Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi participated on Sunday in the 7th Mid-Year Coordination Meeting of the African Union (AU), held in Malabo, the capital of Equatorial Guinea. Through a series of speeches and bilateral meetings, Al-Sisi underscored Egypt's unwavering commitment to supporting peace, security, and sustainable development across the continent. In his address to the summit, delivered in his capacity as Chair of the current rotation of the North African Regional Capability (NARC), Al-Sisi highlighted Egypt's efforts to bolster the readiness of this regional component of the African Standby Force (ASF)—a cornerstone mechanism for maintaining peace and security in Africa. He noted that the continent continues to face complex geopolitical challenges, including armed conflicts, terrorism, organized transnational crime, and the impacts of climate change—all of which necessitate activating effective regional response mechanisms. Al-Sisi outlined the progress made under Egypt's leadership this year, including administrative and financial reforms and the organization of a joint field training exercise in Algeria. This exercise aimed to strengthen coordination among the military, police, and civilian components of the force. He also stressed the importance of sustained cooperation with the AU Commission and called for securing sustainable financing to achieve full operational capability. Separately, in his capacity as Chair of the Heads of State and Government Orientation Committee of the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD), Al-Sisi affirmed that Africa holds real opportunities for development despite increasing regional and global challenges. He detailed Egypt's key priorities during its chairmanship, notably narrowing the development financing gap, accelerating the implementation of the African Union's Agenda 2063, and localizing strategic infrastructure projects. He also highlighted tangible achievements under the committee's supervision, including mobilizing $100 million for the African Population Grant Initiative and securing €100 million for the African Skills Initiative. In addition, the AUDA-NEPAD Development Fund feasibility study has moved forward, and Al-Sisi announced the forthcoming launch of the AUDA-NEPAD Center of Excellence for Climate Change in Cairo. This center will act as a vital platform to address the continent's climate-related challenges. On the sidelines of the summit, President Al-Sisi held several bilateral meetings aimed at fostering African solidarity and economic integration. During his meeting with Equatorial Guinean President Teodoro Obiang Nguema, the two leaders discussed expanding trade and investment, particularly in energy, infrastructure, and industry. Al-Sisi praised Equatorial Guinea's successful hosting of the summit and reaffirmed Egypt's commitment to advancing joint African action. In his meeting with Angolan President João Lourenço, Al-Sisi expressed appreciation for Angola's leadership within the African Union and reviewed key security issues in the Horn of Africa, Sudan, the Sahel, and the Nile Basin. The discussions also covered opportunities to deepen bilateral cooperation. President Al-Sisi also met with former Ghanaian President John Mahama to discuss enhancing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), whose secretariat is based in Ghana, while Egypt currently chairs the Council of Ministers of Trade. Both sides reviewed ways to boost intra-African trade and tackle barriers hindering deeper economic integration.
