April 30, 2025 | 09:09 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - U.S. President Donald Trump asserted that ships from the United States should be allowed to pass through the Suez and Panama Canals without incurring any fees. He argued that these vital waterways owe their existence to America.
"American Ships, both Military and Commercial, should be allowed to travel, free of charge, through the Panama and Suez Canals. Those Canals would not exist without the United States of America," Trump's statement was quoted on the Truth Social platform that was cited by Middle East Monitor, April 27, 2025.
The Suez Canal is a man-made waterway that stretches 193 kilometers, cutting through the Suez Peninsula in Egypt. It links the Mediterranean Sea in the north to the Red Sea in the south, separating Africa from Asia and providing the shortest shipping route between Europe and areas around the Indian Ocean and western Pacific.
Since its inauguration in 1869, the Suez Canal has become one of the world’s most vital shipping routes, according to Britannica.
Unlike many other canals, the Suez Canal does not feature locks, allowing ships to travel directly from one end to the other. The route passes through several lakes, including Lake Manzala, Lake Timsah, and the Great and Little Bitter Lakes. On its western side, it is bordered by the fertile Nile Delta, while the rugged Sinai Peninsula lies to the east.
The construction of the canal commenced in 1859 and was completed over a span of 10 years through manual excavation and the use of heavy machinery operated by both local and European workers.
The Suez Canal was officially opened on November 17, 1869, and has since been expanded several times, including a significant US$8.5 billion project completed in 2015. This expansion aimed to enhance its capacity and introduced a parallel 35-kilometer-long waterway.
Beyond being a crucial shipping route, the Suez Canal is also a significant source of revenue for Egypt. The transit fees charged to ships passing through the canal contribute significantly to the country's foreign exchange.
In 2018, over 18,000 ships passed through the canal. Since its nationalization by President Gamal Abdel Nasser in 1956, the Suez Canal has been managed exclusively by the Suez Canal Authority, under the control of the Egyptian government.
Response to Trump's Call
Trump's call was responded to by international law expert from the University of Cairo, Ayman Salama, to Xinhua on Monday, April 28, 2025.
Salama highlighted the 1888 Constantinople Convention that established the basic principles governing international affairs with the Suez Canal, which guarantees the right of all countries to utilize this global waterway.
"Trump's proposals about international waterways constitute a serious threat to international peace, security, and public order," said Ayman Salama.
According to him, Trump's claim has no legal basis and disregards the sovereignty of coastal states over straits and their territorial waters.
This could lead to interference in the domestic affairs of a country, which violates the general principle of non-interference in contemporary international law.
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