Cairo: President Abdel Fattah El Sisi has signed the official charter inaugurating the State Strategic Command Headquarters, known as the Octagon, and raised the Armed Forces flag to mark the formal opening of the military complex in the New Capital.
According to State Information Service Egypt, during the inauguration ceremony, Sisi was joined by Chief of Staff Ahmed Khalifa, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces and Minister of Defense and Military Production Lieutenant General Ashraf Salem Zaher, along with senior military commanders.
The signing of the inauguration document and the raising of the Armed Forces flag officially marked the launch of the Octagon, the headquarters designed to serve as the central command hub for Egypt's strategic military operations. The ceremony formed part of official events attended by the country's top civilian and military leadership to commemorate the opening of the new facility.
Sisi handed the Armed Forces flag to the Guard of Honor commander, marking its raising over the Strategic Command Headquarters. The President kissed the flag during the ceremony, while the Guard of Honor commander received it and saluted President Sisi.
President Sisi announced the inauguration of Egypt's Strategic Command Headquarters. Following his speech, in which he said the 'Octagon' Strategic Command Headquarters represents a message that Egypt is a country of stability and security and a great edifice for the great Egyptian people. The President invited the commanders of the main branches of the Armed Forces to join him in giving the signal to mark the inauguration of the headquarters.
Sisi directed the military band to perform Salute to the Martyr during the inauguration ceremony of the Strategic Military Command Headquarters "Octagon." Opening his remarks at the ceremony, Sisi said: "On a day like this, we cannot forget them," paying tribute to Egypt's fallen heroes.
Sisi inspected the State Strategic Command Headquarters, the Octagon, in the New Capital. Wearing a military uniform, the President inspected a number of military vehicles and equipment lined up along the road in celebration of his arrival and saluted the troops stationed along the route during the tour. Military bands played the national anthem during the visit.
The Octagon is the largest of its kind in the Middle East. It goes beyond the concept of traditional military headquarters, representing an integrated crisis management and control center that links sovereign state institutions using the latest communication technologies and artificial intelligence. The headquarters also features an integrated system comprising operations centers under one roof, relying on an isolated network secured against modern cyber threats to ensure rapid response and protect state assets.
Sisi received a commemorative gift from Lieutenant General Ashraf Salem Zahir, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces and Minister of Defense and Military Production, on the occasion of the inauguration of Egypt's Strategic Command Headquarters. The President viewed the commemorative gift as the Minister of Defense provided a detailed explanation of it. Following the presentation, President Sisi shook hands with the Minister.