The Africa 2018 Forum, sponsored by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, was launched on Saturday in Sharm El-Sheikh, with the participation of African leaders and young entrepreneurs, from Africa and all over the world. This year's forum takes place from December 8-9, and is organised by the Egyptian Ministry of Investment and International Cooperation, and the COMESA's Regional Investment Agency (RIA). The convention will feature a number of partner events, focusing on strategic sectors including energy, logistics, infrastructure, finance, domestic resource mobilisation, and urbanisation. Al-Sisi took part in the session entitled ‘Young Entrepreneurs Day Presidential Dialogue', where he delivered a speech with the attendance of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission Moussa Faki, President of Rwanda Paul Kagame, and Prime Minister of Ethiopia Abiy Ahmed. During the session, five selected entrepreneurs presented their business transformational industries. The international forum aims to promote greater economic integration through increased investment flows into Africa. Over 1,000 business and policy leaders from across Africa and the world are expected to attend the event, according to the forum's official website. The speakers' list is expected to include President of Zimbabwe Emmerson Mnangagwa, President of Togo Faure Gnassingbé, President of Niger Mahamadou Issoufou, and President of Rwanda Paul Kagame. From Egypt, speakers include Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry, Minister of Investment and International Cooperation Sahar Nasr, Minister of Trade Amr Nassar, Minister of Health Hala Zayed, and Minister of Education Tarek Shawki, as well as others. Furthermore, Ministers from Mali, South Africa, Ethiopia, as well as CEOs from the US, UK, Ghana, Nigeria, and other countries are also expected to be among the speakers during the event. A number of agreements were signed during the first day of the event. According to a statement of the ministry of investment, an EGP 2.28bn agreement was signed with the aim of establishing four seawater desalination plants in the south of Sinai, as a part of developing the governate. Furthermore, Egypt and Italy signed a €45m deal to support the Egyptian private sector. Meanwhile, a number of investment agreements were also signed between the Suez Canal Economic Zone with local and global investors, to launch projects in Ain Sokhna and Port Said.
