The first African Business Forum in El Alamein has concluded, marking a significant milestone in promoting trade and investment across the continent. Egyptian Foreign Minister Dr. Badr Abdelatty highlighted the forum's success, noting that it provided a vital platform for African leaders and businessmen to interact and discuss ways to enhance economic cooperation. The forum saw a notable presence of African leaders and prominent business figures, including Aliko Dangote, who delivered a keynote address.
The forum was part of Egypt's efforts to bolster economic ties with African nations and promote intra-continental trade. President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi played a crucial role in bringing together African leaders, politicians, businessmen, and financial institutions to create a conducive environment for investment and trade. The Egyptian president's initiative received widespread acclaim from African leaders, who appreciated the opportunity to engage with the business community and explore new investment opportunities.
The African Business Forum also featured a summit of the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), which focused on strategies to enhance the organization's role in promoting African development. The summit heard from NEPAD's Executive Director, who outlined the organization's plans to drive economic growth and development across the continent. African leaders discussed ways to strengthen NEPAD's capacity to support African countries in achieving their development goals.
In a separate development, Dr. Abdelatty addressed the growing tensions in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab, which pose a threat to maritime security and have led to increased transportation costs. The Egyptian Foreign Minister emphasized Egypt's rejection of military escalation and its commitment to finding peaceful solutions to the crises. He stressed that Egypt is working closely with its Arab and African partners to promote stability and security in the region.
The Ethiopian crisis was also on the agenda, with Dr. Abdelatty reiterating Egypt's stance on the need for a peaceful resolution to the conflict. He emphasized that Egypt will not be drawn into the internal conflicts of other countries and will not compromise its water rights. The Egyptian government has consistently maintained that any unilateral actions on the Nile River would be unacceptable and has called for dialogue and cooperation between riparian countries.
Dr. Abdelatty also discussed Egypt's efforts to support a comprehensive Sudanese dialogue that preserves the country's unity and institutions. He expressed Egypt's support for the initiative launched by Sudanese President Abdel Fattah al-Burhan to host a national dialogue. Egypt has been working closely with Sudanese stakeholders to promote a peaceful resolution to the crisis and has emphasized the need for an inclusive and nationally-owned dialogue process.
Finally, Dr. Abdelatty highlighted Egypt's commitment to protecting its citizens abroad, citing the recent successful return of Egyptian sailors from Somalia and Yemen. He emphasized that the Egyptian government is dedicated to providing support and protection to its citizens worldwide, in line with the president's directives. The Egyptian Foreign Ministry has been working tirelessly to ensure the safe return of Egyptian nationals from conflict zones and to provide them with necessary assistance.
Key points
- The first African Business Forum in El Alamein provided a platform for African leaders and businessmen to promote trade and investment across the continent.
- Egyptian Foreign Minister Dr. Badr Abdelatty emphasized Egypt's commitment to finding peaceful solutions to regional crises, including the Ethiopian and Sudanese conflicts.
- Egypt has been working closely with its Arab and African partners to promote stability and security in the region, including in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab.
