Speaking at the event, held as part of Al-Ahram’s 150th anniversary celebrations, Al-Mashat said the continent is at a pivotal moment, with its natural resources, expanding markets, and young workforce positioning it as one of the world’s most dynamic investment destinations.
She said Egypt is committed to supporting the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) through policies that advance cross-border industrialization, develop regional value chains, and mobilize new financing tools to attract large-scale investment.
The minister added that Egypt’s development strategy aligns with continental priorities in infrastructure, digital transformation, and sustainable industrial growth. Upgrading transport corridors, energy interconnections, and logistics networks, she said, is essential to shifting Africa from a supplier of raw materials to a competitive production base.
Former prime minister Ibrahim Mahlab, delivering a keynote address, noted that the conference coincides with Africa Industrialization Week, offering a timely platform to push forward a common vision for economic integration. He said AfCFTA’s real potential lies not only in tariff reductions but in building industrial partnerships, joint manufacturing platforms, and harmonized regulations that can expand production and export capacity across the continent.
Mahlab added that Egypt’s geographic position and industrial base place it at the centre of continental cooperation, particularly in value-added sectors such as pharmaceuticals, construction materials, engineering industries, and agri-processing.
Speakers from business associations and private-sector organizations stressed the need for greater private-sector participation, regulatory alignment, and long-term strategic partnerships. They highlighted the importance of developing integrated supply chains, expanding SME access to regional markets, and creating financing mechanisms tailored to intra-African trade.
Participants also pointed to persistent investment bottlenecks—including high transport costs, inconsistent customs procedures, and limited cross-border finance—and called for more joint ventures between Egyptian and African companies to drive job creation, technology transfer, and economic resilience.
The conference brought together ministers, economic experts, diplomats, CEOs, and representatives of regional organizations, underscoring Egypt’s aim to position itself as a central hub for African economic cooperation.
Organizers said the conference’s recommendations will feed into Egypt’s wider strategy to support AfCFTA implementation and advance the Africa We Want agenda.
During the event, Minister of Youth and Sports Ashraf Sobhi said that this conference reflects the Egyptian-African ties within the prestigious Al-Ahram Foundation, which is celebrating 150 years since its establishment.
He also extended his appreciation to Al-Ahram Hebdo on its 30th anniversary, commending the French-language publication initiative, which promotes starategic economic thought.
Sobhi noted that the ministry has developed a national strategy for Egyptian and African youth aimed at empowering and investing in young people, stressing that youth is one of the main pillars of development in Africa.
He added that youth make up 65 percent of Egypt’s population, and pointed out that according to Al-Ahram Hebdo’s report, African youth will represent 42 percent of the world’s youth by 2036.
The sports minister concluded by affirming the ministry’s commitment to engaging with all the visions and recommendations that the conference will produce at its conclusion.
For his part, Chairman of Al-Ahram Foundation Mohamed Fayez Farahat said that this conference reflects the qualitative evolution of strategic relations between Egypt and Africa since 2014.
He noted that these ties now rest on a new era built on mutual respect, non-interference, and shared interests, with full recognition of each country’s right to pursue its own development path.
During his speech, Farahat said the major leap in the level of political and economic cooperation between Egypt and Africa requires strengthening media work to keep pace with this progress and to provide content that reflects the scale of current partnerships and future opportunities.
He stressed that this conference comes within the framework of Al-Ahram’s role in establishing essential discussion platforms.
He expressed hope that Al-Ahram, through Al-Ahram Hebdo, would maintain an annual conference to follow developments in Egyptian-African relations and to generate ideas and proposals to advance these ties.
Farahat explained that Al-Ahram owns a wide range of specialized media platforms in the fields of energy, trade, and the economy, adding that the Foundation is launching a new platform dedicated to enhancing Egypt-Africa and Africa-Africa communication and relations.
This new platform, he noted, is of strategic importance due to Al-Ahram’s weight and the significance of Al-Ahram Hebdo as a French-language newspaper—especially since many African economies use French, affirming that the main goal is to create a tangible interactive space between officials in Egyptian ministries, business leaders, and think tanks.
During his speech, the head of Al-Ahram Foundation noted that the world is currently witnessing profound transformations that require rethinking mechanisms of cooperation with Africa and maximizing the benefit from regional and international frameworks that support African integration.
These shifts, he noted, place greater responsibilities on states, media and research institutions to monitor developments and formulate visions that strengthen opportunities for shared development.
Farhat pointed out that the African continent faces fundamental challenges, including financing pressures, climate change, slowing global growth, and increasing infrastructure needs—making economic dialogue and the exchange of expertise an urgent necessity to overcome these obstacles.
He expressed his hope that the conference will send a clear message to African countries that Egypt stands as a full partner in the development path, and that the conference will serve as an effective platform for presenting visions that support Egyptian and African priorities.
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