Egypt’s President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi inaugurated the "3rd of July" Naval Base, located in Gargoub area in the country’s northwest coast on Saturday.

The "3rd of July" base, which is considered the newest Egyptian military base on the Mediterranean Sea, will be in charge of securing Egypt’s northern and western strategic borders, presidential spokesman Bassam Rady said in a statement.

The 3rd of July base, which stretches over 10 million square meters, is Egypt’s largest naval base.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by Abu-Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, head of Libya’s Presidency Council Mohamed Al-Menfi as well as senior Egyptian officials including Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly and Minister of Defense and Military Production Mohamed Zaki.

The national anthem was played upon the arrival of El-Sisi at the base, the artillery fired 21 rounds and the Egyptian flag was raised to celebrate the base’s entry into service.

The naval base will also safeguard Egypt’s economic capabilities, secure shipping routes, and maintain maritime security by using combat groups from land military units, submarines, and air forces, Rady added.

During the opening ceremony, commander of the Egyptian Navy Lieutenant General Ahmed Khaled said the base is part of the overall development strategy for the Armed Forces. “The base is a message of peace and development for the entire region,” he stressed.

The Egyptian state implements a comprehensive plan to achieve development after achieving victory over terrorism, against the forces of extremism and terrorism with weapons of thought and comprehensive development, Khaled said.

The new base took its name from a history associated with eliminating the motives of hateful terrorism and moving towards development and progress, including the tangible interest in the sea after the 30 June Revolution, the navy commander said.

Khaled stressed that the base will help protect navigation in the Suez Canal and confront illegal immigration.

The new base will be witnessing the military drill "Qader 2021" on Saturday, Khaled said.

The "3rd of July" base represents a new addition to Egypt’s naval bases system, according to the presidency statement, as part of the comprehensive development plan for the Navy Forces.

Through the development plan, the naval bases will act as provider of the logistical support for the Egyptian troops in the Red and Mediterranean seas to confront any challenges and threats that may exist in the region, as well as combating the smuggling and illegal immigration, the presidential spokesman noted.