Sisi Receives Ministers and Heads of African Delegations and Affirms: Development in Africa Still Faces Many Challenges

President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi received the ministers and heads of African delegations, alongside representatives of the African Union Commission and regional blocs, participating in the second ministerial conference of the "Russia-Africa" Partnership Forum hosted by Egypt. The meeting was attended by Dr. Badr Abdel Aati, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Immigration, and Egyptian Expatriates Affairs.

The official spokesperson for the Presidency stated that the President began the meeting by welcoming the ministers and representatives of the participating delegations and delivered a speech on the occasion, saying: "Representatives of the African Union Commission and African regional blocs, it is my pleasure to welcome you all to your second home, Egypt, at this meeting which embodies the importance of strengthening cooperation ties to achieve the goals of peace, security, and development, according to 'Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want,' emphasizing the importance of strategic partnerships of the African Union with all key international powers."

El-Sisi added: "Despite the efforts exerted by our countries, development in Africa still faces many challenges, including weak infrastructure, lack of financing, and high risks."

He continued: "From this standpoint, Egypt's vision for development in Africa is based on the following five pillars: First: supporting the implementation of strategic corridors and logistics zones. Second: enhancing cooperation in energy and electrical interconnection. Third: supporting agricultural development and achieving food security. Fourth: promoting intra-African trade. Fifth: strengthening cooperation in communications, information technology, and artificial intelligence."

He pointed out that to achieve our vision for development in Africa, Egypt is keen to utilize various available cooperation tools, including encouraging Egyptian companies to expand their investments and partnerships in African countries. Egypt has also launched an agency to guarantee exports and investments in Africa to support this path. Accordingly, the total Egyptian investments in Africa have exceeded 12 billion dollars, and the total trade exchange rates with the African continent have surpassed 10 billion dollars.

He mentioned that Egypt continues to support capacity-building and human development programs in Africa through the Egyptian Agency for Partnership for Development, which has implemented more than 700 training programs in various fields according to the priorities of the brotherly African countries. He affirmed that Egypt believes in the importance of joint work to achieve fair and equitable benefit from shared cross-border resources, including shared water resources.

He stressed: "There is no room for any unilateral measures that would harm the rights of riparian countries in transboundary rivers or undermine opportunities for cooperation and achieving mutual benefit. Given Egypt's geographical and historical affiliation to the Nile Basin region," he noted Egypt's keenness over decades to cooperate with the brotherly basin countries to achieve fair and equitable benefit from water resources according to international law rules, whether through cooperation in building dams or implementing joint development projects.

El-Sisi said that Egypt recently supported a number of projects within the framework of the Nile Basin Initiative and launched a financing mechanism to support water projects and infrastructure projects in the countries of the South Nile Basin, based on our belief in the shared right of all basin peoples to development without causing harm to downstream countries.

In light of the close connection between Egypt and the Horn of Africa region, El-Sisi emphasized that Egypt works to achieve and sustain stability in that region and ensure the security of navigation in the Red Sea, considering them essential elements for regional and international security. He added that Egypt intends to participate in the new African Union mission in Somalia "ATMIS" and is exerting strenuous efforts to provide the necessary funding for the mission.

Based on its experience in combating terrorism, El-Sisi affirmed Egypt's keenness to enhance cooperation with brotherly African countries to confront this malicious phenomenon through a comprehensive approach that considers security, developmental, intellectual, and social dimensions, including through the role of Al-Azhar Al-Sharif and programs of the Cairo International Center for Conflict Resolution, Peacekeeping, and Peacebuilding.

He explained that Egypt confirmed its commitment to supporting the work of African Union institutions, especially those hosted by Egypt, including by supporting these institutions in entering partnerships to implement effective programs and projects that meet the aspirations of our peoples. He added that Egypt has exerted and will continue to exert every possible effort within its leadership of the post-conflict reconstruction and development file and chairing the steering committee of the NEPAD Heads of State and Government to support development efforts and mobilize funding for ambitious continental projects, as well as implementing reconstruction projects and programs in post-conflict areas.

Egypt will continue to defend African positions and visions in various regional and international forums, particularly the reform of the United Nations Security Council according to the Ozulwini Consensus and the Sirte Declaration, as well as working on reforming international financial structures and achieving fairer representation for the continent in global governance institutions.