President El-Sisi’s Speech at Fifth Edition of the Aswan Forum

alhadath – cairo

“In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful”

Ladies and gentlemen,
Esteemed guests of Egypt,
I welcome you all to the fifth edition of the “Aswan Forum for Sustainable Peace and Development” in the city of Aswan. This city embraced the first edition of the Forum, which we jointly initiated during Egypt’s chairmanship of the African Union back in 2019.
Ever since, the forum has succeeded in establishing its robust status as an unparalleled African platform and inclusive forum, hosting our discussions on internal and external challenges encountering our continent. Through it, we formulated joint visions and responses fostering the close relationship between sustainable peace and development, thereby solidifying Africa’s role as a vigorous partner in international deliberations on the future of cooperation, global governance, peacebuilding and development.

Ladies and gentlemen,
You are well aware of the gravity of the moment the world is currently facing. We observe a deficiency and incapacity on the part of the international community to address the severe humanitarian crises, alongside selectivity and double standards in protecting human values and principles, and defiant persistent violations of international law.
This has aggravated international polarization, thereby undermining the capacity of multilateral institutions to function effectively and derailing their crucial reform efforts. Furthermore, the international community has failed to fulfil its commitments to developing countries, either through debt relief or climate financing.

Ladies and gentlemen,
Our African continent stands acutely affected by these international circumstances, which directly fuel conflict and violence, drive competition for resources, exacerbate developmental challenges and impede the path toward sustainable peace and development. This is compounded by chronic and emergent challenges facing the continent, whether internal crises or external interventions, that erode the power of the state. Coupled with this is the proliferation of terrorism, the rise of irregular migration rates, transnational organized crime as well as growing threats in the sphere of cybersecurity and climate change, all of which have direct negative repercussions on food and water security.
Ladies and gentlemen,
The convening of the Aswan Forum this year, under the theme: “A World in Flux, A Continent in Motion: Navigating Africa’s Progress Amid Global Shifts”, unequivocally demonstrates that Africa now stands at the heart of intractable challenges facing the global system.
In fact, there is an exceptional opportunity for Africa to pioneer efforts aimed at restoring the cohesion and credibility of the global order and forging the role of international organizations in a more inclusive and transparent manner.
Despite the formidable global challenges and prevailing harsh realities, Africa boasts untapped potential, abundant resources and powerful human capital. It has already taken significant strides toward invigorating these capabilities to support development in its nations.
The launch of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement is a demonstrable model as it stands as a cornerstone for the implementation of the Africa Development Agenda 2063.
Driven by the aforementioned, and from a comprehensive vision for addressing these challenges, this year’s edition of the Forum is dedicated to tackling the most pressing existing and emergent security challenges in Africa and identifies the optimal pathways for their effective resolution. This also encompasses post-conflict reconstruction and development efforts, a dossier I am honored to champion within the African Union, and supporting the full activation of its relevant, updated policy, all aimed at achieving sustainable peace and development.
The Forum will also address the themes of investment in infrastructure and strategic corridors and the role of the private sector and innovative partnerships in achieving development goals. It will also place special emphasis on women and youth, notably as this edition coincides with two major milestones: the 25th anniversary of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda and 10th anniversary of the Youth, Peace and Security Agenda.
Finally, I look forward to your fruitful deliberations over the coming two days. These discussions will be reflected on the “Aswan Outcomes” issued by the Forum, which we will rigorously follow-up on throughout the coming year. I am confident our African continent has the capacity to secure and fulfil its peoples’ aspirations for sustainable peace and development. This will allow them to thrive within a just global order, governed by humanitarian principles and values and upheld by a spirit of amity and cooperation among all peoples.

Thank you
May Allah’s peace and blessings be upon you