Egypt cabinet designates Thursday as public holiday

The Egyptian cabinet designated Thursday 6 August, the date of the inauguration of the new Suez Canal, as an official holiday for workers in the government sector.

Cabinet spokesperson Hossam El-Qaweish said on Tuesday afternoon that  the decision was made by the cabinet so that governmental workers would be able to celebrate and follow “the inauguration of this great achievement.”

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi announced in August 2014 the start of work on a parallel canal to decrease shipping times and vowed to have it completed by mid-2015.

The venture is projected to generate $13.2 billion in revenues by 2023 instead of the current $5.3 billion from the existing canal.

source:Ahram Online