Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi joined by Abu Dhabi Crown Prince MBZ at the opening ceremony.
The ceremony was attended by crown prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan (R), and by the chairman of Libya's Presidential Council Mohamed al-Menfi [AFP]
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has opened a strategic naval base on the Mediterranean Sea to “secure shipping lines”, the presidency said.
“It is the latest Egyptian military base on the Mediterranean, and will be focused on securing the country’s northern and western front,” the Egyptian presidency said in a statement on Saturday.
The ceremony was attended by the crown prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (MBZ), and by the chairman of Libya’s Presidential Council Mohamed al-Menfi.
The base lies some 255 kilometres (160 miles) west of Alexandria, towards the border with Libya, a country where both Egypt and the United Arab Emirates have played a key military role.
Libya’s new transitional executive emerged from a UN process that was launched in November in Tunis, then voted on in Geneva and confirmed by Libya’s parliament on March 10.
Egypt and the UAE were key backers of Khalifa Haftar, the eastern-based Libyan military commander who had tried to seize the capital Tripoli from the previous government.
The base will be focused on securing the country’s northern and western front, the Egyptian presidency said [AFP]
In April, Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly travelled to Libya, where he had talks with interim prime minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah, in a new sign of warming ties between Cairo and Tripoli.
Dbeibah visited Egypt in February on his first official trip abroad after his election.
In April, Dbeibah also paid a visit to Abu Dhabi, where he was warmly greeted by Sheikh Mohammed, who expressed support for the new Libyan administration.
El-Sisi and his guests witnessed military manoeuvres involving several vessels, attack helicopters and fighter jets.
State-run newspaper Akhbar Al-Youm reported that the new Egyptian base includes an airstrip and a 1,000-metre (3,280-foot) long pier.
The base was named “July 3” after the day eight years ago when Sisi led the military removal of president Mohamed Morsi.
The ceremony was attended by crown prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan (R), and by the chairman of Libya's Presidential Council Mohamed al-Menfi [AFP]
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has opened a strategic naval base on the Mediterranean Sea to “secure shipping lines”, the presidency said.
“It is the latest Egyptian military base on the Mediterranean, and will be focused on securing the country’s northern and western front,” the Egyptian presidency said in a statement on Saturday.
The ceremony was attended by the crown prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (MBZ), and by the chairman of Libya’s Presidential Council Mohamed al-Menfi.
The base lies some 255 kilometres (160 miles) west of Alexandria, towards the border with Libya, a country where both Egypt and the United Arab Emirates have played a key military role.
Libya’s new transitional executive emerged from a UN process that was launched in November in Tunis, then voted on in Geneva and confirmed by Libya’s parliament on March 10.
Egypt and the UAE were key backers of Khalifa Haftar, the eastern-based Libyan military commander who had tried to seize the capital Tripoli from the previous government.
The base will be focused on securing the country’s northern and western front, the Egyptian presidency said [AFP]
In April, Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly travelled to Libya, where he had talks with interim prime minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah, in a new sign of warming ties between Cairo and Tripoli.
Dbeibah visited Egypt in February on his first official trip abroad after his election.
In April, Dbeibah also paid a visit to Abu Dhabi, where he was warmly greeted by Sheikh Mohammed, who expressed support for the new Libyan administration.
El-Sisi and his guests witnessed military manoeuvres involving several vessels, attack helicopters and fighter jets.
State-run newspaper Akhbar Al-Youm reported that the new Egyptian base includes an airstrip and a 1,000-metre (3,280-foot) long pier.
The base was named “July 3” after the day eight years ago when Sisi led the military removal of president Mohamed Morsi.
Egypt opens Mediterranean naval base
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi was joined by Abu Dhabi Crown Prince MBZ at the opening ceremony.
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