Shoukry will deliver the presidential speech on the AU Peace and Security Council's (PSC) activity report, Spokesman for Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ahmed Abu Zeid told the Egyptian state news agency MENA on Saturday.

The country's top diplomat will represent the president during a meeting of the Committee of the African Heads of State and Government on Climate Change (CAHOSCC), added Abu Zeid.

The spokesman said the Egyptian priorities in the African summit revolve around means to deal with the ongoing global economic crisis and its ramifications on the continent as well as ways to mobilise the financial resources for addressing African priorities.

These priorities include ways to confront continental peace and security challenges as well as to promote counter-terrorism efforts, noted Abu Zeid.

He said this year's session, which is being held under the theme "Acceleration of [African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)] Implementation," is of special importance in light of the subsequent crises the world underwent over the past year and their lingering effects on African states, including the Russian-Ukrainian crisis, a global food crisis, destructive climate change impacts and the economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic.

During the summit, African heads of state and government will discuss ways to implement the AfCFTA and the significance of accelerating the finalisation of outstanding issues – including, the rules of origin and supporting protocols.

Earlier Saturday, current Chair of the African Union and President of Senegal Macky Sall handed over the chairmanship of the AU to the island state of Comoros.