Sisi transfers control of northern Sinai port to army for security reasons
Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi issued a decision to transfer control of el-Arish port in northern Sinai to the armed forces, a move critics say tightens the army’s grip on the country’s institutions.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi issued a decree July 16 to transfer control over the Port of el-Arish and its surrounding buildings, facilities and land in the northern Sinai Peninsula to the armed forces.
Political analysts and economists said the move is mainly aimed at tightening security measures in this area, which has been witnessing terrorist attacks for years, as well as for carrying out developmental projects to serve the area’s residents.
According to Article 1 of the decree, “The Port of el-Arish in northern Sinai governorate, all its buildings, facilities and any other surrounding land plots shall be deemed to be of public utility, except for military sites that are exploited in defense of the state.”
The second article stipulates the transfer of authority over the el-Arish port and reallocation of all the land surrounding it to the armed forces for developmental work. The total area is approximately 156 square kilometers (60 square miles).
