EXCLUSIVE: Egypt eyes guarantees for tourist resort in deal on Greek monastery
The 6th-century Greek Orthodox monastery of Saint Catherine, designated by UNESCO as a site of 'outstanding universal value,' sits at the foot of Mount Sinai in Egypt's desert south.
In May, it lost its land rights after an Egyptian court ordered that they be transferred to the state.
Within days of the ruling, Euractiv was granted exclusive access to the monastery, where monks and local Bedouins said they prayed the site would withstand this latest challenge.
Following the court ruling, the foreign ministers of Greece and Egypt met several times and agreed to seek a permanent solution, with an announcement expected soon. Athens has always seen the monastery's legal status as non-negotiable, and a draft framework agreement seen by Euractiv – still subject to change – reflects that, stating its religious character would be preserved, monks could continue their rituals, and the monastery would keep ownership of its premises.
But the same document also guarantees Egypt the 'ability to implement its future plans aimed at sustainable development as one of the objectives of the modern Egyptian state.' Cairo has previously said those plans include developing the area into a tourist resort.
Monks, for their part, fear such plans would eventually drive them out.
'The government plan to build massive hotels surrounding the monastery [is] going to destroy the holy land that has survived for centuries,' a source from the Greek Orthodox Church told Euractiv on condition of anonymity. The monastery's special autonomous regime has been recognised by a long line of rulers, from Islamic caliphates to the Ottoman Empire, allowing it to endure as one of the world's oldest continuously operating Christian sites.
And the bulldozers may not be far away: according to the activist organisation World Heritage Watch, Egypt is already building development projects around the area, and ongoing construction is in breach of the UNESCO World Heritage Convention. The timing is also politically sensitive. Egypt is in the middle of a campaign for the post of UNESCO Director-General for 2025–2029, putting forward former Tourism Minister Khaled al-Anani, who has the backing of both the League of Arab States and the African Union.
A sticking point in the draft agreement is also what happens to the monastery's treasure trove – everything from gilded icons to centuries-old manuscripts. Under the text, Egyptian authorities would get a say in how they're looked after, 'under the provisions of the Antiquities Protection Law.'
That's ringing alarm bells for some, who see it as giving the state control over sacred objects belonging to a minority faith. Other religious groups, including the Copts, have voiced similar concerns. A controversial court case Egypt's May ruling is believed to have originated from a case brought by individuals linked to the Muslim Brotherhood, an Islamist organisation founded in Egypt in the 1920s and frequently criticised for its rigid beliefs
Though the Muslim Brotherhood has been outlawed by Egypt's military regime, it continues to wield influence in the country. Regarding the case of St Catherine's, however, its interests dovetail with those of the government, if for different reasons
Despite their political enmity, the case was supported by President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi because he is keen to expand Egypt's tourism sector. Inside the monastery, however, the 15 resident monks have questioned the very basis of the legal case. After the ruling, they removed their abbot, Damianos, arguing he had represented them in court without their knowledge or consent.
'The monks' Sinai monastic community is the most ancient democratic system, and it should have been present at the court – not Damianos as an individual,' said a source familiar with the matter. European Commission on alert
In Brussels, EU officials say they're keeping a close eye on the row, in line with the new Commission's focus on relations with Mediterranean neighbours and the knock-on effects for migration. Athens and Cairo have previously worked together on migration coordination and energy projects. Greece also needs to maintain positive relations with Egypt, which is a strategic ally for Greece in the often volatile eastern Mediterranean.
When asked how Brussels plans to protect the Monastery in light of Egypt's tourism project, an EU spokesperson told Euractiv that the Commission will continue to follow the matter and 'the commitments made by the government of Egypt, in close coordination with our member states.'
