On Sunday, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi denied rumors about selling the Suez Canal for a trillion dollars, describing it as “rumors and lies.”
Al-Sisi said in a speech while inspecting the line-up of equipment participating in the development and reconstruction of Sinai: “Until now, there is an abnormal amount of lies and rumors, the last of which was the talk that was said during the past month that we are selling the Suez Canal, and there is an offer of a trillion dollars, but I know that the Egyptians are paying attention and will not believe.”
The Egyptian President stressed that the state succeeded in aborting the plan to turn Sinai into a permanent hotbed of terrorism.
He stressed that the coming period will witness the implementation of a grand plan to achieve high development rates in Sinai.
He added, “The success of the various state agencies in blocking the phenomenon of terrorism enabled the state to implement the comprehensive development plan for Sinai.”
The following are the highlights of Sisi’s speech:
- Terrorism was hindering people’s lives, not just development.
- It was aimed at turning Sinai into a permanent hotbed of terrorism, which the Egyptian state confronted with all force and succeeded in preventing it.
- The Egyptian state was not implementing projects for development and reconstruction in Sinai because of the high cost.
- Sinai covers an area of 60,000 square kilometers, and it requires a high cost to implement road networks and power stations.
- The cost of development in Sinai is high, and this is what impeded development during the period that passed.
- The Egyptian state continues to be targeted with rumors and fabrications, after we succeeded in undermining the terrorist plot.
- The understanding and awareness of the Egyptian people is the strong guarantee for protecting the country from all dangers.
- Al-Sisi thanked some of the heads of companies implementing a number of works and projects in Sinai.
