The two-day summit, titled “Africa Forward: Africa–France Partnerships for Innovation and Growth,” is being held on 11–12 May under the overarching theme “Africa Forward.”
In talks with Congolese Foreign Minister Thérèse Wagner, Abdelatty reaffirmed Egypt’s appreciation for relations with the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), praising what he described as significant progress in bilateral ties over the past few years, Egypt’s foreign ministry stated.
He expressed Egypt’s keenness on expanding cooperation, particularly in the economic and development sectors.
He highlighted preparations for the upcoming El Alamein Africa Forum, scheduled to be held in Egypt in June on the sidelines of the African Union Mid-Year Coordination Summit.
The meeting also addressed developments in eastern DRC, where Abdelatty reiterated Egypt’s support for regional and international mediation efforts to reach a comprehensive political settlement and restore stability in the Great Lakes region.
He stressed the importance of linking peacebuilding with sustainable development through an integrated approach addressing the political, economic, military, and developmental dimensions of conflicts.
Abdelatty also pointed to Egypt’s support for post-conflict reconstruction initiatives under President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi’s leadership of the African Union’s post-conflict reconstruction and development file, as well as Egypt’s hosting of the AU Centre for Post-Conflict Reconstruction and Development.
On water security, the Egyptian foreign minister underlined the importance of cooperation among Nile Basin countries to achieve mutual benefit and shared interests, stressing the need to preserve a spirit of consensus and restore inclusivity within the Nile Basin Initiative (NBI).
He also rejected unilateral measures and welcomed what he described as positive developments in ongoing consultations aimed at restoring the initiative’s inclusivity in line with international law.
Separately, Abdelatty met Seychelles Foreign Minister Barry Faure, praising the strong bilateral relationship between the two countries as they mark 50 years of diplomatic ties this year.
He said Egypt was keen to use the anniversary as momentum to deepen cooperation across various sectors.
The Egyptian minister also held separate meetings with Sierra Leonean Foreign Minister Alhaji Musa Kaba, Liberian Foreign Minister Sara Beysolow Nyanti, Namibian Foreign Minister Selma Ashipala-Musavyi, and Nigerian Foreign Minister Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu.
According to the foreign ministry, the talks focused on strengthening bilateral relations, building on recent positive momentum in ties, and exploring opportunities for cooperation in political, economic, and development fields, as well as exchanging views on African issues of common interest.
In additional sideline meetings, Abdelatty met Kenyan Prime Cabinet Secretary and Foreign Minister Musalia Mudavadi and French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot.
The discussions addressed regional and African issues, including efforts to support peace, security, and stability across the continent, promote economic integration, and coordinate positions on issues on the African and international agendas.
El Alamein Africa Forum is a new African economic and political platform expected to be launched in Egypt’s Mediterranean city of El Alamein in June 2026 on the sidelines of the African Union’s 8th Mid-Year Coordination Meeting, which Egypt will host from 24–27 June.
The forum is being positioned as a high-level gathering to strengthen African economic integration, investment partnerships, trade cooperation, and post-conflict development coordination, while bringing together African governments, regional institutions, development bodies, and private-sector stakeholders.
Egyptian officials have linked the forum to Cairo’s broader push to deepen economic engagement with African states and reinforce Egypt’s role within continental institutions and regional integration initiatives.
The event will coincide with the African Union Mid-Year Coordination Meeting, one of the AU’s main institutional gatherings that brings together the AU Commission, regional economic communities (RECs), and member states to coordinate implementation of Agenda 2063, continental integration policies, and development priorities.
The choice of El Alamein reflects Egypt’s efforts to position the city as a regional venue for international political and economic conferences, particularly those focused on African cooperation, trade, infrastructure, and investment.
The meetings are also expected to align with broader African economic initiatives, including the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), intra-African industrialization, regional logistics integration, and financing mechanisms led by institutions such as Afreximbank, which is also scheduled to hold its 2026 annual meetings in El Alamein.
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