only one year after kicking off the Ambassador Salah A Elsadek project in August 2014. In celebration of the occasion, this issue is dedicated to highlight that global event. Editor-in-Chief This issue includes a comprehensive coverage of all the stages of the project as it sheds light on the Suez Abdel Mo'ti Abu Zeid Canal and its strategic importance to the country eco- nomically and politically and how the international Executive Editor media handled the event, as it highly praised the deep love Egyptians have for their nation and their Manal El Shabrawi immediate action to finance the project, through the fund-raising campaign in less than eight days, after Editors President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi called for subscription to fund the project. Also, we will highlight the role Nashwa Abdel Hamid of the Egyptian workers who work over the clock to Mostafa Ahmady have the project finalized by the set deadline, an epic which history will write down to highlight that great achievement whether when it comes to digging or Layout craning works among others. Now we are about to Nisreen Ahmed witness that historic moment where Egypt introduces her gift to humanity with the participation of kings, heads of states and governments of friendly and sis- terly nations, as well as representatives of the differ- ent categories of the Egyptian people who insist to rewrite history and witness a new birth for their be- loved country. Our message is that Egypt is safe and capable of making great achievements. SIS Website: http://sis.gov.eg Email: [email protected] 2 Address: 2 Estad el-Bahary St, Nasr City - Cairo The political and strategic importance of the Suez Canal Right from the very beginning, the Suez Canal was linked to the colonial contest over Egypt and its impact on the Egyptian national security as the banks of the Ca- nal were the scene of several wars. Therefore, an immense strategic and security importance is attached to that region; this can tell why the Armed Forces have been overseeing the implementation of the New Suez Canal project which was kicked off on August 5, 2014. It is probable, then, that this fact would be put into consideration as regards other projects that would take place in the future with the goal of securing the waterway and the related economic activities to be established on the banks of the Suez Canal. - No doubt, concerns regarding the security British naval strategy that was keen on secur- situation in the Sinai Peninsula and the exist- ing the maritime dominance in the Mediterra- ence of terror organizations, the probability nean and the road leading to India. The Suez of their impact on the Suez Canal highlight Canal has given the opportunity to fleets of the important role of the Armed Forces in other countries to access the Mediterranean. confronting those organizations over the past The opening of the Suez Canal has resulted months. There are some concerns regarding the in a growing international contest over Egypt freedom of navigation in the straights that the and mounting pressures on it under the pretext ships crossing the Suez Canal might facei.e. of securing navigation in the Canal. This was Hormuz and the Bab el Mandab straights. If a direct reason for increasing the British in- the situation in the Hormuz Straight is some- fluence in Egypt, which later led to Britain’s how stable, the Bab El Mandab is witness- occupation of the country in 1882 and the es- ing political escalations given the situation tablishment of the largest British military base in Yemen and the growing Iranian influence in the Middle East in the Canal, in addition thanks to the Houthis, let alone Iran’s direct to delaying Egypt’s independence from Brit- presence in the Eritrean Islands which all can ain. The Suez Canal used to remain as one of be regarded as a source of danger that must be the elements of the Soviet-American conflict handled and dealt with accordingly. The acts given the fact that whosoever controls that of piracy in the Red Sea taking place near the waterway would be empowered to control the Somali coasts are also another danger. It is move of the international trade and warships noteworthy to mention that the decisive factor coming from the Mediterranean into the Red in increasing the number of ships crossing the Sea and the Indian Ocean and vice versa. The Suez Canal would be the growth of the move importance of the Suez Canal emanates from of international trade and the capability of the the fact that it is the most important waterway new canal of attracting ships that have never in the world with the Panama Canal, which crossed the Canal before. was opened in 1914, coming hardly next to it. - The geo-strategic importance of the Undoubtedly, Egypt’s full sovereignty over the Suez Canal emanates from the presence of the Canal highlights this importance, putting into components of political and economic geog- consideration that Egypt, since its nationaliza- raphy in that region which can be made clear tion of the Suez Canal in 1956, is bound by via analyzing the regional and international di- the articles of the Constantinople Pact (1888) mensions as follows: which regulates the move of navigation into the Canal, unlike the situation of the Panama First: The growing strategic importance Canal which used to be administered by the US of the Suez Canal to Egypt: from 1914 till 1999. Therefore, the Egyptian - The establishment of the Suez Canal led to role in protecting the Suez Canal and secur- a revolution into the maritime navigation and ing the move of navigation supports the status the concepts of peace and war as it facilitated Egypt enjoys internationally. Also, the circum- the quick and safe access to Eastern Africa’s stances linked to the establishment of the new coasts and the Far East. It also affected the Suez Canal, which the Egyptian leadership 3 Letter From Cairo -Second Edition/ August 2015 was keen on finalizing by Egyptians whether of cutting short distance and time. The Suez in the implementation phase or finance, sup- Canal also surpasses several land roads such ports such importance. Kicking off the project as the Israeli Ashdod-Eilat Road that connects confirms the independence of the Egyptian na- the Eilat Port on the Al-Aqaba Bay to Ashdod tional decision and the freedom of action at the on the Mediterranean so that goods can be international level based on self-dependence. transferred via railway and trucks, but it has Egypt has thus emerged as an influential re- a problem in terms of cost and loading. There gional player in the Middle East where the is also another competitor for the Suez Canal country is regarded as a basis for maintaining which is the Eurasia Road, a project both Chi- regional peace and security, let alone a country na and Russia are enthusiastic about, as it tar- keen on basing its international relationships gets the establishment of a huge road connect- on the principle of the exchange of interests. ing the two continents and passes from China to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan to Moscow and then other European countries. But this project Second: The growing competitiveness of encounters technical difficulties as regards the the Suez Canal: size of the railways from a nation to another, in -The new Suez Canal would increase the addition to other political problems given the competitiveness of the current one through huge number of countries that it would which 10% of the volume of the cross, let alone financial issues. international trade is cross- Whatever it is, the Suez ing currently compared Canal would remain to the Panama Canal the best way for that enjoys half containers whose of that amount. number is on This is due to the rise from the unique lo- South Asia cation Egypt and South and the Ca- Eastern nal enjoy. Asia head- The Suez ing for the Canal is also US Eastern the shortest Coast. The and quickest Canal’s com- waterway for petitiveness is transferring the growing given Gulf Region’s the number of oil to Europe. The pivotal ports on its Suez Canal is, howev- way across the Asian er, facing fierce competi- coasts, the Mediterrane- tion from alternative land and an and the Rea Sea. With the maritime passages, but it surpasses completion of the Suez Canal Axis them with relative advantages. The Suez Ca- Development, the Canal would turn from a nal surpasses the Panama Canal when it comes mere waterway to an investment attracting re- to length and depth and the submersible length gion. and the number of crossing hours. It also sur- passes the North Sea, that expands from Sibe- Third: Merging Sinai into Egypt’s ria coasts to the Atlantic into the Pacific, which is actually a short passage as crossing pro- inhabited area cess takes place within 23 days from Russia - For a long time, the Sinai has remained to China, but it is highly cold which forces a a war zone; that is why it has low population shutdown for eight months a year, putting into and few economic activities.