Unilateral Declaration of Egyptian Independence facts for kids

The Unilateral Declaration of Egyptian Independence was a big step for Egypt. On February 28, 1922, the United Kingdom officially said that Egypt was an independent country.

For a long time, Egypt's situation was complicated. Since 1805, Egypt had acted like its own country, even though it was still technically part of the Ottoman Empire. It had its own ruler, army, and money.

Then, in 1882, the United Kingdom took control of Egypt. But they didn't officially make it part of their empire. It was like a "veiled protectorate," meaning the UK secretly ran things.

In 1914, the Ottoman Empire's official link to Egypt ended. Egypt became a "protectorate" of the UK. This meant the UK openly controlled Egypt, even though it wasn't officially British land.

Many Egyptians wanted true independence. This led to the Egyptian Revolution of 1919, where people protested British control. The UK tried to negotiate, but talks failed. So, the UK decided to act alone and declare Egypt independent.

However, the UK kept special "reserved powers" over Egypt. These powers covered four main areas:

• Egypt's foreign relations (how it dealt with other countries).
• Important communication routes, like the Suez Canal.
• Egypt's military defense.
• The future of Sudan, which was shared by Egypt and the UK.

Because of these "reserved powers," Egypt wasn't fully free. Many Egyptians were still unhappy. This led to more problems later, including the Egyptian Revolution of 1952.

Why the Declaration Happened

The declaration came after many talks between Egypt and the United Kingdom. They couldn't agree on everything, especially about Egypt's independence and its role in Sudan.

Adli Yakan Pasha, who was Egypt's Prime Minister, and other Egyptian leaders worked hard for independence. They got Edmund Allenby, the top British official in Egypt, to agree. Allenby believed Egypt should be independent.

The British Prime Minister, David Lloyd George, wanted to keep control over Egypt. But Allenby threatened to quit his job. This made the issue very public. Just two weeks later, the declaration was issued.

Even though the declaration ended the protectorate, it didn't give Egypt full freedom. The "reserved points" meant the UK still had a lot of power. This made Egyptian leaders keep pushing for more changes. The Anglo-Egyptian treaty of 1936 later solved some issues. But problems about Sudan and British soldiers near the Suez Canal remained.

What the Declaration Said

The declaration was published on February 28, 1922. It stated that the British Protectorate over Egypt was over. It also said that Egypt was now an independent country.

However, it clearly listed the "reserved matters" that the British government would still control. These were:

• Protecting British Empire communications in Egypt.
• Defending Egypt from any outside attacks.
• Protecting foreign people and minority groups in Egypt.
• The future of Sudan.

Until new agreements could be made, the situation in these areas would stay the same.