1954 Anglo-Egyptian evacuation agreement

The 1954 Anglo–Egyptian evacuation Treaty ("Heads of Agreement") was signed on October 19, 1954, ending more than seventy years of British occupation of the Suez Canal Zone for over four months, till the British invaded again. When Britain relinquished its presence in other parts of Egypt after the end of the Second World War, it continued to keep its forces in scores of camps, a number of airfields, and other military installations along the Canal.^[1]

The agreement effectively ended the British occupation and influence in Egypt, restoring Egypt's full independence and sovereignty. The agreement was influenced by the bloody Suez Emergency which led to over 450 military fatalities for the British and control of the canal became increasingly challenging for the British. Britain also signed the agreement in an attempt to mend relations with Egypt under the new military government. By June 18, 1956, the last British soldier left Egypt.^[2]

The British Occupation of Egypt began in 1882 when British forces, under the command of Sir Garnet Wolseley, intervened to suppress a nationalist uprising led by Egyptian officer Ahmed Urabi, leading to the Anglo-Egyptian War of 1882. After suffering a defeat in Kafr El Dawwar, British forces changed plans and defeated the Egyptian Army In the Battle of Tell El Kebir, advancing freely to Cairo. As a result, Urabi surrendered and exiled to Ceylon (Sri Lanka today). The British justified their intervention with the need to protect British interests, particularly the Suez Canal, which was vital for Britain's colonial empire and trade routes to India. Egypt continued to be a nominal Ottoman Vassal with its own dynasty, military and legal system. Egypt became an autonomous vassal of the Ottoman Empire and a de facto independent state during Muhammad Ali’s rise to power, especially after the Egyptian-Ottoman War.

In 1914, during World War I, the British formally declared Egypt a protectorate, ending even the nominal sovereignty of the Ottoman Empire over the country. Egypt became a protectorate of Britain as the Sultanate of Egypt, restoring the sultanate which was destroyed by the Ottomans in 1517. Riots in 1919 which culminated in the 1919 Egyptian revolution, which was led by the Wafd Party, demanding full independence. While the British were initially resistant to granting Egypt independence, the widespread nationalist sentiments and protests, coupled with the pressures of World War I, forced Britain to negotiate with Egyptian political leaders.

In 1922, Britain formally recognized Egypt's independence as the Kingdom of Egypt, though this was a nominal independence. In 1936, the Wafdist government signed the Anglo-Egyptian treaty of 1936 which led the British to withdraw from all Egyptian territory except the Suez Canal and the Sudan. The 1936 treaty ended Britain's influence in Egypt's domestic policy but Britain retained influence over Egypt's foreign policy and defense affairs. Britain returned to the rest of Egyptian territory briefly during World War II but withdrew back to the Suez Canal Zone by 1947.^[3]

In 1951, the Wafdist government abrogated the 1936 treaty, boycotted British goods, banned food and services from the British bases by the Suez Canal and sponsored guerrilla attacks on British troops by Egyptian Nationalists, leading to the Suez Emergency. On January 25, 1952, British troops attacked police forces in Ismailia which led to the deaths of 56 Egyptian police officers and 13 British troops. The next day, the Cairo Fire occurred. In July 1952, junior officers in the Egyptian military known as the Free Officers deposed King Farouk in a coup and abolished the monarchy the following year, declaring the republic. The next year, the agreement was signed.^[4][5]

On July 27, 1954, British and Egyptian negotiators initialed the “Heads of Agreement” document, which established a set of agreements in principle to govern future British use of the Suez Canal base in time of war and to guide the representatives of the two governments in their continuing efforts to negotiate a definitive accord. The Heads of Agreement it provided for the British withdrawal of troops from the canal zone within months of its signature; 1,200 civilian technicians were to maintain the base, of whom 800 could be from outside Egypt.^[6] British held the right to return its troops to the Suez Canal bases for a 7 year period with no right of extension of that period and was only allowed to do so if Egypt suffered a direct attack.

In the event of an emergency or a threatened attack, Egypt’s obligation was confined merely to consultation with the United Kingdom. Additionally, the field of aggression, direct or threatened, was restricted in the Middle East to Egypt or any other Arab state and to Turkey. Iran and Israel were excluded. The accord also recognized the Suez Canal as an integral part of Egypt; the United Kingdom was to have the same status as other users of the waterway; and Egypt pledged its adherence to the principles of the 1888 Convention of Constantinople concerning the free use of the Suez Canal by all nations.^[6]

The treaty barred Britain from having a permanent military presence, political control or say in Egypt’s internal affairs. That was to ensure that Egyptian sovereignty won’t be affected by a potential British military presence for the 7 years period. Britain only had the right to station troops in the Suez Canal and had to request and obtain Egyptian approval to return to the canal bases in the 7 years period and if the British do station troops, it would be for military purposes and not an occupation or control of Egypt.

Negotiations continued on the definitive agreement, and on October 19, 1954, representatives of Egypt and the United Kingdom signed a final agreement which abrogated and replaced the Anglo-Egyptian Treaty of 1936. The instruments of ratification of the Anglo-Egyptian Agreement were exchanged in Cairo on December 6, 1954.^[6]

• Anglo-Egyptian War
• 1919 Egyptian revolution
• Egyptian revolution of 1952
• 1936 Anglo-Egyptian treaty
• Suez Emergency