Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi participated in the 8th Mid-Year Coordinating Meeting of the African Union and Regional Economic Communities in the New Administrative Capital on October 4, 2026. The meeting brought together African leaders, heads of regional economic communities, and other stakeholders to discuss the progress made on the African Union's 2026 theme of ensuring sustainable water availability and safe sanitation systems. President Sisi emphasized the importance of cooperation and coordination among African countries to address the challenges facing the continent.
In his opening remarks, President Sisi highlighted the need for African countries to work together to address the pressing issues of the continent, including conflicts, terrorism, and economic challenges. He stressed that coordination among African countries is crucial to achieving sustainable development and that the continent must move beyond mere coordination to tangible projects and programs that benefit its people. President Sisi also praised the city of El Alamein, where the meeting is being held, as an example of transformation from a war-torn area to a hub for investment, work, and construction.
President Sisi reiterated Egypt's commitment to promoting African unity and cooperation, emphasizing that the continent's development is contingent upon the respect of international law, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of African countries. He rejected external interference in the internal affairs of African countries and called for a focus on cooperation rather than competition in addressing transboundary issues, including the management of shared water resources. Egypt's stance on these issues is guided by the principles of good neighborliness and non-interference.
The Egyptian President underscored the significance of the African Union's theme for 2026, which focuses on sustainable water availability and safe sanitation systems. He commended the adoption of the African Water Vision and Policy 2063 and called for the speedy preparation and adoption of the first executive plan for this document to ensure water security, stability, and sustainable development for African nations. Egypt recognizes the critical importance of water management and stresses that cooperation on transboundary rivers must be based on international law and consultation.
President Sisi emphasized that each country has the right to develop and utilize its natural resources responsibly, without causing harm to neighboring countries. He expressed Egypt's commitment to working with African countries to achieve the goals of Agenda 2063 and to translate these goals into concrete projects that benefit the continent's people. The President also highlighted the importance of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which came into effect in 2019, and called for its full implementation to create a single African market.
The President stressed that economic integration is a key tool for consolidating peace in Africa and encouraged African countries to work together to build a more stable and prosperous future. He also highlighted the role of the private sector in driving economic growth and development in Africa and announced plans to host the second edition of the El Alamein-Africa Business Forum in 2028. Egypt is committed to supporting African countries in their efforts to achieve sustainable development and peace.
President Sisi concluded his remarks by emphasizing the importance of addressing the challenges facing countries that have experienced conflicts. As a champion of post-conflict reconstruction and development in the African Union, he called for a review of progress made over the past 20 years and for renewed commitment to translating the African Union's policy on post-conflict reconstruction into concrete programs and projects on the ground.
Key points
- President Sisi calls for cooperation on transboundary rivers based on international law
- Egypt emphasizes the importance of African unity and cooperation to address the continent's challenges
- The African Union's theme for 2026 focuses on sustainable water availability and safe sanitation systems
