On 25 April 1982 Egypt regained Sinai after the withdrawal of the last Israeli forces in accordance with the Camp David Treaty.
This year’s anniversary is different from previous years as it coincides with a new presidential term for President Abdel Fattah El Sisi, the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, who led major efforts to combat terrorism in Sinai.
Now North Sinai’s cities of el-Arish, Rafah, Sheikh Zuweid are witnessing reconstruction, development and agriculture again.
The phase of restoring Sinai via political negotiations came on the sixteenth day of the October 1973 War, when Resolution No. 338 was issued, stipulating the cessation of all military actions starting from 22 October 1973, after the intervention of America and the member states of the UN Security Council, which Egypt accepted and implemented on the evening of the decision’s issuance.
After Sinai was recovered by force of arms and the intelligence of Egyptian diplomacy, this land did not witness real development, and remained trapped in marginalisation and neglect for many decades, until President Sisi put Sinai at the top of the development agenda. However, he faced terrorism that had taken this beloved spot as its centre to threaten the stability and security of Egypt. But thanks to the determination of the supreme commander of the armed forces and his successors from the military establishment, and the Egyptians, he was able to defeat terrorism and make the peninsula safe.
Over the past ten years, Sinai has witnessed many unprecedented national projects, with the aim of bringing about comprehensive development there. President Sisi announced in 2014 an integrated national project to protect and develop the Sinai Peninsula at all levels.
The first national project was launched with the opening of the new Suez Canal, after which goals were set to achieve development in all sectors there.
Today, many infrastructure projects have been completed in Sinai, including eight sea ports, three land ports, seven floating bridges, five airports and five tunnels under the canal to connect Sinai to the canal cities. This is in addition to completing the 226-kilometre railway route from el-Ferdan to Rafah.
A report announced by the Cabinet Information and Decision Support Centre, entitled ‘Egypt and the Development of Sinai – Nonstop Efforts’, mentions the development of North Sinai gas fields with a targeted production capacity of 45 million cubic feet per day. Electricity projects have also made tremendous progress, in addition to water and sanitation.
Public investments of LE73.3 billion have been directed to national projects in Sinai in 2022-2023, plus 332 investment opportunities and 139 industrial concerns are available in Sinai and the canal cities.
The glories of the past in liberating Sinai are followed by the glories of the present through unprecedented development processes to create a bright future.
Mohamed Fahmy is the editor-in-chief
of The Egyptian Gazette and
Egyptian Mail newspapers
