Ancient canals connecting the Nile to the Red Sea were built for ease of travel. One such canal, likely constructed during the reigns of Senusret II or Ramesses II, was later incorporated into a more extensive canal under Necho II (610–595 BCE). The only fully operational ancient canal, however, was completed by Darius I (522–486 BCE).^[104]

Napoleon Bonaparte, who became the French Emperor in 1804, initially considered constructing a canal to connect the Mediterranean with the Red Sea. However, this plan was abandoned due to the mistaken belief that such a canal would require costly and time-consuming locks.

In the 19th century, Ferdinand de Lesseps obtained a concession from Sa'id Pasha, the Khedive of Egypt and Sudan, in 1854 and 1856. This concession was for the creation of a company to construct and operate a canal open to all nations for 99 years after its opening. De Lesseps leveraged his friendly relationship with Sa'id, established during his time as a French diplomat in the 1830s.

De Lesseps then organized the International Commission for the Piercing of the Isthmus of Suez, comprising 13 experts from seven countries, to assess the feasibility and optimal route for the canal. The Commission, agreeing on Linant de Bellefonds' plans, delivered a detailed report in December 1856, leading to the establishment of the Suez Canal Company on 15 December 1858.^[105]

Construction began near Port Said on 25 April 1859 and took approximately ten years. The project initially used forced labor (corvée) until 1864.^[106] It's estimated that over 1.5 million people were involved in the construction, with tens of thousands succumbing to diseases like cholera.^[107] The Suez Canal was officially opened under French control in November 1869, marking a significant advancement in maritime trade and navigation.