The Suez Canal: A rich history The opening of the New Suez Canal today recalls a long and eventful history dating all the way back to BC 1874 when, in the time of Pharaoh Senausert III, an attempt was made to connect the Mediterranean and the Red Sea via the Nile and its tributaries. The canal was silted over and re-dug again and again through to Islamic times, to be eventually abandoned in favour of a waterway that directly linked the two seas. The first attempt was made during Napoleon's Campaign to Egypt, intended to cut off British trade routes: digging began in 1799 but work was quickly suspended due to a miscalculation indicating that the Red Sea was some ten metres higher than the Mediterranean. In 1833 a group of French engineers known as the Saint-Simoniens, though they had established that the canal was possible despite the difference in sea levels, failed to persuade Mohamed Ali Pasha to let them undertake the project. But, leaving in 1835, they had sparked interest in the canal again. In 1854 the French diplomat Ferdinand de Lesseps managed to enlist the Egyptian viceroy Said Pasha to the cause. The Universal Company of the Maritime Suez Canal was established in 1858, given the right to dig the canal and operate it for 99 years, after which ownership would return to the Egyptian government. Work started in 1859 and on 17 November 1869 the barrage of the Suez plains reservoir was breached and the waters of the Mediterranean flowed into the Red Sea for the first time. The grand opening of the canal, when two convoys of ships entered the canal from its southern and northern points and met at Ismailia, brought together the Empress Eugenie, the Emperor of Austria, the Prince of Wales, the Prince of Prussia and the Prince of the Netherlands. But due to piling debts, Said Pasha sold his shares in the canal company to the British government in 1875 for some £400 thousand. But France continued to own a majority of shares alongside Britain until president Gamal Abdel-Nasser of the newly declared republic nationalised the canal in 1956. It has since been operated by the Suez Canal Authority. The canal has been closed to navigation only twice: for a few months in 1956-57 following the Tripartite Aggression (which was France, Britain and Israel's response to its nationalisation); and from 1967 till 1975 due to the June 1967 War, when it was reopened by president Anwar Al-Sadat. A glimmer of hope “The opening of the New Suez Canal is the beginning of the second republic. It is the beginning of a new phase. Thus, we should not expect too much only to fall prey to frustration. Some of us did this after the Sharm El-Sheikh economic conference, although it was but a beginning. Our problems are still with us. We have not resolved the education or water problems for instance. What I mean is that these problems will not be resolved after opening the new canal. However, the opening remains a glimmer of hope.” Newton, Al-Masry Al-Youm “The New Suez Canal is the nucleus of bigger projects. We should see the canal, the new roads and other projects together with a gradual improvement in security, better control of the situation in Sinai and a reformulation of Egypt's role in the region in a rather comprehensive way. We have to acknowledge that they are strong achievements not only because they have been realised on the ground, but also because they were established under difficult conditions.” Ibn Al-Dawla, Al-Youm Al-Sabei The history of the canal? “Ever since we started working on the New Suez Canal, one question has been nagging me: when are we going to start writing the history of the new canal so that it will not meet the same fate of the original one? The original canal is in our hearts; however, its story is still waiting for someone to write it.” Youssef Al-Qaeed, Al-Akhbar Building the citizen “Completing the New Suez Canal in one year indicates discipline, commitment and will, and proves that when Egyptians truly want something, they can do it. However, the real achievement is when the canal contributes to developing society, building the Egyptian citizen and accomplishing much needed reform in the fields of health and education.” Rasha Al-Shami, Al-Watan Egyptian Essence: 100 billion dollars in profit “The revenues of the Suez Canal are expected to reach $100 billion in the next 10 years with an increase of $13 billion every year. The canal is expected to monoplise over one third of the world trade of container ships. Besides, the canal's quota of world trade is expected to be over 30 per cent.” Al-Youm Al-Sabei
51 billion pounds for development “LE51 billion of government investment were earmarked for development projects in the Suez Canal and Sinai areas.” Al-Youm Al-Sabei
2500 feddans for new graduates “The Ministry of Agriculture will distribute 2500 feddans to fresh university graduates in the Village of Hope — Qaryat Al-Amal — in the canal area in the hope of expanding agricultural land outside the Delta. The project, which totals 4,000 feddans, aims to boost the link between famers and the land.” Al-Youm Al-Sabei Facebook “May God bless everyone who contributed to building the Suez Canal from the youngest labourer to President Al-Sisi. Long live the man who thought of the idea and the man who implemented it. Long live Egypt.” Emy Ghouraba Twitter Egypt Independent @EgyIndependent The Independent: #Suez_Canal is the symbol of Egypt's national pride. The Cairo Post @TheCairoPost GALLERY: intensified security ahead of New #SuezCanal opening. Bel Trew @Beltrew #Al-Jazirah Trial defendants believe it was postponed until 29th August because of John Kerry's visit today and the Suez Canal opening on Thursday.
