Egyptian President, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, and Russian President, Vladimir Putin, witnessed on Tuesday via videoconferencing, the pouring of the first concrete into the foundation of the fourth unit at Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant, Spokesman for the Presidency, Counselor Ahmed Fahmy, reported. President Sisi said that the construction of the plant in co-operation with Russia represented another chapter in the close relations between the two countries, reflecting the enormous efforts exerted by both sides towards the implementation of Egypt's national project. "The current crisis in global energy supplies underscores the significance of the strategic decisions taken by the Egyptian State to revive the Egyptian peaceful nuclear programme for the production of electricity. This shall contribute to providing safe, cheap, and long-term energy supplies, reducing dependence on fossil fuels and avoiding fluctuations in their prices. "Introducing nuclear power into the energy mix in Egypt is crucial to meeting the growing demand for electrical energy so as to fulfil the needs of economic and social development plans and contribute to boosting reliance on new and renewable energy, which achieves environmental sustainability and addresses climate change," President Sisi added. For his part, President Putin said that the construction of the Dabaa plant would strengthen Egypt's energy sector and create qualified jobs. He further highlighted that such collaboration is a continuation of a long history of co-operation in building large power facilities like Egypt's High Dam. "Egypt is indeed our close friend and strategic partner as we co-operate on the basis of equality, mutual respect and respect for each other's interests in full conformity with the letter and spirit of the comprehensive partnership and strategic co-operation agreement we signed with President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in 2018 in Sochi City," he added. President Putin also highlighted that bilateral trade has been growing steadily and had increased by 20 per cent over the past ten months. The Russian president also said that work was currently underway to establish Russia's industrial zone in the Suez Canal economic zone.
