El-Alamein, Egypt- President Cyril Ramaphosa on Sunday participated in the plenary of the 8th African Union (AU) Mid-Year Coordination Meeting in his capacity as Chairperson of the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
Held in El-Alamein, the Arab Republic of Egypt, the meeting brought together African leaders to deliberate on key continental priorities, including strengthening regional integration, advancing the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), accelerating infrastructure development and addressing peace and security challenges across the continent.
Progress in implementing the division of labour between the African Union, Regional Economic Communities and Member States, alongside efforts to strengthen peace, security and economic cooperation across the continent, were the issues the meeting would discuss, the Presidency said in a post on social media platform X.
READ | President arrives in Egypt for AU meeting
In a statement, Chairperson of the AU Commission, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, said the meeting remains a critical platform for strengthening cooperation between the AU, Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and Regional Mechanisms (RMs)for harmonising efforts towards the implementation of Africa’s continental integration agenda.
Against a complex and rapidly changing global geopolitical environment, the Chairperson stressed the need for Africa to deepen its collective reflection and strengthen its capacity to respond to the challenges affecting peace, security, stability & socio-economic development across the continent.
He further emphasised that, while important progress has been made, institutional operational obstacles continue to constrain regional and continental integration.
“The second decade of Agenda 2063 requires renewed political commitment, stronger coordination & effective implementation of the continental frameworks & instruments already adopted, and a clearer division of labour between the Union, RECs and RMs is essential.
"Such a division must be based on solidarity, complementarity and comparative advantage, while avoiding duplication and ensuring that collective efforts are directed towards tangible results for African citizens,” said the AU.
The Chairperson reaffirmed the commitment of the AU Commission to working with Member States, RECs & RMs to strengthen peace & stability across the continent.
Youssouf also highlighted the importance of strengthening Africa’s financial architecture and mobilising predictable, sustainable and sufficient resources for the implementation of Agenda 2063.
In his remarks, the President of Egypt, Abdel Fattah El Sisi, welcomed African leaders & delegations to Egypt & stressed the importance of strengthening coordination between the AU, RECs & RMs.
“President El Sisi emphasised that coordination must serve a practical purpose: moving Africa from fragmented efforts towards greater integration, & from shared aspirations towards concrete, implementable projects that deliver tangible benefits to African peoples,” said the African Union.
Bilateral meetings
Meanwhile, on the margins of the AU Mid-Year Coordination Meeting, President Ramaphosa held a bilateral meeting with Chairperson Youssouf.
The engagement provided an opportunity for the two leaders to discuss issues of mutual interest and strengthening cooperation in support of Africa’s integration agenda.
The President also held a bilateral meeting with President El-Sisi to discuss issues of mutual interest and strengthen relations between South Africa and Egypt.
The meeting provided an opportunity for the two leaders to reaffirm the importance of bilateral cooperation and explore areas of shared interest within the broader context of African development and regional collaboration. -SAnews.gov.za
