Sisi vows to defeat terrorism at launch of New Suez Canal

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said on Thursday Egypt would defeat terrorism, as he inaugurated the New Suez Canal project and the first ship passed through the waterway.

"Egypt during this year stood against the most dangerous terrorist ideology, that would burn the world if it could," he said at a lavish ceremony attended by world leaders. "We are fighting them and will defeat them."

The canal expansion is the centrepiece of a grand agenda by Sisi to cement his tenure as the man who brought stability and prosperity to Egypt after he ousted elected Muslim Brotherhood President Mohamed Mursi in 2013 following mass protests.