Egypt’s Suez Canal crucial to world trade for 160 years: al-Sisi

Egypt’s Suez Canal has played an important role in global trade for more than 160 years, President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi as he announced that the crisis of the Ever Given blocking of the Suez Canal has came to an end.

Al-Sisi’s remarks came during his visit to the Suez Canal Authority’s (SCA) Maritime Training and Simulation Centre in Ismailia, as part of celebrations of the Egyptian success in re-floating the mega Ever Given container ship on Monday.

“The crisis was something that we didn’t want, but this was fate. It has affirmed the major role and importance of the canal in the past 150-160 years,” he said.

Al-Sisi added that the crisis also showed the strong impact of the canal on global trade, which he said sees the crossing of 13 percent of world trade.

“This was a blessing in disguise, and this incident showed that the canal is enduring and competing,” he said.

He added that the Ever Given crisis had put an end to talks on Suez Canal alternatives, as the Canal is a global facility for trade. The President thanked the countries that had offered assistance to Egypt for re-floating the ship.

Al-Sisi directed for the provision of all necessary equipment for the SCA, to support its capabilities for the upcoming period.