Foreign ministers from more than 50 African nations and Russia convened in Cairo on Saturday to begin drafting the 2026-2029 strategic action plan, a roadmap aimed at deepening continental cooperation ahead of the third Russia-Africa Summit. The second ministerial conference of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum was chaired by Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, alongside his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov and Angolan Foreign Minister Tete Antonio, the current chair of the African Union. The gathering serves as a "practical step" toward executing the current 2023-2026 plan while initiating a constructive dialogue for the subsequent period to achieve regional security and development. In a speech delivered on behalf of President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, Abdelatty stated that the meeting represents the "culmination of the continuous development" of relations that gained momentum following the 2019 Sochi and 2023 St. Petersburg summits. Abdelatty called for a fundamental reform of the international system, asserting that global institutions must reflect "true multilateralism" rather than "past imbalances." He emphasised that Africa's demographic and economic weight must be influential in international finance structures and the reform of the United Nations Security Council, in line with the Ezulwini Consensus and the Sirte Declaration. On the economic front, the Egyptian Foreign Minister described the partnership as a vital mechanism for supporting the African Union's Agenda 2063. He specifically advocated for the full activation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to drive regional integration and inclusive growth. Abdelatty highlighted Egypt's central role in continental infrastructure, noting its leadership of the African Union Centre for Reconstruction and Development and its chairmanship of the NEPAD Heads of State and Government Orientation Committee. He further cited Egypt's hosting of the African Space Agency and the NEPAD Centre of Excellence for Climate Resilience as evidence of Cairo's commitment to mobilising funding for projects that meet the aspirations of African peoples. Addressing security challenges, Abdelatty expressed "grave concern" over escalating international tensions and terrorist threats in parts of Africa. He stressed the necessity of settling disputes through peaceful means and rejected "foreign interventions" that he argued exacerbate existing crises. The minister also addressed water security, stating that Egypt relies on the Nile River as its "sole lifeline." He called for the management of transboundary rivers to be governed by international law, specifically the principle of prior notification and the avoidance of harm to downstream states. Rivers, he said, should be a "bridge for cooperation" rather than a cause for conflict. Regarding regional stability, Abdelatty noted Egypt's role in brokering a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. He reaffirmed Egypt's support for a two-state solution based on the 1967 lines with East Jerusalem as the capital. He called for an immediate start to reconstruction in Gaza and rejected any unilateral attempts to change the demographic or geographic reality of Palestinian lands or the displacement of its people. For his part, Sergey Lavrov delivered a message from President Vladimir Putin to the forum, while Tete Antonio delivered a speech on behalf of the African Union.
