Egypt favours peaceful means that uphold the value of dialogue in dealing with any regional conflicts, Local Development Minister Mahmoud Shaarawy said in a Cairo-hosted forum on Thursday. In a speech during the 25th ordinary session of the Executive Committee of United Cities and Local Governments of Africa (UCLG Africa), Shaarawy said that Egypt believes in African mechanisms and their ability to resolve conflicts and overcome challenges. Shaarawy also stressed on Egypt's commitment towards the continent and its potential and expertise to back other African states and defend their interests internationally. He added that Egypt has been contributing at the continental level to pursue distinction and investment as a gateway to silence the guns and cease illegal migration and continental migration through the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), during its chairmanship of the African Union (AU) in 2019. "I would like to reiterate that Egypt always adopts in its policies the rules of good neighboyrliness and international law and resolving conflicts peacefully," he said, adding that such an approach has been adopted in several issues that have been resolved or are on the path to settlement. "Our meeting today comes amid an open confrontation globally against the coronavirus pandemic. Egypt has worked since the beginning of the pandemic on allocating medical teams and equipment to serve our African societies," he said. Egypt continues to provide resources to its African brothers, he said, adding that the country will begin manufacturing the coronavirus vaccine domestically to vaccinate its citizens and the people of Africa. A full localisation of the vaccines at home will help Africa in overcoming the pandemic, he added.
