Part of the 1991 celebrations marking the 22nd anniversary of the Great Al-Fateh 1st September Revolution was the official opening of the Great Man-Made River - the eighth wonder of the world.

On August 28, 1991, Libyan leader Muammar Qadhafi officially inaugurated the completed first phase of the Great Man-Made River project to bring water from reservoirs in the southern part of Libya to irrigate northern coastal agricultural areas. This 5 billion dollar first stage was the construction of a 1,900 km concrete channel stretching from Sarir in south-east Libya to Benghazi in the north. Comprising two pipelines, the project is capable of carrying 2 million cubic metres of water daily from the Sarir and Tazerbo reservoirs in the south to the coastal regions around the cities of Sirte, Brega and Benghazi. The pipelines are the first of a five-stage scheme aimed at exploiting the water potential beneath the Libyan desert, with the ultimate aim of providing the entire coastal region of the country with much-needed water to establish high yield agricultural output.

The giant scheme is the world's largest water transport project and according to the international press 'the eighth wonder of the world'. It will realise the Libyan dream of keeping the country well watered long after its oil runs dry and of turning Libya into a land of agricultural abundance able to export food and water to neighbouring countries. Thus realising the final stage of the Libyan green revolution. In the words of Muammar Qadhafi: "The agricultural revolution will enable the Libyan people to earn their living, to eat freely the food that was normally imported from overseas - this is freedom, this is independence, and this is the revolution."

Muammar Qadhafi Inaugurates 'eighth wonder of the world'

In the presence of Arab and African leaders, delegations from every continent on earth, the Libyan leader Muammar Al Qadhafi, together with Heads of State from neighbouring countries, 'turned on the tap' of the Great Man-Made River.

The Libyan leader termed the huge artificial river project a "gift to the Third World", adding that the scheme showed that Libya was a peace-loving country, using their own capabilities to overcome underdevelopment.

Launched in 1984, the project will carry more than 5 million cubic metres per day across the desert and increase the size of arable land from 327,000 hectares (1991) by 60,000 hectares (1992) and another 180,000 hectares in the second half of the decade.

South Korean construction experts built the huge pipes in Libya by some of the most modern techniques. At completion, the system will involve 4,000 kilometers of pipe lines, and two aqueducts of some 1,000 kilometers.

Col. Qadhafi has called on Egyptian farmers to come and work in Libya, where there are only 4 million inhabitants. Egypt's population of 55 million is crowded in narrow bands along the Nile River and delta region. Over the last 20 years, the water improvement projects envisioned for Egypt, which could provide more water and more hectares of agricultural and residential land, have been repeatedly sabotaged by the International Monetary Fund and World Bank, and the financial interests behind them.

Over 95% of Libya is desert, and the new water sources can open up thousands of hectares of irrigated farmland. At present over 80% of the country's agriculture production comes from the coastal regions, where local aquifers have been overpumped, and salt water intrusion is taking place. The Great Man-Made River will relieve this. The water now flowing will immediately supplement supplies for domestic and industrial needs in Benghazi and Sirte, where desalination plants are struggling to meet demand. But Libyan officials plan for 80% of the overall project's flow to eventually be used for irrigating old farms, and reclaiming some desert lands. Since 20% of Libya's imports are foodstuffs, expanded water supplies are a means to greater self-sufficiency.

Col. Muammar Qadhafi told the hundreds of guests at the 1991 1st September gala celebrations in the town of Sluq, outside of Benghazi, "Libya has completed this work in difficult circumstances; it completed this while under an economic blockade imposed by the antiprogress and antipeople imperialism. This work was completed without aid from the major states, without loans from the worlds' banks." Consequently, he noted: "After this achievement American threats against Libya will double.... The United States will make excuses, [but] the real reason is to stop this achievement, to keep the people of Libya oppressed."