Egypt Daily News – President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi took part in the 7th Mid-Year Coordination Meeting of the African Union (AU), held in Malabo, the capital of Equatorial Guinea. The summit brought together heads of state and government to discuss pressing issues related to continental integration, inter-African trade, and sustainable development across Africa.
According to presidential spokesperson Ambassador Mohamed El-Shenawy, the summit’s agenda centered around strengthening continental unity, addressing regional and international challenges affecting development, enhancing peace and security, and fostering economic cooperation through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
During the summit, President Sisi delivered a keynote address in his capacity as Chair of the Heads of State and Government Orientation Committee of the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD). His speech emphasized Egypt’s commitment to advancing Africa’s development agenda, particularly Agenda 2063, and to mobilizing resources to bridge the continent’s development financing gap.
President Sisi expressed gratitude to the member states of the Orientation Committee for their cooperation and support during Egypt’s chairmanship. He also extended special thanks to AUDA-NEPAD Executive Director Nardos Bekele-Thomas for her leadership and innovative approach to development initiatives.
In his remarks, President Sisi reaffirmed his belief that the Africa envisioned in Agenda 2063 is not an elusive dream but an attainable reality, despite the continent’s ongoing internal and external challenges. He noted that many African countries have recently outperformed global growth averages, demonstrating resilience through improvements in healthcare, education, industrialization, and investment climates. These achievements, he said, should inspire continued joint efforts to realize Africa’s legitimate aspirations and assert its unified positions on the global stage.
Highlighting Egypt’s contributions during its tenure as chair of the NEPAD Orientation Committee, President Sisi outlined several key accomplishments:
- Financing Development Initiatives: In collaboration with NEPAD’s secretariat, efforts have been made to finalize the feasibility study for launching a dedicated African Development Fund under AUDA-NEPAD. This initiative aims to counter declining development assistance and mobilize alternative funding sources to support sustainable projects across the continent.
- Infrastructure and Integration Projects: The agency advanced implementation of the second ten-year plan of Agenda 2063, securing $500 million for infrastructure projects under the Presidential Infrastructure Champion Initiative (PICI). Progress was also reported on green infrastructure corridors, a continental energy master plan, and a shared agricultural policy—all of which contribute to regional integration.
- Investment in Human Capital: AUDA-NEPAD, under Egypt’s oversight, launched key health and education initiatives. These include securing $100 million for the African Population Grant Initiative to enhance reproductive health services and €100 million for the African Skills Initiative aimed at boosting technical and digital training to create jobs for African youth.
- Climate Action: Recognizing the existential threat posed by climate change, NEPAD accelerated the establishment of its new Center of Excellence for Climate Adaptation, to be headquartered in Cairo. The center will serve as a regional hub for research, innovation, and capacity building in climate resilience.
- Decentralized Operations: President Sisi noted that NEPAD has strengthened its presence across Africa in response to country-level demands, allowing for more tailored and impactful development interventions. He expressed pride in the growing number of NEPAD offices being established throughout the continent.
In a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the summit, President Sisi met with Ghanaian President John Mahama to discuss ways to enhance bilateral cooperation and promote continental trade. The discussions focused on leveraging Ghana’s role as host of the AfCFTA Secretariat and Egypt’s current presidency of the Council of Trade Ministers. The leaders also addressed regional developments, including the situations in the Sahel, Somalia, and Sudan, and underscored the importance of stability in promoting long-term prosperity in Africa.
President Sisi concluded his address by reaffirming Egypt’s commitment to African unity and development. He called on AU members to renew their pledge to support AUDA-NEPAD’s work, emphasizing that collective action remains key to achieving peace, prosperity, and equity for all Africans.
