CAIRO, Oct 6, 2018 (MENA) – Egypt believes that fostering cooperation with Japan and other partners is a main key to development in Africa, Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said on Saturday. The foreign minister made the remarks during his participation in a ministerial meeting of the two-day Tokyo International Conference of Africa's Development (TICAD), which kicked off on Saturday. TICAD aims to discuss means of upgrading cooperation between Japan and African countries and supporting comprehensive development efforts in the continent, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ahmed Hafez said in a statement. Being the upcoming African Union's president in 2019, Egypt will exert its utmost efforts to confront challenges facing Africa as well as to help implement the 2063 Development Agenda in all its forms, Shoukry said. The top Egyptian diplomat noted that Cairo takes into consideration the principles of not interfering in countries' internal affairs, mutual respect and non-conditionality. The spokesman said Shoukry's participation in TICAD comes in light of Egypt's keenness to achieve development in Africa and contribute to building capabilities in its countries. Meanwhile, Shoukry took part in a number of sessions of talks organized on the sidelines of the conference. The sessions were attended by the foreign ministers of African countries and Japan, in addition to representatives of African organizations, the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) agency, some European countries and the US.
