Egypt FM begins 5-leg West Africa tour for bolstering ties, counterterrorism efforts

Al-Ahram Weekly

4 days ago

Minister of Foreign Affairs Badr Abdelatty travelled on Monday to the Nigerian capital, Abuja, beginning his tour to five West African countries, aimed at strengthening bilateral relations and coordination on counterterrorism efforts in the Sahel and West Africa.
The five West African countries are Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Niger, Mali, and Senegal.
During his tour in Nigeria, Abdelatty will hold high-level meetings with several senior Nigerian officials, representatives of regional blocs, members of the Nigerian business community, and the Egyptian expatriate community, according to a statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Thirty CEOs and representatives of major Egyptian companies from various sectors are accompanying the minister on his African tour, which aims to enhance economic, trade, and investment cooperation with these countries.
According to the statement, the tour reflects Egypt's commitment to active engagement and partnership with the African continent, supporting sustainable development efforts and promoting regional stability.
The African tour followed Egypt's active participation at the 47th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council of the African Union, where President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi and FM Abdelatty held several meetings with African leaders and officials.
During that session, El-Sisi announced the launch of the New Partnership for Africa's Development's (NEPAD) Centre of Excellence for Climate Initiatives in Cairo, describing the step as essential to equip the African countries with tools for adaptation and resilience.
"Despite ongoing regional and international challenges, Africa holds vast potential and numerous opportunities for achieving sustainable development and prosperity," the president affirmed.
For his part, FM Abdelatty discussed ways to intensify cooperation with African countries during the event. He stressed the importance of leveraging the expertise and capabilities of leading Egyptian companies, particularly in the energy, construction, healthcare, and infrastructure sectors.
Abdelatty also highlighted Egypt's ongoing efforts to support development in Africa, particularly through the activities of the Egyptian Agency of Partnership for Development (EAPD), affiliated with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
"EAPD supports Africa's development aspirations through the provision of capacity-building assistance, the transfer of knowledge, skills, and expertise, and the promotion of creative industries," El-Sisi said during the 23rd African Union Summit in June 2014.
The agency also supports and promotes the private sector's role in trade and investment, contributing to the continent's overall economic development.
Follow us on:
Facebook
Instagram
Whatsapp
Short link: