Cairo, Shawwal 21, 1436, Aug 6, 2015, SPA -- Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sissi on Thursday launched the inauguration of a major expansion of the Suez Canal, which his government hopes will boost the country's flagging economy, dpa reported. Al-Sissi, wearing a military uniform, inspected the new lane from aboard a yacht, which made its debut in 1869 when the Suez Canal was opened. During the tour aired live on Egyptian television, al-Sissi, an ex-army general, was escorted by several military boats. French President Francois Hollande is to join foreign dignitaries later on Thursday at a ceremony in the Suez Canal city of Ismailiya, where al-Sissi will announce the official opening of the 72-kilometre-long expansion. The 8-billion-dollar extension runs alongside part of the 146-year-old waterway, which links the Mediterranean and Red Sea. --SPA 19:36 LOCAL TIME 16:36 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/w