President El-Sisi's Speech at the 3rd Edition of Aswan Forum for Sustainable Peace and Development

“In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Benevolent”

Ladies and gentlemen, honorable guests,

It is my pleasure to welcome you to the third edition of the Aswan Forum for Sustainable Peace and Development. This African platform has proven, since its launch during Egypt's presidency of the African Union in 2019, to be an effective and inclusive African forum in which together we discuss the various threats and challenges that the continent is facing. Through it, we seek to crystallize common visions that consolidate the relation between peace and sustainable development and enhance cooperation among us and with various international partners.

The forum is held this year at a very critical time. The international community is suffering from mounting tension that has far-reaching consequences on various levels: political, economic and developmental, consequently affecting our African countries, particularly food and energy security. This adds to the health, social and economic repercussions resulting from the coronavirus pandemic, from which our countries still suffer its negative effects. This makes it our responsibility to integrate efforts to confront these challenges and strengthen our resilience to bring our continent to safety.

In this context, I would like to highlight in particular the food crisis that the African continent is currently experiencing, due to the serious repercussions it may have on the safety and stability of our communities. This matter requires adopting a package of urgent and effective measures in coordination with international partners and the international community to support African countries in handling its effects by diversifying food sources and securing supply chains for the continent’s countries. This is in addition to adopting sustainable measures to maintain food security by making advanced technology available to African countries in the field of agriculture , also intensifying our efforts to increase our production of agricultural crops in order to reach self-sufficiency.

Focusing on increasing resilience in the field of food and food security this year demonstrates the extent of attention that our countries accord to food security challenges. It also puts us before the responsibility of providing food to the peoples of our African continent, in light of challenges related to water scarcity and price hikes, which require us to find quick solutions to overcome this global crisis.

Ladies and gentlemen,

In the midst of these successive crises, it is also necessary not to forget the other challenges that our continent continues to face, primarily maintaining the state of peace and security, achieving sustainable development to which we aspire and protecting our African countries and communities from the spread of terrorism and the phenomena associated with it. Perhaps, the most dangerous of which are arms trafficking and proliferation, in addition to the increase in organized crime, human trafficking and illegal immigration.

These challenges propel us to strengthen joint African solidarity through a number of initiatives aimed at finding effective and innovative solutions that allow us to overcome the current difficult circumstances. Thus, we must move forward with putting them into effect through effective mechanisms and ambitious goals that realize the aspirations of the peoples of the continent.

Within this framework, Egypt was keen on establishing “The Sahel and Sahara Counter-terrorism Centre” so as to serve the peoples of the region to address the negative repercussions of this phenomenon. It also seeks to provide capacity-building for African institutions in affected areas, particularly in the Sahel region, by offering training sessions for forces participating in African peacekeeping missions. Moreover, Egypt launched “The African Union Centre for Post-Conflict Reconstruction and Development” (PCRD) to play a vigorous role to prepare the necessary programs and activities to support countries emerging from conflicts, reinforce stability, security and development there and prevent them from sliding back into conflict.

Ladies and gentlemen,

The convening of the forum’s third edition coincides with the imminent hosting by Egypt of “The 27th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 27) to the UNFCCC” in Sharm El-Sheikh. Your discussions during the coming two days will offer an important opportunity to shed light on the climate change role in amplifying peace and security challenges in Africa, notably as Africa is considered to be the most vulnerable to its negative impact, particularly with regard to desertification and the scarcity of water and natural resources problems, which undermine development efforts. This is, in addition to consequences related to the terrorist groups’ exploitation of the continent’s resources. All this necessitates expediting the implementation of the international pledges and commitments to the continent. Those include in particular adaptation to the negative impact of climate change, increasing international funding allocated for this purpose and enhancing resilience which shall contribute directly and effectively to peace-building efforts and ensure its sustainability.

Ladies and gentlemen,

The convening of the Aswan Forum this year might offer an important opportunity to continue to deliver Africa’s voice to all partners and players on the global arena and push for its issues to remain high on the international community’s priorities at a very complicated time, where priorities and preoccupations are changing according to the successive changes that our reality is witnessing today. However, interest in our continent’s issues shall not diminish, but rather there is a need to unite for these issues to remain present across the various international levels.

I would not miss the opportunity to reiterate that enhancing the role of women in peace and stability in Africa, in addition to benefiting from the youth’s power and visions for creating the future of our countries remain the cornerstones that shall be adhered-to in order to counter the successive crises and intertwined challenges. This is because they are the segments most affected by these challenges, and the most capable of supporting our strategy for security and stability which are imperative to achieve sustainable development.

Finally, despite the real efforts exerted and the achievements, which we have made together in Africa during the past period, the exceptional circumstances in our world today confirm again that the road toward achieving the aspirations of our peoples is still long. And this requires us all to consolidate and continue to work relentlessly with a sense of responsibility and robust resolve, committed to our goal with a firm belief that together we are capable of surmounting these hardships and move toward a better future for our African continent.

I am confident that your deliberations during the forum will constitute a valuable and appreciated contribution to formulating and crystalizing clear visions to strengthen our joint efforts and illuminate the path toward a better future for all. I look forward to the outcomes of your discussions after the conclusion of the forum.

Thank you all for listening. 

May Allah’s peace and blessings be upon you all