Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry discussed on Friday regional issues and bilateral ties with a number of African counterparts during talks on the sidelines of an African Union Summit in the Mauritanian capital Nouakchott. Shoukry held talks with Ugandan Foreign Minister Sam Kutes during which the two leaders discussed a number of decisions by an Egyptian-Ugandan joint cooperation committee, including setting up a 4-megawatt power plant in Uganda. Shoukry also proposed setting up a joint business council aimed at bolstering ties between the two countries. Shoukry also met with Tanzanian counterpart Augustine Mahiga, where they discussed Egyptian-Tanzanian investment, boosting mutual trade and bolstering energy cooperation. The Egyptian minister also discussed with the two leaders developments in negotiations between Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia over the use of the Nile Water and Addis Ababa's controversial dam project, which Cairo fears could reduce its water supply. Shoukry also sat with Libyan counterpart Mohamed Taher Siala, and pledged that Cairo will continue to back dialogue between Libyan factions to restore stability in the neighbouring country. The two leaders discussed national reconciliation between rival Libyan factions and the outcomes of an international meeting between France and Libyan political leaders in Paris to end the country's seven-year-old conflict. They also discussed the country's oil revenues amid attempts by militias to seize control of key oil ports.