'The Egyptian authorities informed European ambassadors that the government remains fully committed to preserving the monastery's religious, historical, and spiritual status, emphasising that monks' access is unaffected and that the court ruling formally protects the site for the first time,' they added. (mm)
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ATHENS – The Egyptian government is seeking guarantees to build a massive tourist resort around one of Christianity's oldest living sites, according to a document seen by Euractiv. The 6th-century Greek Orthodox monastery of Saint Catherine, designated by UNESCO as a site of 'outstanding universal value,' sits at the foot of Mount Sinai in Egypt's desert south. In May, it lost its land rights after an Egyptian court ordered that they be transferred to the state. Within days of the ruling, Euractiv was granted exclusive access to the monastery, where monks and local Bedouins said they prayed the site would withstand this latest challenge. Following the court ruling, the foreign ministers of Greece and Egypt met several times and agreed to seek a permanent solution, with an announcement expected soon. Athens has always seen the monastery's legal status as non-negotiable, and a draft framework agreement seen by Euractiv – still subject to change – reflects that, stating its religious character would be preserved, monks could continue their rituals, and the monastery would keep ownership of its premises. But the same document also guarantees Egypt the 'ability to implement its future plans aimed at sustainable development as one of the objectives of the modern Egyptian state.' Cairo has previously said those plans include developing the area into a tourist resort. Monks, for their part, fear such plans would eventually drive them out. 'The government plan to build massive hotels surrounding the monastery [is] going to destroy the holy land that has survived for centuries,' a source from the Greek Orthodox Church told Euractiv on condition of anonymity. The monastery's special autonomous regime has been recognised by a long line of rulers, from Islamic caliphates to the Ottoman Empire, allowing it to endure as one of the world's oldest continuously operating Christian sites. And the bulldozers may not be far away: according to the activist organisation World Heritage Watch, Egypt is already building development projects around the area, and ongoing construction is in breach of the UNESCO World Heritage Convention. The timing is also politically sensitive. Egypt is in the middle of a campaign for the post of UNESCO Director-General for 2025–2029, putting forward former Tourism Minister Khaled al-Anani, who has the backing of both the League of Arab States and the African Union. A sticking point in the draft agreement is also what happens to the monastery's treasure trove – everything from gilded icons to centuries-old manuscripts. Under the text, Egyptian authorities would get a say in how they're looked after, 'under the provisions of the Antiquities Protection Law.' That's ringing alarm bells for some, who see it as giving the state control over sacred objects belonging to a minority faith. Other religious groups, including the Copts, have voiced similar concerns. A controversial court case Egypt's May ruling is believed to have originated from a case brought by individuals linked to the Muslim Brotherhood, an Islamist organisation founded in Egypt in the 1920s and frequently criticised for its rigid beliefs Though the Muslim Brotherhood has been outlawed by Egypt's military regime, it continues to wield influence in the country. Regarding the case of St Catherine's, however, its interests dovetail with those of the government, if for different reasons Despite their political enmity, the case was supported by President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi because he is keen to expand Egypt's tourism sector. Inside the monastery, however, the 15 resident monks have questioned the very basis of the legal case. After the ruling, they removed their abbot, Damianos, arguing he had represented them in court without their knowledge or consent. 'The monks' Sinai monastic community is the most ancient democratic system, and it should have been present at the court – not Damianos as an individual,' said a source familiar with the matter. European Commission on alert In Brussels, EU officials say they're keeping a close eye on the row, in line with the new Commission's focus on relations with Mediterranean neighbours and the knock-on effects for migration. Athens and Cairo have previously worked together on migration coordination and energy projects. Greece also needs to maintain positive relations with Egypt, which is a strategic ally for Greece in the often volatile eastern Mediterranean. When asked how Brussels plans to protect the Monastery in light of Egypt's tourism project, an EU spokesperson told Euractiv that the Commission will continue to follow the matter and 'the commitments made by the government of Egypt, in close coordination with our member states.' 'The Egyptian authorities informed European ambassadors that the government remains fully committed to preserving the monastery's religious, historical, and spiritual status, emphasising that monks' access is unaffected and that the court ruling formally protects the site for the first time,' they added. (mm)
