Egyptian Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly called for swift recognition of a Palestinian state and greater international backing for African peace missions, in remarks at the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9) in Yokohama on Wednesday. Speaking on behalf of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, the prime minister accused Israel of pursuing "systematic genocide." He said Egypt and the African Union had long placed the Palestinian cause at the top of their priorities, stressing the need for decisive steps to halt the aggression, and "protect the Palestinian people and their rights." Prime Minister Madbouly also highlighted Africa's efforts to resolve conflicts in Sudan, eastern Congo, the Sahel and Somalia, noting the launch of the AUSSOM peace mission, in which Egyptian forces will take part. He welcomed Japan's support and called for greater international funding. He also announced that Egypt would host the fifth edition of the Aswan Forum for Sustainable Peace and Development in October, a platform to discuss African peace, security and development challenges. He underlined the mounting pressures facing the continent, from armed conflict and terrorism to climate change, poverty and food insecurity, urging stronger backing from Africa's partners, especially Japan. Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English
