Nuclear power deal strengthens Egypt’s bonds with Russia
The Russian president, Vladimir Putin, arrived in Cairo yesterday with expectations that flights from Moscow carrying tourists would soon follow his summit with president Abdel Fattah El Sisi – which together with deals for a nuclear power plant and expanded defence co-operation, bring Russo-Egyptian ties to their closest since the early 1970s.
As crucial as Russian support is for Mr El Sisi’s economic and security agenda, officials are most cheered by the increasing alignment with Moscow on core Middle East issues at a time of consternation and confusion in Egypt’s relations with the US.
“The co-operation is not only about weapons, it’s also about what’s going on in the region,” said Egyptian air force commander Hisham El Halaby.
“We’ve co-operated on Syria and now the Jerusalem embassy announcement by the US is a golden opportunity for Russia to have a more effective role in Middle East peace efforts.”
While Russia recognised West Jerusalem as Israel’s capital in April, Moscow has insisted that its embassy could not move there until two-state talks resulted in a Palestinian capital in the eastern part of the city.
“The United States is unfair, dishonest and obviously siding with Israel,” said Mr El Halaby, reflecting the anger over Mr Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
The continuing diplomatic fallout over the decision announced on Wednesday includes the revocation of invitations extended to US vice-president Mike Pence by Egypt’s senior Muslim and Christian clerics and emergency meetings and phone calls between Mr El Sisi, Jordan’s King Abdullah and Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas.
US, European and Asian countries bid to build the nuclear facility and winning the deal is a commercial coup for government-owned Rosatom as well as a political triumph for Mr Putin.
The Dabaa nuclear power plant, to be built on the Mediterranean coast, about 130 kilometres north-west of Cairo, will have four reactors producing 1,200 megawatts each.
The deal follows an announcement in October that Russian state petroleum firm Rosneft would acquire a 30 per cent stake in the development of Egypt’s Zohr field, the largest gas field in the Mediterranean, from the Italian company Eni.
But a resumption of Russian tourist flights is what would really boost the Egyptian economy. Before the 2011 Arab Spring, tourism made up 13 per cent of Egypt’s gross national product, bringing in US$20 billion (Dh72bn) a year, according to government figures.
Moscow halted civilian air traffic to Egypt in 2015 after ISIL claimed the bombing of a Russian Metrojet flight from the Red Sea resort Sharm El Sheikh, killing all 224 people on board. Russians were the largest group of foreign tourists to Egypt, with Red Sea destinations taking up to three million a year.