Egypt will continue working along with African brothers to achieve sustainable development, says Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi as he marked 2022 Africa Day on Wednesday.
Egypt will also work on “enhancing joint efforts to resolve the issues and disputes that the continent has suffered from for decades and that have prevented the dreams of the [continent’s] sons from coming true,” Sisi said in a Twitter thread.
The Egyptian president congratulated African people on the occasion of Africa Day, adding that it represents a great historic memory that established a new era of enhancing unity and joint cooperation among African states.
“Here we are today, taking our firm steps towards creating a stable continent that guarantees a decent life for its people and instills a culture of civilization, tolerance and love for the whole world,” Sisi said.
Sisi wished African people further progress, stability and prosperity. Africa Day, also known as African Unity Day, is celebrated annually on 25 May and commemorates the founding of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) in 1963.
The Organisation of African Unity was an intergovernmental organisation established on May, 25, 1963 in Ethiopia’s capital (Addis Ababa) by 32 African countries.
The OAU then evolved into the present day 55-member-state African Union (AU). Egypt has repeatedly affirmed keenness to enhance cooperation with African countries to consolidate security and stability in the continent, combat terrorism, and develop energy transition.
In January, Sisi called for formulating a clear African strategy to eliminate terrorism and to block its sources of financing.
Sisi has itemised Egypt’s endeavour to provide assistance to the African countries by intensifying training courses for people, combating terrorism, and participating in UN peacekeeping missions, through the Sahel and Sahara Counter-terrorism Centre in Cairo.
Egypt is a signatory to several trade agreements among African countries, including the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) — an agreement that was adopted and opened for signature in March 2018 in Kigali before going into force in January 2021 after months of delays owing to the pandemic.