Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdel-Aty has reaffirmed Egypt's commitment to African priorities, stressing that the continent's agenda remains at the forefront of the country's foreign policy. Speaking at an event hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Migration on Saturday to mark Africa Day, Abdel-Aty underscored Egypt's pride in its African identity and its keenness to advance development and regional integration across the continent. He highlighted Egypt's leadership in Africa through President Abdel Fattah El Sisi's chairmanship of the Steering Committee of Heads of State and Government of the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD) and his leadership of the post-conflict reconstruction and development portfolio. Egypt also hosts the agency's dedicated centre for implementation. Abdel-Aty outlined the contributions of the Egyptian Agency of Partnership for Development and the Cairo International Center for Conflict Resolution, Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding in supporting security and stability across Africa. Supporting Somalia He emphasised the need to step up support for Somalia by strengthening its national institutions and enabling the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia to fulfil its mandate. He also reiterated Egypt's support for Sudan, stressing the importance of preserving its unity and territorial integrity and restoring peace and stability. The minister praised the strong reputation of Egyptian companies operating in Africa, especially in construction, electricity, renewable energy, infrastructure, and agricultural investment. He stressed that these firms are well-positioned to deliver major projects across the continent. He also welcomed growing pan-African initiatives to promote economic integration, describing them as a sign of genuine political will to achieve peace, development, and prosperity for African nations. UNESCO Candidacy Abdel-Aty called on all African capitals to support Egypt's candidate for UNESCO Director-General, Khaled El-Anany, citing his qualifications and extensive experience. El-Anany, in turn, expressed appreciation for the African consensus backing his candidacy, as affirmed by official African Union decisions. He pledged to serve as Africa's voice at UNESCO and to work to promote cultural, educational, and heritage-related activities reflecting the continent's rich diversity. Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English Subediting: M. S. Salama
