Sisi awarded it to Trump: What is the Order of the Nile?
Al-Khamisa News Network - Gaza
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi awarded his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump the Order of the Nile, the country’s highest honor, in recognition of Trump’s contributions to supporting peace efforts and ending the Gaza war.
The presentation took place on the sidelines of an international peace summit in Sharm el-Sheikh that brought together al-Sisi and Trump alongside more than 20 international leaders, who signed a document cementing an agreement on Gaza.
The Order of the Nile is the highest civilian decoration in the Arab Republic of Egypt, bestowed by direct decree of the president to heads of state and global figures who have rendered distinguished services to Egypt or to humanity.
The decoration’s roots date back to 1915 during the rule of Sultan Hussein Kamel, when it was awarded to those who contributed to the service of the state and society. In 1952 the state’s system of orders was reorganized, making the Order of the Nile the supreme symbol of national recognition.
According to Law No. 12 of 1972, the order is granted to honor those who have provided “distinguished services to the homeland or to humanity,” and it is officially recorded in the state’s sovereign registers as the highest degree of appreciation.
What is it made of?
The order is made of pure gold or gilded silver, and its design draws on Pharaonic heritage. It is composed of units decorated with colored enamel, linked by chains interspersed with lotus flowers, a symbol of purity and immortality in Egyptian civilization. At its center hangs a large medallion representing the unity of the Nile, the source of life for Egypt through the ages.
A formal ceremony to confer the order is usually held inside the presidential palace, presided over by the president himself, while deceased honorees are accorded an official tribute according to military protocol.
From Mandela to Queen Elizabeth
Over the decades, the Order of the Nile has become a diplomatic and humanitarian symbol awarded to those who left a mark on history. Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter received it in 1979 in recognition of his role in the Egypt–Israel peace accords, while Yugoslav leader Josip Broz Tito was among the first recipients in 1955.
In 1975 Queen Elizabeth II received it during her visit to Cairo, and the following year President Sadat awarded it to Sultan Qaboos bin Said in recognition of his country’s support for Egypt during the October War.
Egypt also honored Nelson Mandela with it in 1990 in recognition of his struggle against apartheid, and Emperor Akihito of Japan received it the same year to strengthen relations between the two countries.
In recent years, al-Sisi has conferred it on Saudi Arabia’s Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and on Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz.
