Egypt's foreign ministry announced on Saturday that the second edition of the Aswan Forum for Sustainable Peace and Development which kicked off on 1 March drew to a close on Friday. Congolese President and current Chairman of the African Union (AU) Félix Tshisekedi delivered a speech during the closing session of the forum in which he expressed his appreciation for President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi for his keenness on holding the forum and offering an opportunity for discussing means to overcome the coronavirus pandemic as well as efforts to consolidate sustainable peace and development in Africa. Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry also delivered a speech on the last day of the forum, saying that although the conference is held via video-conference, it received great attention at the highest levels. This affirms that the African countries and partners are convinced of the importance of the effective participation in the forum which he said acts as a high-level platform that enhances joint African action as well as cooperation with international parties, Shoukry added. The foreign minister said Egypt has sought to continue work beyond its AU presidency in cooperation with African leaders to overcome challenges facing the continent to build a better future for their peoples. Shoukry said Egypt has full confidence in the ability of the African states and peoples to overcome the current crisis, thanking all partners who offered support to this edition of the forum. Meanwhile, the executive director of the forum and director-general of the Cairo International Centre for Conflict Resolution, Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding (CCCPA) reviewed the forum's conclusions which are focusing on efforts to address the health, social, and economic impact of the pandemic, noting that these conclusions will be translated into specific activities to help strengthen the capacity of African countries to deal with new threats. A large number of African leaders delivered video messages during the forum. The remarks made by the African leaders reflected their great appreciation for President El-Sisi and Egypt's keenness to promote cooperation among African countries.
