In a statement issued on the sidelines of the G20 summit held in Rio De Janeiro, the Egyptian Presidency announced that this year’s event theme is “Joint Strategies and Pathways for the Effective Implementation of the African Union Policy on Post-Conflict Reconstruction and Development.”

“The multiple and simultaneous security and development challenges facing our African continent make it incumbent upon us to address the root causes of conflicts; build the capacities of national, regional, and continental institutions that foster the ability of our countries to withstand and confront the complex internal and external challenges; and strive to reach sustainable, peaceful solutions to the existing crises,” El-Sisi said in his statement.

He added that all that will contribute to building and sustaining peace and prevent societies from sliding back into cycles of violence and conflict while strengthening and activating the connection between peace, security, and development.

He also pointed to discussions held during the “Aswan Forum for Sustainable Peace and Development,” which was convened in Cairo last July. This forum underscored the interconnectedness of peace, security, and development.

The forum witnessed significant milestones, including the launch of the “African Network for the Prevention of Violent Extremism Conducive to Terrorism” and the announcement of the “Aswan Forum Prize for Reconstruction and Development,” which celebrate successful peacebuilding efforts across Africa.

Peacebuilding progress
 

El-Sisi further noted the progress made in strengthening Africa’s conflict prevention and peacebuilding frameworks, particularly by endorsing the revised “African Union Policy on Post-Conflict Reconstruction and Development” during the African Union Summit in February 2024.

He stated that the policy update reflects a comprehensive strategy integrating national, regional, and continental efforts and that the focus now shifts to activating and implementing the new policy.

“We will begin by promoting and raising awareness through the activities of this year's reconstruction week,” the president announced, adding that the guidelines for implementing the revised policy will be developed.

“Furthermore, the African Union Centre for Post-Conflict Reconstruction and Development will start operations from its Cairo headquarters to develop initiatives and projects that seek to support post-conflict and transitional states, serving as the African Union's executive arm in peacebuilding,” he stated, adding that there will be coordination with partners and mobilizing the necessary financing and resources to implement these projects.

In his speech, the Egyptian president lauded the African Union Commission's role in advancing peacebuilding and reaffirmed his commitment to working with African leaders, stakeholders, and global partners to fulfil the aspirations of the African people and achieve the goals outlined in “Africa’s Agenda 2063.”

Egypt, a non-G20 member, has participated in the group’s meetings as a guest nation for the fourth time.

The country previously attended under the Chinese, Japanese, and Indian presidencies in 2016, 2019, and 2023, respectively.

The G20 is an international forum of the world’s largest economies, representing approximately 80 percent of global GDP and 75 percent of international trade.

The summit primarily focuses on tackling significant global economic challenges through cooperation and policy coordination.