President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi delivered a speech this morning on the occasion of the 44th anniversary of the liberation of Sinai.
The following is the text:
In the name of God, the most gracious, the most merciful
The great people of Egypt,
Today we celebrate the forty-fourth anniversary of the liberation of our precious Sinai. That pivotal moment in the history of the nation was not merely the recovery of occupied land, but rather an eternal affirmation and declaration that Egypt will not give up an iota of its soil, nor will it accept any compromise on its rights and its land.
This day has embodied a firm truth: that the truth, no matter how long the road to it, is never lost, but is restored through unwavering faith, strong determination, and sincere work.
Sinai is not just a geographical area of the homeland, but its fortified gateway, watered by the blood of martyrs and adorned with the steadfastness of heroes, to bear witness that the great Egyptian people are capable of making miracles, and that its valiant army is the shield and the sword, liberating the land yesterday, protecting it today, and remaining capable of deterring anyone who dares to approach Egypt or compromise its national security.
On this glorious occasion, we extend our highest respect and appreciation to our valiant armed forces and to the civilian police who maintain internal security. We also express our sincere appreciation and loyalty to the late President Mohamed Anwar Sadat, the man of insightful vision and firm will, towards peace in the region.
We also salute the Egyptian legal team, which fought the international arbitration battle with skill and competence, until Egypt recovered Taba. Thus, the epic of liberation was completed, and Sinai returned completely under Egyptian sovereignty, standing tall in the embrace of the dear homeland, after military battles, political debates, and legal discussions fought by the sons of Egypt in various arenas.
Dear sons of Egypt,
Yesterday’s battle, which Egyptians fought with weapons, blood, and thought, has today extended to the battle of construction and development. Just as we reclaimed the land through sacrifices, we protect and build it with sweat and work.
With unwavering will and determination, the Egyptian state has chosen to pursue the path of construction and development without pause or delay, despite the grave challenges that Egypt and the region have faced during the last decade, starting with the war on hateful terrorism, passing through the “Corona” pandemic, then the Russian-Ukrainian war, then the Gaza war, and finally the Iranian war, and the heavy repercussions of all of that, including Egypt’s loss of about ten billion dollars in Suez Canal revenues due to attacks on ships in the Bab al-Mandab Strait, and the influx of about ten million expatriates from brotherly and friendly countries, in addition to the global rise in food and energy prices.
Despite the enormity of those challenges, Egypt, thanks to God Almighty, and through hard work, and the cohesion and resilience of its people, was able to overcome crisis after crisis and maintain its stability, until it became an oasis of security and safety in a turbulent environment from every direction.
I also affirm our awareness of the magnitude of the pressures facing our great people, and our understanding that building a strong and stable state is the surest guarantee for preserving the homeland and its people. We are working with all the strength and ability we possess to alleviate the burdens and reduce the consequences as much as possible.
The noble Egyptian people,
The Middle East region is going through delicate and fateful circumstances, as it witnesses deliberate attempts to redraw its map under extremist ideological pretexts.
Egypt believes that the best path for the future of this region is not based on occupation, destruction and bloodshed, but on cooperation, construction and peace to achieve stability, which is the only way for good to prevail for all.
In this regard, Egypt affirms the necessity of respecting the sovereignty of states and the integrity of their territories, and stopping attempts to divide and dismantle the countries of the region, seize the resources of their peoples, and fuel the causes of internal fighting, civil and international wars. It also affirms that political solutions and negotiations are the best way to spare the region further disasters, bloodshed and destruction.
In this context, Egypt clearly and firmly condemned the attacks that some sister Arab countries have recently been subjected to. It affirmed its categorical rejection of any infringement on the sovereignty of those countries or violation of their territorial integrity, declaring its full support for them. Egypt takes well-known political stances to support Arab rights before international organizations, without ambiguity or appeasement.
I affirm here that solidarity is the only way for the countries of the region to overcome their hardships, and that Egypt will remain the support and pillar for its nation, defending its causes and working sincerely to achieve its higher interests.
We also stress the importance of the full implementation of the second phase of the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip, including the unhindered entry of humanitarian aid and the immediate commencement of the reconstruction of the Strip.
We affirm our categorical rejection, which does not accept interpretation or compromise, of any attempt to displace Palestinians, under any circumstances, and the necessity of stopping the repeated attacks against the Palestinian people in the West Bank, in order to protect their rights, preserve their dignity, and uphold the values of justice and humanity.
I reiterate that Egypt's choice has always been peace, a choice stemming from strength, wisdom, and unwavering conviction, not from weakness, hesitation, or fear. The Egyptian Armed Forces, with their doctrine and competence, are capable of protecting and defending the homeland and confronting anyone who attempts to compromise its national security or threaten its stability.
The proud people of Egypt,
In conclusion, I renew my pledge before God and before you to continue working with all sincerity and dedication to protect the homeland, preserve its stability, and build a brighter future for its children.
And I assure you, with complete confidence and certainty in God Almighty, that no matter how great the challenges become, and how much the conflicts and crises in our regional environment worsen, Egypt, with the help of God Almighty, and thanks to your cohesion, awareness and understanding, will remain proud, impervious to penetration or defeat.
May God protect Egypt and its people.
May God guide us all to what is best for the nation and its stability.
Happy New Year.
Always and forever, by God Almighty
“"Long live Egypt, long live Egypt!"
Long live Egypt!”
Peace, mercy and blessings of God be upon you.
