Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi has urged African countries to cooperate on shared rivers under international law and without harming other countries. Speaking at the eighth African Union Mid-Year Coordination Meeting in New Alamein, El-Sisi emphasized the importance of sustainable management of shared resources, particularly water. He stated that every state has the right to development and to benefit from its natural resources, but this right must be exercised responsibly.
El-Sisi's remarks followed talks with Burundi's president on Saturday, during which he warned against unilateral measures affecting the water interests of Nile Basin countries. He welcomed the AU's choice of sustainable water availability and safe sanitation as its 2026 theme and its adoption of the Africa Water Vision and Policy 2063. El-Sisi called for the swift preparation and adoption of the policy's first implementation plan to support water security, stability, and sustainable development across the continent.
The meeting brought together African leaders serving on this year's AU Assembly Bureau and the heads of regional economic communities and regional mechanisms. Discussions covered the AU's water and sanitation theme, continental integration, institutional reform, and implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). AU Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf and Burundi's President Évariste Ndayishimiye, the current AU chairperson, also addressed the opening session.
El-Sisi emphasized the need for coordination among AU member states, the commission, and regional bodies to produce specific, workable programs with a tangible effect on people's lives. He pointed to geopolitical tensions, conflicts, foreign interference, terrorism, extremism, cross-border organized crime, and disrupted supply chains as challenges that require collective action. El-Sisi reaffirmed Egypt's rejection of external interference in African countries' internal affairs and called for respect for their sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity.
On economic integration, El-Sisi urged full implementation of the African free trade agreement, which entered into force in 2019 during Egypt's AU chairmanship. He said a functioning continental market could increase trade among African countries, support manufacturing and technology transfer, and create jobs. Africa should develop integrated value chains and expand production within the continent rather than continue exporting raw materials and importing them as finished goods.
El-Sisi also highlighted the importance of post-conflict reconstruction and development in Africa. As the AU champion for post-conflict reconstruction and development, he called for a review of progress and shortcomings, followed by programs and projects on the ground. He praised the AU Commission and the Cairo-based AU Centre for Post-Conflict Reconstruction and Development for supporting national institutions and building capacity.
The mid-year coordination meeting is part of a series of African events hosted by Egypt in New Alamein from October 2 to 4. El-Sisi is scheduled to attend the Alamein Consultative Summit with the leaders of Eritrea, Sudan, and Somalia, where they will hold consultations on regional issues of mutual interest. The meeting aims to move African cooperation "from coordination to integration, from managing crises to building capacities, and from aspirations to achievements."
Key points
- El-Sisi urges cooperation on shared rivers under international law.
- African countries should approach cross-border issues through cooperation and dialogue.
- Egypt will host the second Alamein-Africa Business Forum in 2028.
