The Egyptian city of El Alamein has hosted over 20 heads of state and 1,500 business and institutional leaders in a unique triple-format summit under the auspices of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi. The summit combined the African Union's (AU) statutory coordination meeting, the founding summit of AUDA-NEPAD, and the first Africa-El Alamein Economic Forum, co-organized with Afreximbank. Equatorial Guinea's President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo and First Lady attended the event, alongside Aliko Dangote, representing African business leaders.
President Obiang Nguema Mbasogo emphasized that integration cannot be limited to agreements and declarations, but must be measured in tangible infrastructure such as kilometers of roads, interconnected megawatts, and cross-border fiber optics. He highlighted achievements in the Economic Community of Central African States (CEEAC), including the completion of the Ketta-Djoum road between Congo and Cameroon, and concluded studies for the Ouesso-Bangui-N'Djamena corridor.
The President of Equatorial Guinea solicited co-financing from AUDA-NEPAD and the African Development Bank (AfDB) for complete corridors. He also reported on the harmonization of rules of origin in CEEAC, warning that simply opening markets without strengthening productive capacities risks turning the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) into a free import zone dominated by extra-African trade.
On peace and security, President Obiang Nguema Mbasogo announced the creation of a high-level mediation committee for the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, led by Equatorial Guinea. This committee will complement the Luanda and Nairobi peace processes. He also requested the integration of CEEAC into the Independent Joint Secretariat of the peace process.
During the summit, President Obiang Nguema Mbasogo and his Gabonese counterpart signed an agreement on July 27 to implement the International Court of Justice's ruling on the islands of Mbañe, Cocoteros, and Konga, with mediation from the AU. Egyptian President Al-Sisi, in his inaugural speech, stressed that stability is essential for economic development, particularly in a world facing successive crises and a restructuring of production, energy, and technology maps.
President Al-Sisi advocated for Africa to strengthen its national states and prioritize peaceful solutions. He proposed El Alamein as a permanent platform to convert the priorities of Agenda 2063 into financeable projects. The current AU Chair, Evarist Ndahisimiye, called for more than a pro forma mid-year coordination, demanding coherence between the AU Commission, Regional Economic Communities (RECs), and AUDA-NEPAD.
The summit demonstrated Africa's commitment to resolving differences through international law and promoting economic development and peace. President Obiang Nguema Mbasogo's announcement on the mediation committee for Eastern DRC reflects a proactive approach to addressing regional security challenges. The event showcased African leaders' efforts to drive growth, stability, and cooperation across the continent.
Key points
- Equatorial Guinea's President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo announces a high-level mediation committee for the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
- The committee will complement the Luanda and Nairobi peace processes and aim to bring stability to the region.
- African leaders emphasize the need for coherence and cooperation to drive economic development and peace across the continent.
