The delegation included Minister of Foreign Affairs of Burkina Faso Karamoko Traoré; Minister of Foreign Affairs of Mali Abdallah Diop; Minister of Foreign Affairs of Somalia Abdi Salem Ali; and Minister of Interior of Rwanda Vincent Biruta.
They were received by Governor of Aswan Major General Dr Ismail Kamal and accompanied by representatives from regional and international organizations and Egypt’s development partners.
The visit followed President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi’s directives to deepen Egypt’s partnerships with African nations and highlight the country’s contributions to advancing healthcare across the continent.
It also underscored the humanitarian and developmental dimensions of Egyptian diplomacy, a key element of Cairo’s foreign policy, and the strategic cooperation between the Egyptian Agency of Partnership for Development (EAPD) and Professor Sir Magdi Yacoub in implementing major medical and humanitarian projects in Africa.
Among the key initiatives discussed was the Magdi Yacoub Heart Centre in Rwanda, a regional cardiac care hub set to open in mid-2026. The project reflects Egypt’s growing support for healthcare infrastructure and capacity building across Africa.
During the tour, Professor Sir Magdi Yacoub briefed the delegation on the Centre’s advanced medical technologies, modern treatment methods, and specialized training programmes for doctors and healthcare workers from various African and developing countries.
According to a Foreign Ministry statement, Sir Magdi Yacoub also outlined future expansion plans to increase patient capacity, enhance research collaboration, and extend the centre’s services to more African patients suffering from cardiovascular diseases.
Minister Abdelatty described the centre as a “beacon of humanitarian diplomacy,” praising Sir Magdi Yacoub and his team for their dedication to using science and expertise to serve those most in need.
“This centre embodies the spirit of shared humanity and African solidarity that defines Egypt’s foreign policy,” Abdelatty said, affirming Egypt’s commitment to supporting and expanding the institution’s regional and international partnerships.
The visiting African ministers expressed admiration for the centre’s high standard of care and its dedication to training medical professionals from across the continent.
They commended Egypt’s leadership in promoting South-South cooperation and described the centre as a model of medical excellence and compassion in the developing world.
Established in Aswan as one of Egypt’s leading centres of excellence in cardiac surgery and research, the Professor Sir Magdi Yacoub Heart Centre provides free, high-quality treatment to thousands of patients each year.
It also serves as a training hub for young doctors and medical staff from Egypt and other developing countries, fostering innovation and knowledge exchange in cardiovascular medicine, a field in which Sir Magdi Yacoub is one of the world’s most respected pioneers.
Launched in 2014 under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the EAPD plays a central role in transforming Egypt’s traditional aid approach into one based on mutual partnership and South-South cooperation.
Succeeding the former Egyptian Fund for Technical Cooperation with Africa, the EAPD embodies President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi’s vision of positioning Egypt as a development bridge between Africa and the Arab world, with a focus on shared growth, knowledge exchange, and capacity building.
The agency operates in diverse fields including healthcare, agriculture, renewable energy, governance, peacekeeping, and women’s empowerment, and conducts hundreds of training programmes and technical missions annually for African and developing-country partners.
Short link: