News & Analysis

8 August 6, 2017 News & Analysis Egypt Egypt opens new military base with many objectives in mind Amr Emam Cairo he threat from unrest in neighbouring Libya, the planned construction of a nuclear power plant and huge off-shore natural gas Treserves are behind Egypt’s massive military build-up in the western desert, experts said. “There is a persistent desire from those pulling the strings in Libya to move the violence to the border with Egypt,” said Sameh Abu Hashima, a retired Egyptian Army general and an adviser at Nasser Military Academy. “This makes it necessary for us to move our troops close to the border with the restive neighbouring country.” Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi opened a major base in El- Hamam in the western desert on July 22. The Mohamed Naguib Mili- tary Base, named after Egypt’s first president, has been billed as the largest such facility in Africa and the Middle East. The base, which took two years to build, can accommodate more than 20,000 troops and includes 1,155 “vital facilities”along with 72km of roads. Although eastern Libya has fallen Many concerns. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi (C) rides a vehicle with Arab leaders at the opening of the Mohamed Naguib more firmly under the control of military base in Marsa Matrouh, on July 22. (Reuters) Libyan Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar — an Egyptian ally — and his Libyan National Army, Cairo is concerned tecting Egypt.” Matrouh province. It will have four also of paramount importance for cubic metres of gas per day. about arms smuggling and infiltra- The scale of the Mohamed Na- reactors, the first of which is to be- Egypt to protect its massive natural Egypt’s off-shore gas reserves tion from Libya. guib facility, along with the military come operational in 2022. gas discoveries. In August 2015, an lack adequate security because There have been daily attempts equipment that Egypt can bring to The initial deal for the power Italian company exploring off the there are no maritime border de- by smugglers and Islamist militants bear from there, was clear from the plant was agreed between Mos- coastal city of Damietta found what marcation agreements with Turkey to cross into Egypt. Cairo said the parade that signalled the official cow and Cairo in 2015, with Russia has been described as the southern or Israel. Egypt agreed to maritime new base would be an important opening of the base. Hundreds of agreeing to give Egypt a $25 billion Mediterranean’s largest natural gas demarcation deals with Greece and part of its border strategy. tanks, advanced multifunction Ra- loan to build the plant. When fully field. Cyprus in late 2015. The lack of sim- fale fighter jets, Apache helicopters, operational, the four reactors are ilar agreements with Tel Aviv and Mohamed Naguib base Chinook helicopters and armoured expected to generate 4,800 mega- The base can Ankara is a concern in Cairo, with is about 60km west of vehicles passed before Sisi and Arab watts of power every year, a little accommodate more many viewing the military base to dignitaries, including United Arab less than 20% of Egypt’s annual than 20,000 troops oversee Egyptian claims as para- Alexandria and less Emirates Crown Prince Sheikh Mo- electrical power production. mount. than 100km from the and includes 1,155 hammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan, who “The plant is necessary to satisfy “vital facilities” and “This is particularly so after the Mediterranean. is also deputy supreme commander the electricity needs of the popula- discovery of Zohr and in light of of the UAE armed services, to mark tion, expected to be 117 million in 72km of roads. forecasts about the presence of the occasion. 2030, from 93.3 million now,” said huge gas reserves in the area,” said “Libya is a real threat to Egypt’s Situated about 60km west of the Ibrahim al-Asiri, a nuclear energy The Zohr field has confirmed re- Ibrahim Zahran, a former petro- national security, especially with Alexandria and less than 100km expert. serves of 850 billion cubic metres leum executive. “These reserves militant groups affiliated to al-Qae- from the Mediterranean, the Mo- “The lack of sufficient protection of gas, almost doubling Egypt’s open the door wide for tension, da and ISIS controlling some parts hamed Naguib base is on a site of for the plant could be devastating overall reserves. Production from which means that a strong military of the country,” Abu Hashima said. immense strategic value in western to tens of millions of people,” he the field is expected to go online by presence is needed.” “This is why the presence of a mili- Egypt. This is just kilometres from