President Abdel Fattah El Sisi affirmed on Thursday that despite the coronavirus repercussions on the entire international community, especially African countries, those challenges have prompted African leaders to strengthen joint cooperation with a view to harnessing energies, and finding effective and innovative solutions that help overcome the current difficult circumstances.
Delivering a speech at the second coordination summit between the African Union (AU) and the Regional Economic Communities (RECs) held today via video conferencing, Sisi said Egypt has been keen to be at the forefront of African countries providing medical aid and lab equipment, and transferring technical expertise to support its brotherly African states.
In the same regard, President Sisi highlighted Egypt’s contribution to supporting the African Anti-COVID19 Fund, and the Africa Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).
Meanwhile, Sisi underscored the importance of the pivotal and leading role played by the African Union Development Agency (NEPAD) in mobilizing financial resources that help implement the flagship projects of Africa's Agenda 2063.
The Egyptian leader also urged African leaders to continue serious negotiations on the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement with a view to fully activating it, and fulfilling the common African dream of promoting economic integration.
Regional integration efforts cannot be dealt with in isolation from the upgrade of infrastructure and energy networks in the continent, Sisi said.
This is set to provide an environment conducive to higher levels of productive and economic integration, he added.
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