In a speech delivered on Saturday before the Consultative Summit of Ten Heads of State and Government in Addis Ababa, Shoukry – who was speaking on behalf of President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi –  said that African countries must adhere now more than ever to  the Ezulwini Consensus and Sirte Declaration as they represent the inclusive African stance on the UN reforms issue. 

According to the 2005 Ezulwini Consensus and Sirte Declaration, African states should have at least two permanent seats and five non-permanent Security Council seats chosen by the African Union.

The Egyptian Foreign Minister stressed in his speech the importance of African countries remaining united and distancing themselves from attempts to divide them by some parties that seek to achieve their interests at the expense of African rights.

He stated that some of the new formulations pertaining to UN Security Council reform do not take into account African interests and positions. 

Furthermore, Sameh Shoukry welcomed the effort made by the Committee of Ten under the leadership of the President of Sierra Leone Julius Maada Bio, stressing that those efforts reflect an interest in achieving progress that strengthens the representation of the African continent in the UN forum and addresses the historical injustice against it.

Shoukry, who is acting on behalf of President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi, is leading the Egyptian delegation to the 36th Ordinary Session of the heads of state and government of the AU in the Ethiopian capital which concludes on Sunday.

On Saturday, he addressed a meeting of the Committee of African Heads of State and Government on Climate Change (CAHOSCC), reviewing the most notable outcomes of the COP27 conference held in Sharm El-Sheikh in November, including the creation of a fund to finance repairing the damage caused by climate change in developing nations.