The Russian Cultural Centre in Cairo marked the 66th anniversary of the Aswan High Dam’s foundation on Friday, with officials and engineers underscoring its lasting development impact and historic Egyptian-Russian cooperation. Egypt celebrated the milestone on 9 January 2026, marking the day in 1960 when the late President Gamal Abdel-Nasser laid the foundation stone for one of the country’s most significant national projects.
To commemorate both the anniversary of the foundation and 55 years of operation, officials, engineers, and historians gathered at the Russian Cultural Centre on Monday. The event, attended by Egyptian engineers who built the dam alongside Soviet experts, highlighted the project’s enduring influence on Egypt’s development and the partnership between Cairo and Moscow.
The Aswan High Dam remains a cornerstone of Egypt’s modern history, having reshaped agriculture, industry, and water management while symbolising national sovereignty. The anniversary arrives amidst a renewed focus on water security and expanding Egyptian-Russian cooperation, including the Dabaa nuclear power plant.
Mohamed El-Shafei, Roshdy Attia, Ezzat Saad, Vadim Zaychikov and Sherif Gad. Photo courtesy of the Russian Cultural Centre.
The celebration was jointly organised by the Russian Cultural Centre, the High Dam Builders Association, and the Egyptian-Russian Friendship Association. Notable attendees included Vadim Zaychikov, director of Russian cultural centres in Egypt; former Egyptian ambassador to Moscow, Ezzat Saad; Roshdy Attia, deputy head of the High Dam Builders Association; and historian Mohamed El-Shafei. The event was moderated by Sherif Gad, Secretary-General of the Egyptian-Russian Friendship Association.
Addressing the audience, Zaychikov stated that the former Soviet Union was a “loyal friend” during construction, providing the technical and political support necessary to overcome major challenges. He highlighted the dam’s role in expanding agricultural land, noting that bilateral relations continue to advance through modern projects.
Vadim Zaychikov, director of Russian cultural centres with the Egyptian engineers who built the dam.
Roshdy Attia added that cooperation was tested by extreme desert heat, but succeeded through shared purpose. “We completed the project despite all difficulties, and it remains a source of pride,” he said.
Former Ambassador Saad described the dam as a long-held national dream realised through Egyptian determination and Soviet backing, calling the partnership a model for international relations. Meanwhile, El-Shafei noted that while plans for the dam had existed for decades, they were only pursued seriously after the 1952 Revolution, with President Nasser fast-tracking feasibility studies. He added that the project created a generation of Egyptian hydraulic experts who later contributed to dam projects abroad, including in Tanzania.
Sherif Gad linked the dam’s construction to Egypt’s military success in the 1973 war, citing the use of high-pressure water pumps to breach the Bar Lev Line—a technique inspired by methods used to manage dense sand during the dam’s construction.
The event concluded with a discussion on the dam’s continued importance regarding regional water concerns and a screening of archival footage showing President Nasser laying the foundation stone.
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