Egypt wants Africa to send its own problems

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry delivered a speech on behalf of President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi at the 36th African Summit held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The Foreign Ministry spokesman, Ambassador Ahmed Abu Zeid, said the speech addressed the priorities of joint African action to ensure peace and security on the continent. The speech highlighted the need for cooperation to face existing security challenges and find lasting solutions that uphold the interests of the people, with parties to conflicts committed to the principle of African solutions to African problems.

The speech the urgent need to address the root causes of security challenges and threats on the continent. Minister Shoukry said that this was one of the main axes of Egypt’s vision for reconstruction and development. The speech also addressed the situation in Sudan, highlighting the progress made towards restoring stability and ending the transitional phase. Additionally, there was a need to provide necessary support to Libya to hold parliamentary and presidential elections, restoring sovereignty and stability.

Egypt is keen on activating the African Free Trade Area and is working to finalize its protocols and put them into practice. The African Summit presented an opportunity to create a common vision for the continent to deal with its challenges. Minister Shoukry noted that the summit addressed all current challenges, including the Ukraine crisis, food security, the debt crisis, and putting down guns to deal with African crises and conflicts.

The Foreign Minister concluded by saying that comprehensive action was necessary to deal with security challenges and their economic and social causes, given the increasing complexity of the challenges. Minister Shoukry’s speech underlines the importance of collaboration and African-led solutions to ensure peace and stability on the continent.