Rédaction Africa Links 24 with MENA
Published on 2024-01-31 10:07:25
Minister of International Cooperation Rania al-Mashat emphasized Egypt’s substantial contributions to African development efforts, both at the bilateral level and through its presidency of African Union (AU) entities. She noted that President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi is currently leading the Steering Committee of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development Agency (NEPAD) for the period 2023-2025.
Al-Mashat delivered these remarks on Tuesday 30/1/2024 at the Italian-African Summit on behalf of President Sisi. She conveyed Sisi’s greetings to Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and African leaders, expressing hope that the summit would advance economic growth in African states and support their development aspirations.
The Minister commended the launch of the Mattei Plan, a strategic initiative aimed at strengthening relations between Italy and African countries in various sectors including education, training, health, water, sanitation, agriculture, energy, and infrastructure.
Al-Mashat highlighted the challenges facing African countries, citing statistics from the World Food Program (WFP) that nearly 20 percent of the African population suffers from food insecurity. She also noted that the continent requires an annual sum of USD 100 billion to bridge the financing gap for infrastructure projects, emphasizing the necessity of coordinated efforts between African countries, international partners, and relevant regional and international organizations.
In addition, the Minister underscored the impact of climate change on African countries, emphasizing the need to bolster collective efforts in strengthening food and water security in Africa. She called on countries and governments to accelerate the implementation of digital transformation to promote sustainable practices in agriculture and industry.
Al-Mashat also highlighted Egypt’s Country Platform for the Nexus of Water, Food, and Energy (NWFE), which aims to mobilize climate finance and private investments from multiple international financing institutions to support the country’s green transition and accelerate the national climate agenda.
In conclusion, Minister al-Mashat’s speech emphasized Egypt’s commitment to supporting African development and the importance of coordinated efforts in addressing the continent’s challenges.
