Egypt's president Abd EL-Fattah El-Sisi shakes hands with South African President Jacob Zuma (Photo: Al-Ahram)
Egypt's Prime Minister Ibrahim Mahlab issued a decision on Monday to create a cabinet committee under the name of Africa's Unity to promote bilateral relations between Egypt and African states.
The committee will be comprised of the ministers of trade and industry, agriculture and land reclamation, transport, investment and culture, as well as representatives from the defence ministry and national security council.
The new committee will hold at least one monthly meeting. Other ministers or experts would take part in the committee's work as needed.
After a brief suspension from the African Union following the ouster of democratically-elected Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in 2013, the country was eventually reinstated in June 2014.
President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi has regularly stressed the importance of strong Egyptian-African relations.
El-Sisi has met with numerous African leaders since taking office in June 2014. He has most recently met with South Africa's President Jacob Zuma who announced his country's backing for Egypt's bid for a seat on the UN Security Council next year.
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