As one of the founding members of the Organisation of African Unity and a key player in its successor body, the African Union, Egypt is poised to play an even greater role in resolving the continent's many conflicts. Egypt's foreign policy is once again focussing on Africa. In the coming weeks Egypt will host three African-related summits. There is a summit on the war-torn Sudanese region of Darfur, at which a number of African leaders will brainstorm for a lasting solution to the crisis. Then there is the summit on the New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD), a blueprint for African economic survival. Egypt will also host the Francophone summit. The vast majority of French-speaking nations are located in Africa, and once again many of the continent's most intractable trouble spots will be reviewed. The political impasse in the conflict zones of the Ivory Coast and the Democratic Republic of Congo will both be discussed at the Francophone summit. Ironically, the three African-oriented summits are scheduled to take place in the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm El-Sheikh, which is technically in Asia. Egypt is coming to grips with the challenge of working together with its African partners to promote peace and prosperity in Africa. It is a challenge that Egypt has braced itself for. African concerns now top the agenda at international gatherings -- at United Nations meetings and at the G8 summit of the most industrially-advanced nations which will take place in Gleneagles, Scotland, in July. Egypt played a vital role in the African liberation struggle. Today it faces a new challenge, that of emancipating the continent from the many social and economic woes to which it is prey. African leaders have long been keen for Cairo to play a more meaningful role in continental affairs -- both in the economic and in the politico-military spheres. Egypt must rise to the challenge. The leaders of countries as diverse as Sudan and Somalia, Nigeria and South Africa have persistently urged Cairo to take a more active role in easing tensions and to contribute troops to peacekeeping missions across the continent. Now, more than ever before, Egypt must rise to the occasion.
