Ashraf AboArafe
On the sidelines of the sixth session of the African Union Coordination Summit meeting
He met Mr. D. Badr Abdel Aty, Minister of Foreign Affairs (FA), Immigration and Egyptians Abroad Affairs, on Monday, July 22, with Dr. Monique Nsanzabaganwa, Vice-Chairman of the African Union Commission (AUC), on the sidelines of the sixth session of the coordination summit meeting of the African Union and the regional economic groupings, hosted by the capital, Accra.
According to a statement by Ambassador Ahmed Abu Zeid, the official spokesman and Director of the Public Diplomacy Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration, the Vice-President of the Commission began the meeting by offering congratulations to Minister Abdel-Ati on assuming his duties, stressing the centrality of the Egyptian role in Africa, and the great responsibility that falls on Egypt towards raging conflicts and crises taking place on the African continent.
The official spokesman explained that the Minister of Foreign Affairs reviewed Egypt’s efforts in the field of preserving and building peace and achieving sustainable development on the African continent, stressing the importance of employing Egyptian leadership in the reconstruction file and benefiting from the African Union’s Post-Conflict Reconstruction and Development Center in Cairo to confront the challenges and crises that arise the continent. He stressed the important role played by the African Union Commission in contributing to strengthening peace, security and stability on the continent.
A number of issues related to the African Union were also discussed, most notably the formulation of clear specifications for the priorities of the African Union, the elections of the Commission’s leadership for the year 2025, and financial and administrative issues related to the Commission, especially the approval of the African Union budget, strengthening governance and institutional reform steps. The current position on the opening of the African Union headquarters in Cairo, accredited by the League of Arab States, and Egypt’s hosting of the African Space Agency was also reviewed.
For her part, the Vice-Chairman of the African Union Commission expressed her keenness to continue cooperation and consultation with Egypt on issues related to the African Union, and to benefit from Egyptian expertise in developing the work of the Commission. She appreciated Egypt’s keenness to engage effectively in all issues being dealt with within the bodies of the African Union.
