Statement by President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi at the Aswan Forum II

Your Majesties, Your Excellencies,
African Heads of State and Government,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Distinguished Guests,
I am pleased to start my statement by welcoming you all to the second edition of the Aswan Forum for Sustainable Peace and Development (Aswan Forum II). We launched this interactive African platform together during Egypt’s chairmanship of the African Union in 2019 in order to put forward an ambitious agenda for strengthening the relationship between having a state of stable peace and security and achieving sustainable development in our continent. This agenda is also set out to enhance cooperation among our countries and partners.
The exceptional circumstances imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic prevented us from meeting face-to-face in Aswan last year; however, Egypt was keen to hold the second edition of the Aswan Forum for Sustainable Peace and Development virtually to build upon the momentum gained from the first edition and the successes it achieved. Stemming from the belief that the current time is ideal for us to study together the major challenges facing our continent and search for the best means and mechanisms that support our post-pandemic joint efforts to recover stronger and rebuild better to help our continent handle the crisis and get out of it safe and sound.

Ladies and Gentlemen,
We proved during the past year that all the challenges imposed by the pandemic and its repercussions would not deter us from advancing our African agenda. Nevertheless, these challenges filled us with increased determination to move forward in implementing our plans and rebuilding better in order to achieve the goals of the African Union's Agenda 2063.
Perhaps bringing the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement (AfCFTA) into force at the beginning of this year is a great success example of our collective efforts.
I reassert Egypt’s full support of the Agreement and the importance of expediting the application of its benefits, completing negotiation phases thereof and activating all related policies.
Moreover, infrastructure projects are considered a cornerstone for development and recovery efforts in Africa; we really need ambitious projects, such as transportation, roads and border-crossing electricity interconnections. These projects would help enhance the desired economic integration and regional merger and set an enabling environment to achieve higher levels of growth and provide employment opportunities in a way that averts the pandemic’s economic repercussions.
Egypt’s pioneering experience in infrastructure projects is considered a model that we would happily share with our brothers. I would like to also highlight the importance of information technology in dealing with the pandemic’s repercussions and its pivotal role in all aspects of our lives during this period. This confirms the importance of increasing investments in digital transformation across our continent in a manner that would allow for taking maximum advantage of the opportunities provided by this technology across different fields.
On the road to a full recovery from this pandemic, sustainable development policies, including economic, social and environmental dimensions, need to be promoted. It is worth mentioning that his pandemic demonstrated the overlapping and intertwining of risks and challenges facing our societies and countries. I am confident that the Forum’s discussions will provide the proper opportunity to exchange experiences and opinions on ways to develop these policies.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Aside from the heavy burdens our countries have on their shoulders due to the coronavirus pandemic, our continent is still suffering from the dangers of armed conflicts and civil wars, which threaten sustainable security in our continent.

Terrorism has been undermining the stability of our people and giving rise to cross-border phenomena such as weapons smuggling and proliferation, the increasing rate of organized crimes, human trafficking, illegal immigration, and forced displacement.

The pandemic, with its significant economic and social repercussions, contributed to exacerbating these dangers. Thus, efforts have to be united to support the African frameworks and mechanisms for preventing and settling disputes and enhance the capabilities of the countries of the continent to deal with existing threats and risks.
In addition, it is important to draw attention to promoting the role of women within the peace and security agenda, invest in the application of a crisis-prevention approach, and strengthen the relations between active members in the fields of peace, security, and development in a way that would address the root causes of the conflicts.

In this context, I would like to emphasize on the importance of choosing “Arts, Culture and Heritage” as the African Union’s 2021 theme of the year for it is the soft power in bringing nations together, thus helping them deal with challenges with enlightened thinking that would live up to the culture and civilization of our African countries and promote peace, security, and development in our great continent.

Moreover, achieving sustainable peace requires helping post-conflict countries avoid suffering a relapse by building the capacity of their institutions so as to be more resilient and empowering them to perform the tasks entrusted to them and to promote development.

From this perspective, we affirm our commitment to fulfill our responsibility in leading the post-conflict reconstruction and development file through activating the African Union Center (AUC-PCRD) in Egypt to place development plans and programs in coordination with every country concerned in accordance with their situation and national priorities, while exploring the best mechanisms and means for their implementation on the ground. Also, Egypt’s chairmanship of the United Nations Peacebuilding Commission opens the door for strengthening cooperation between the African Union and the United Nations in this field.

Your Majesties, Your Excellencies,
African Heads of State and Government,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

During those exceptional circumstances that our world is witnessing today, amid the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, Egypt stresses that international solidarity is a matter of urgency to help humanity emerge from this crisis peacefully and safely.
Despite our regional and international efforts to confront the pandemic, the current stage came with new challenges, foremost among which is providing the necessary vaccines to our people. I would like to stress, on this occasion, the African demand: vaccines to be provided in a more equitable and fair manner to meet the demands of the peoples of our continent.

Distinguished Guests,
Concluding my speech, I would like to express hope for meeting soon in person upon turning the page on the epidemic, enabling the next session of the forum to be held face-to-face in Aswan, the land of civilization and history.
Thank you for listening.

May peace, mercy and blessings of Allah be upon you.