Egypt delays opening of massive new museum
CAIRO: Egyptian authorities announced on Saturday that the long-awaited inauguration of the Grand Egyptian Museum, known as GEM, would once again be delayed as a result of escalating regional tensions.
'In view of the ongoing regional developments, it was decided to postpone the official inauguration of the Grand Egyptian Museum, which was scheduled for July 3,' the Tourism and Antiquities Ministry said in a statement.
Spanning 50 hectares, the GEM is twice the size of both Paris' Louvre and New York's Metropolitan, and two-and-a-half times that of the British Museum, according to its director.
Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly told a press conference on Saturday that the grand opening would be delayed until the last quarter of this year.
In view of current events, 'we believed it would be appropriate to delay this big event so that it can maintain the appropriate global momentum,' he added.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi has previously described the GEM as 'the largest archeological museum in the world dedicated to one civilization.'
The opening of the massive, ultra-modern museum situated near the Giza Pyramids has been repeatedly delayed over the years due to the COVID-19 pandemic and other reasons.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Asharq Al-Awsat
6 hours ago
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Arab Foreign Ministers to Discuss Political Solutions to Iran-Israel Conflict in Istanbul
Arab foreign ministers are set to convene on the sidelines of the upcoming Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) summit in Istanbul early next week to discuss the repercussions of the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict and explore diplomatic avenues to reduce regional tensions, Egyptian and Arab diplomatic sources told Asharq Al-Awsat. The call for the meeting was spearheaded by Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein, who urged an emergency session of Arab foreign ministers in Istanbul to coordinate a unified Arab stance amid rapidly evolving developments and regional challenges. Iraq currently holds the rotating presidency of the Arab League, having assumed the role from Bahrain at the regular summit held on May 17. The Iraqi foreign ministry confirmed that the minister's proposal followed a phone call with his Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdelatty on Wednesday. Egypt's foreign ministry had earlier announced that Abdelatty engaged in consultations with ministers from Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain to address the escalating military tensions and the broader implications for regional and international peace and security. An Arab diplomatic source said the upcoming meeting aims to discuss the impact of the Israeli-Iranian conflict and is part of intensified efforts to coordinate regional positions and ease the crisis. The 51st Council of Foreign Ministers meeting of OIC member states, hosted in Istanbul on June 22-23, will gather nearly 1,000 participants from the organization's 57 member states, along with affiliated institutions, observer states, and international organizations, reported Türkiye's Anadolu Agency. However, the source ruled out any immediate plans for an emergency Arab League summit to address the conflict. Another Egyptian diplomatic official told Asharq Al-Awsat that the OIC foreign ministers' meeting would feature several bilateral and multilateral sessions focused on regional coordination, adding that the Istanbul meetings aim to revive diplomatic negotiations. Egypt and several Arab countries have intensified diplomatic outreach to regional and international actors to push for a military de-escalation, a ceasefire, and prevent the conflict from spreading across the Middle East, the source said. Cairo University's Professor of International Relations Ikram Badreddine highlighted the importance of a coordinated Arab and Islamic position, describing it as a significant regional and international bloc. He told Asharq Al-Awsat that 'aligned stances among these countries could influence the current escalation and promote conflict containment.' He also warned of the risks posed by failure to contain the Israel-Iran conflict, including the potential involvement of major powers such as the United States, Russia, and Pakistan, which could further destabilize the region.
Arab News
a day ago
- Arab News
Israel restarts limited gas exports amid ongoing conflict, Egypt still waiting
CAIRO: Israel has resumed limited natural gas exports from surplus supplies, the country's Energy Ministry said on Thursday, nearly a week after shutting down two key offshore fields as Israel and Iran waged an air battle. A ministry spokesperson told Reuters that exports are now resuming 'from surpluses, after domestic needs are met.' An energy ministry source said most of the limited exported gas is currently flowing to Jordan, and only 'tiny volumes' reached Egypt this week. Egyptian fertilizer producers, who were forced to halt operations due to the supply disruption, told Reuters they have yet to receive any gas but expect flows to resume next week. The Egyptian Petroleum Ministry did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. Following military escalation in the region, Israel halted exports on June 13 after closing the Leviathan field, operated by Chevron and the Karish field operated by Energean. Only the Tamar field has remained operational, supplying mainly domestic demand. Israeli Energy Minister Eli Cohen said on Wednesday that exports would only resume once military authorities deemed it safe. 'I don't want to use our strategic storage, so therefore, I needed to cut exports,' he told Reuters. Egypt, which has increasingly relied on Israeli gas since a domestic production decline in 2022, is scrambling to compensate for the supply gap. The country has ramped up fuel oil use in power plants and has signed deals to import over $8 billion worth of liquefied natural gas, while preparing additional floating regasification units. Israeli gas typically accounts for up to 60 percent of Egypt's total gas imports and around a fifth of its total consumption, according to data from the Joint Organizations Data Initiative (JODI).
Arab News
2 days ago
- Arab News
Iraqi foreign minister calls for emergency meeting of Arab counterparts next week
LONDON: Iraq's foreign minister, Fuad Hussein, on Wednesday called for an emergency meeting of his Arab counterparts to discuss the conflict between Israel and Iran, which he said poses destabilizing risks to the wider Middle East. He suggested it take place on the sidelines of the 51st session of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation's Council of Foreign Ministers, which is due to begin in Istanbul on Saturday. The aim of the emergency meeting would be to coordinate Arab positions on the escalation of the military confrontation between Israel and Iran, who have been exchanging attacks since Friday. Also on Wednesday, Hussein called his Egyptian counterpart, Badr Abdelatty, to discuss the conflict and its repercussions for the security and stability of the region, officials said. Iraq currently chairs the Arab League, which held its most recent summit in Baghdad in May. Egypt hosts the League's headquarters in Cairo.
