On Thursday, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi attended a lunch banquet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg, along with African Heads of State and Government, heading the various African economic groupings.
The spokesman for the Egyptian Presidency, Counselor Ahmad Fahmy, said President El-Sisi participated in the event in his capacity as current Chairperson of the African Union Development Agency- NEPAD, which represents the development arm of the AU, particularly with regard to the mobilization of financial resources for the implementation of leading continental projects on “Agenda 2063” for Africa’s Development.
This is, in addition to strengthening ongoing efforts to achieve continental integration, including the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement and reinforcing initiatives aimed at advancing development in Africa, notably infrastructure projects and industrial transformation.
The President outlined Egypt’s vision on the priorities of the Africa-Russia Partnership as follows:
First:
Enhancing peace and security in the continent, in light of Egypt’s keenness on supporting African capacities in this regard. This shall take place through effectuating Egypt’s leadership of the post-conflict reconstruction and development dossier at the level of the African Union, as Cairo hosts the Center for Reconstruction and Development, as well as maintaining the periodic convening of the Aswan Forum for Peace, Security and Sustainable Development, as an important and main discussion platform.
Second:
Egypt realizes the close correlation between development, on the one hand, and building and sustaining peace, on the other. Therefore, Egypt, as it assumes the chairmanship of the Steering Committee of NEPAD for the next two years, is committed to advancing the implementation of the program for reinvigorating the connection between peace, security, and development, and to exerting intensified efforts to mobilize resources for investment in infrastructure and continental interconnection projects.
Third:
Enhancing the continent’s capabilities to achieve its food security by finding solutions to provide food, fertilizers, agricultural technology, and the necessary financing mechanisms for this.
Fourth:
Addressing the challenges of climate change and taking serious and sincere steps towards providing the necessary financing to support African countries in their endeavors in this regard.