said. the end of this year and reach full tary base that large near the border the site of a nuclear power plant to A military base in the western de- capacity by the end of 2018, when it Amr Emam is a Cairo-based with Libya is a prerequisite for pro- be built at al-Dabaa, a coastal city in sert and near the Mediterranean is is expected to produce 76.5 million contributor to The Arab Weekly. Egypt’s bid to reduce wheat imports hampered by bread obsession Ahmed Megahid importer due to the dependence on ago in several provinces when the bread. It has imported 12 million Supply Ministry was rumoured tonnes of wheat this year, the UN to be planning a reduction in the Cairo Food and Agriculture Organisation number of loaves per day that the (FAO) said. Wheat imports for 2016- rationing system could accommo- gypt is trying to save 17 are more than 1.3 million tonnes date. Most of those making deci- hundreds of millions of higher than the previous five years’ sions in Egypt today were in their dollars a year on wheat annual average, the FAO said. Egypt 30s or younger when violent riots imports by encouraging consumes 20 million tonnes of erupted in 1977 because President citizens to reduce con- wheat every year, with that figure Anwar Sadat raised the price of Esumption of bread. expected to increase bread 50%. Egypt’s Ministry of Supply and The Egyptian government speci- Addressing the issue of bread Internal Trade is offering the 81 fied $2.7 billion for wheat imports subsidies at a briefing on July 29, million Egyptians registered with in the 2016-17 budget in addition to Supply Minister Ali Moselhi cau- the national food rationing system $2.5 billion to provide subsidised tiously hinted at Cairo’s desire to incentives to eat less bread. The bread for Egyptians registered as reduce bread consumption. popular government subsidised part of the food ration programme. Moselhi said that one-third of flatbread is a mainstay of the Egyp- Each participant in the plan has the subscribers in the national food ra- tian diet, eaten with practically right to five loaves of bread every tioning system were under 10 years every meal. day, with ration card holders paying old and another third of those sub- 10% of the full-price and the gov- scribers were over 50. “Each one in One-third of ernment subsidising the remaining Essential commodity. People buy bread at a bakery in Cairo. these two categories cannot eat five subscribers in the 90%. (Reuters) loaves of bread every day,” he said. national food rationing This bread subsidy policy has Despite the obvious problems in system are under 10 been in place for decades but is the system, few Egyptians seem years old and another proving devastating to the national nounced it was implementing a of dollars every year, and stimulat- inclined to accept change to bread third of subscribers are budget, the government said. Bread new system to subsidise bread by ing the local economy given that subsidies. over 50. subsidies represent more than 60% the loaf, rather than flour and flour most fruit and vegetables are pro- “Some people are so poor that of all food subsidies. mills. However, the policy would duced locally. they cannot buy anything other Attempts to change the system not change the price of bread at Many Egyptians are suspicious than the bread to eat and these are “If everyone within the system have been met with massive re- 5 piastres (about 1.5 US cents) at about the move, however. in the millions,” said Mahmoud reduces bread consumption by one sistance. The 1977 “bread riots” in public bakeries or alter how much “This needs a radical change el-Askalany, a consumer rights ad- loaf every day, we will end up sav- Egypt, which forced former Presi- subsidised bread those with ration of dietary habits,” said Abdullah vocate. “A decision to reduce the ing 81 million loaves per day and dent Anwar Sadat to reinstitute cards could purchase. Ghorab, head of Egypt’s Bakeries’ number of bread loaves for those 2.4 billion loaves per month,” Sup- subsidies after nationwide protests, The government has sought to Association, which represents more in the food rationing system is very ply Ministry spokesman Mohamed represent a defining point in Egyp- cut back on bread subsidies by of- than 25,000 privately run bakeries. risky because it will open the door Suwaid said. “This will translate tian history and cemented the idea fering citizens free groceries. The “Bread is probably the most indis- for massive violence.” into hundreds of millions of dollars of subsidised bread as an inalien- policy, Suweid said, would signifi- pensable item on the table of al- in saved expenditure every year.” able right.

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