Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi announced on Thursday Egypt’s candidacy to the African Peace and Security Council for the term 2024-2026.
This comes “as Egypt acknowledges its responsibilities to support peace and security efforts on our continent,” Sisi said in a speech at the 22nd Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) Heads of State and Governments Summit.
The summit kicked off in Lusaka today with the participation of the COMESA 21 member states and saw Zambia taking over the chairmanship of COMESA from Egypt.
The summit was held under the theme: “Economic Integration for a Thriving COMESA Anchored on Green Investments, Value Addition and Tourism”.
“Allow me to announce the end of Egypt’s term chairing COMESA and it is my pleasure to hand over the chairmanship of COMESA to his excellency, President [Hakainde] Hichilema of the Republic of Zambia,” Sisi said.
The Egyptian president expressed full confidence that Hichilema will do everything in his powers to build on the achievements of the Egyptian chairmanship of COMESA.
Sisi reiterated his pledge to continue to work in coordination with the African brothers towards the implementation of the objectives of the African Development Agenda 2063, particularly with Egypt assuming the chairmanship of the African Union Development Agency, NEPAD, over the next two years.
The president also announced the formation of a new bureau of the COMESA Summit formed from Zambia as chair, Burundi as deputy chair and Egypt as rapporteur.
“It was a great honor for Egypt to take over the leadership of the COMESA over the past two years during a very delicate period that witnessed important developments at the international and regional levels,” Sisi stated.
He added that Egypt set its sight on well-defined goals during its chairmanship of the COMESA, which focused on advancing economic integration rates.
The aimed to enhance the level of well-being of African peoples and promote the capabilities of peace and security in our countries, Sisi stressed.
“However, despite the successes that have been achieved, we still have a lot to do to make our regional integration able to face the current challenges,” the president added.
Achievements, challenges
Sisi detailed Egypt’s achievements during its COMESA chairmanship with regard to economic development, regional industrial integration, infrastructure and pharmaceutical manufacturing.
The president also highlighted the deep challenges that African countries face to sustain peace and security.
Such challenges require countries to adhere to a number of key determinants and principles, especially the need to respect the right of all peoples of African States to life and to settle disputes, conflicts and issues that threaten this right, he stressed.
Also, African states need to “preserve our national institutions since it is the backbone of the stability of states and the security of their peoples and to safeguard their highest interests,” the president affirmed.
