Egypt has opened a major expansion to the Suez Canal to much fanfare.

The project is being trumpeted as the basis of an economic turnaround for the country.

On the orders of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi the major engineering feat was completed in one year instead of three at a cost of nearly 8 billion euros, although critics say the money would have been better spent on infrastructure and public services.

At a lavish ceremony the former army chief, told gathered dignatories from Europe, Russia and Africa that Egypt would defeat the terror threat which had threatened the project.

“Egypt did not only achieve this project during this year or the previous two years, to be exact. History will record that Egypt stood against and fought the most dangerous extremist ideology. If they had been able to put their hands on this land it would have burnt it to the ground.”

The country is facing off a two-year old insurgency on the other side of the Suez Canal in the Sinai peninsula whi