Leaders of African countries called for increased self-reliance, strengthened regional cooperation, and joint action to address the continent's common challenges and accelerate sustainable development.
This appeal was made during a series of high-level meetings held in New Alamein, Egypt, from October 2 to 4. These included the Forum of Africa in Alamein, the founding summit of the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD), and the Eighth Coordination Meeting of the African Union (AU) and Regional Economic Communities (RECs).
Opening the eighth AU coordination meeting, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi stated that Africa must move beyond aligning positions and begin integrating its capabilities for the collective shaping of the continent's future. El-Sisi reiterated Egypt's stance against external interference in Africa's internal affairs, emphasizing the importance of respecting national sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity.
He also called for closer cooperation in solving cross-border issues, including the management of natural resources and transboundary rivers, which must be carried out in accordance with international law, principles of consultation, coordination, good neighborliness, and non-harm. The President of Egypt participated in the Alamein Consultative Summit alongside leaders from Egypt, Eritrea, Sudan, and Somalia amid escalating diplomatic tensions in the region.
The African Union strongly urged Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Egypt to exercise maximum restraint following several diplomatic disagreements, such as the closure of the Ethiopian embassy in Eritrea and the expulsion of diplomats by Ethiopia and Egypt.
At the AUDA-NEPAD founding summit, African leaders emphasized the need for the continent to rely more on its own resources and potential to achieve the goals of Agenda 2063—the AU's long-term development plan. Leaders and representatives of the African Union Commission and five AUDA-NEPAD founders attended the summit: Egypt, Algeria, Nigeria, Senegal, and South Africa, as well as Burundi's President Évarist Ndayishimye, the current AU Chairperson.
El-Sisi noted that Africa must develop and implement its own financing mechanisms. At the same time, the private sector of Africa was recognized as a key driver of continental development in the Alamein Declaration, especially in implementing the second decade of Agenda 2063. Ndayishimye called for strengthening AUDA-NEPAD's potential to expand infrastructure projects and improve interaction among African institutions.
Senegal's President Bassir Diomaye Faye highlighted persistent challenges in Africa, such as poverty, food insecurity, youth unemployment, and gaps in healthcare. Angola's President João Lourenço stated that AUDA-NEPAD was created to allow Africa to take greater responsibility for defining its own development priorities and agenda. Established in 2018, AUDA-NEPAD coordinates regional and continental development initiatives aimed at advancing Agenda 2063 and strengthening the capacity of African Union member states and regional institutions.