EGYPT Made History again - opened new Suez Canal after just 1 yr of construction - all videos of inauguration and more inside

Impressive speech so far from our President...looks not scripted, I mean sure he knows what he wanted to say but he's not reading from a paper or teleprompter. It's his own words now. And he's right with everything he said so far.

He is a true Head of State, he needs no teleprompter or scripted speech

He is not an ordinary leader

He is a true Statesman

not a clown like François Hollande.

I have to say I'm very impressed how he speaks now to all these people, not from a paper just his thoughts and his own words.

Now he went to read from paper for the official inauguration speech.

A Gift to the World! I hope it will be appreciated. So far too little attention is been given abroad. I guess it's butthurt

Long Live Commander Raïs Sisi!

I'll be looking for an English transript later but I think you're right- he's speaking from the heart with conviction.

Live updates: Egypt marks opening of new Suez Canal

16:35 President El-Sisi takes to the podium, signs the declaration, and begins his speech.

16:30 Mohab Mamish, the head of the Suez Canal Authority, is giving the opening remarks.

16:20 A documentary tracing the process of digging the new canal is being played on a screen at the front of the pavilion as audiences await the signing of the declaration of the start of operations of the new Suez Canal.

16:15 Among the Egyptian guests are the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Ahmed El-Tayyeb, and Coptic Orthodox Pope Tawadros II.

Also in attendance is El-Sisi's wife, Entissar Amer El-Sisi, and the wife of the late Egyptian president Mohamed Anwar El-Sadat, Jehan El-Sadat.

16:10 President El-Sisi greets the ceremony's guest of honour, France's President Francois Hollande at the pavilion where the ceremony is to be held. The two leaders stand up as the Egyptian national anthem is played.

Various world dignitaries are seated behind El-Sisi and Hollande.

Mohab Mamish, the head of the Suez Canal Authority, is expected to give an opening address, after which El-Sisi will speak.

15:45 The list of international figures expected to attend today’s inauguration is a long one.

They include: France's President Francois Hollande; UK Defence Secretary Michael Fallon along with the British ambassador to Egypt, John Casson; Italian Defence Minister Roberta Pinotti; Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev; Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras; a delegation from the US Congress; and the American ambassador to Egypt, Stephen Beecroft.

From the Arab world: King Hamed Bin Isa Al-Khalifa of Bahrain; Emir Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah of Kuwait; Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, Mohammed Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan; Dubai's ruler, Emirati Prime Minister and Vice President, Mohammed Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum; Deputy Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia and Minister of Defence Mohamed Bin Salman Al-Saud; Yemeni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi; King Abdullah of Jordan; Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas; Speaker of the Lebanese parliament, Nabih Berri; Lebanese Prime Minister Tamam Sallam; Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir; and Qatar’s Minister of Transportation Jassim Saif Al-Sulaiti.

In attendance from Africa are Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn; Angola’s President José Eduardo dos Santos; Lesotho’s Deputy Prime Minister Mothetjoa Metsing; Niger’s President Mahamadou Issoufou; Mauritania President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz; the Democratic Republic of Congo's President Joseph Kabila; Tanzania's Vice President Mohamed Gharib Bilal; and deputy chairman of the African Union’s Commission, Erastus Mwencha.

Also in attendance are Swiss Vice-President Johann Schneider-Ammann, China’s Minister of Culture, Leo Shugang, and the speaker of North Korea's parliament, Kim Yong Nam.
[link to english.ahram.org.eg]

First big Cargo ships passing on both sides going opposite directions - blowing horns!

Russia's Navy Commander Chrikov is there too.

Where is America? they only sent their Ambassador and some unknown delegation , that tells it all hm?

Last Edited by Bes Maat on 08/06/2015 10:54 AM

WHOA! That sucker is hyuuuge!

You should see them in real, which I have....uh jets flying over now!!!

You all got it, the english part of the children singing?

now the party

President El-Sisi is LITERALLY beaming with pride.

Yes and he should, he proofed them all wrong when they said it's impossible. You know they said this would take at least 36 months! He said "NO, 1 year" and he pulled together a great team and made it happen.

This was amazing. I'll be having some Stella's with friends tonight.

Big party now in Tahrir Square too

16:40 El-Sisi says he appreciates the “great effort” exerted over the past year to construct the new Suez Canal, describing it as “a gift to Egypt and the world for the sake of humanity, development, construction and reconstruction.”

“In the past year or two, Egypt has not only provided this project; history will record that Egypt stood in the face of the most dangerous and terroristic ideology,” El-Sisi said.

“It was the Egyptians who stood up and faced these ideas, by presenting the real forgiveness of Islam and Muslims."

President El-Sisi and President Hollande are going to get transported with some other heads of states and Delegations to go on a ship to cross the canal.

I feel sorry for the guys in suits running beside their golf carts in this heat. You guys can't imagine, it's 38 here I'm sure there it's well over 40C.

I wholeheartedly agree, model Islam for the 21st century world.

Last Edited by Shiva ascendant on 08/06/2015 11:21 AM

And the ship with the Presidents and Kings and Sheikhs sets sail!

This was a French CGM MSC mega container ship.

She was the first one entering the new water way sounding her horn at the officials.

Well done!

They had one Rafale jet with the two and then Patrouille de France with the Blue White and Red fumes.

I really liked how the girl scouts were dressed with bare arms and neck line. The same with the lady singer in the long white dress and totally bare arms and neck line.

Egypt is turning contemporary, no more of that covered head and arms crap out in public.

I clapped and cheered to the music and singers!

Hollande looked like he was bored to death. LOL

They had a lot of dignitaries of all origins. I spotted one Cardinal and two Bishops (Catholics) and a Coptic Pope, many Muftis and Imams.

Many Sheikhs and Arab Gulf Kings. The King of Bahrain (or the Prince) were probably there too. The Sheikh of Kuwait was a Guest of honour sitting to the right of Commander al Sisi. Hollande was sitting on his left.

Commander al Sisi had a beaming smile on his face from start to finish.

What an achievement this is.

Ferdinand de Lesseps must have a big smile on his face watching the inaugural ceremony from on high.

Congratulations Egypt

may this be the start of a New Era for you!

Amen, to Egypts bright future!

Great summary - yes, our heads of church and Grand Sheikh were present, and I saw the catholic cardinals too but I don't know who they are, must be representatives from Vatican.

Hollande looked like he was having a heat stroke

3 Rafale jets are now on disply on the Suez canal they said on the egyptian channel, no idea if they meant the flyover or that they actually are part of the display along the canal at some point. If you notice all the trucks and workers of companies are there along the canal standing for the ships to pass.

Is the inaugural ceremony time line with a list of the official guests available somewhere online?

There was so many I wonder who they all are?

[link to english.ahram.org.eg]

and live updates started mention of names as they arrived

[link to english.ahram.org.eg]

you can thank our Belgian companies Deme en Jan De Nul who have led this immense project ;)

He's having too many problems at home. Investigators have discovered a BIG one on him in the Charlie Hebdo attack. He is really not at ease at this point in time.

Thank you Belgians!

Thank you VERY much. Yes I know there were very capable companies from abroad also Dutch without them it would not have been possible.

Our President is fit and happy - he just took a big jump when disembarking the yacht...gave a security guard a bit of a jolt.

I love the party boat!

Her name is Aida IV She is awesomely beautiful

[link to www.facebook.com (secure)]

She is a training ship for the Egyptian Navy