President lauds SCA performance as ‘more than honourable’
“Suez Canal still holds very competitive edge compared to other alternatives”
Egyptian resident Abdel Fattah El Sisi asserted that the Suez Canal has been rooted in the conscience of the global trade industry after the Ever Given cargo ship incident, describing the performance of the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) during the crisis as “more than honourable.”
The president’s remarks came in a speech he gave upon his arrival at the headquarters of the Naval Training and Simulation Centre of the SCA in Ismailia governorate.
In his speech, the president said that the crisis showed “the great role and importance of (the Suez Canal) which dates back to 1869.”
The president also stressed that the Suez Canal was a global facility for international trade, despite what is reported about the existence of alternatives to it, as between 12 per cent to 13 per cent of the global trade volume transit through it.
President Sisi also described the ship’s crisis as “blessing in disguise”, stressing that the Suez Canal is “capable, enduring and very competitive”.
President Sisi also affirmed that Egypt had gone through a “very big” crisis during the previous 7-8 years and had overcome it thanks to the awareness and love of Egyptians for their country, noting that he was not only talking about the crisis of the stranded ship.
President Sisi also recalled what the head of the SCA Osama Rabie said about the lessons that must be learned from this incident which obliges us to provide all necessary supplies and equipment, directing the head of the authority to provide all equipment and supplies necessary to keep pace with the movement of giant ships in the light of the development occurring in the world, and said, “If we need new equipment, we will contract immediately and bring them.”
