FM Abdelatty chaired the conference’s plenary session jointly with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Angolan Foreign Minister Tete António, whose country currently holds the presidency of the African Union.
Delivering Egypt’s address at the meeting — held for the first time on African soil — Abdelatty said the conference reflected “the depth of the historical relations that bind the African continent with the Russian Federation, and the promising prospects these relations hold for partnership and joint action.”
He noted that the African–Russian partnership, launched at the first Russia–Africa Summit in Sochi in 2019 under the joint chairmanship of President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and Russian President Vladimir Putin, represents “one of the successful experiences in strengthening international cooperation among partners who share common ground,” particularly at a time of rapid global transformations and declining effectiveness of traditional international mechanisms.
Abdelatty stressed that stability in the international system is closely linked to respect for the fundamental principles governing relations between states, including sovereignty, non-interference in internal affairs and the rejection of imposed tutelage or dictates.
“Reforming the international system and making it more responsive to today’s requirements and challenges is no longer an option, but a necessity,” he said.
He added that Africa, given its human, economic and political potential, must be “at the forefront of active players in the international system,” reaffirming the continent’s unified position on reforming the UN Security Council in line with the Ezulwini Consensus and the Sirte Declaration. He also called for reforming international financial structures to better meet African needs, particularly in technology transfer and access to concessional financing.
The foreign minister underlined that effective African partnerships must be based on “equality, mutual respect and shared interests” and aligned with the development priorities of Agenda 2063, rather than temporary or conditional frameworks.
He said the economic and development dimension represents a central pillar of African–Russian cooperation, especially in light of challenges facing many African states in food security, energy, infrastructure and technology transfer.
“This requires strengthening joint investments, supporting production and industrial projects, and exchanging expertise, particularly in emerging fields such as cybersecurity and technological applications,” Abdelatty said.
On security, Abdelatty stressed that development cannot be achieved without a safe and stable environment, reaffirming Egypt’s commitment to national ownership, the preservation of state institutions, and adherence to African Union principles on sovereignty and territorial integrity.
He called for a comprehensive political, developmental, social and intellectual approach that addresses the root causes of conflicts and terrorism, within the interconnected framework of peace, security and development.
This approach, he said, includes investing in infrastructure, education and healthcare, empowering youth and women, strengthening counter-terrorism capacities, building strong institutions, securing sustainable and predictable funding for African peace support operations, and activating post-conflict reconstruction and development programmes — particularly through the African Union Centre for Post-Conflict Reconstruction and Development, hosted in Cairo.
Addressing regional developments, Abdelatty highlighted the serious political, security and humanitarian challenges in Egypt’s regional environment, outlining Cairo’s efforts to reach a ceasefire agreement in Gaza in cooperation with international and regional partners.
He also pointed to Egypt’s efforts to resolve the crisis in Sudan, support a Libyan-led political solution without external interference, secure sustainable funding for the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), safeguard Red Sea security and freedom of navigation, support counter-terrorism efforts in the Sahel, and restore stability in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
In this context, Abdelatty reiterated Egypt’s rejection of “any unilateral measures in the Horn of Africa or the Red Sea that would undermine the sovereignty of states in the region or escalate regional and international tensions.”
He added that Egypt continues to exert intensive efforts to enhance cooperation with Nile Basin countries, while affirming its right “to take all measures guaranteed by international law to protect its water security.”
The foreign minister concluded by affirming Egypt’s readiness to strengthen cooperation with Russia in implementing trilateral cooperation projects in African countries, particularly in the areas of infrastructure, renewable energy, and capacity-building.
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