Aswan Forum for Sustainable Peace and Development kicked off on Wednesday in the upper Egyptian city of Aswan under the patronage of President Abdel Fattah El Sisi.
The two-day event will focus on post-conflict reconstruction, education, climate change and sustainable development in Africa.
"The forum will be a regional and continent platform for discussion, dialogue and exchange of experiences," said Sisi in his opening speech.
"Aswan forum will be a good opportunity to discuss the challenges facing Africa, topped by stability of peace and security situation and achieving aspired sustainable development as well as protecting our African countries and societies from the spread of terrorism and its related phenomenon especially weapons smuggling, human trafficking and illegal migration," he added.
The president stressed the importance of "finding African solutions for the African problems."
He reiterated "the forum proceedings will boost the continent endeavors for developing the African peace and security comprehensively and permanently.”
The Aswan forum was announced by Sisi in February during an African Union summit in Addis Ababa.
World leaders as well as representatives of international and regional organizations, including presidents of Chad, Niger, Senegal, Nigeria, Comoros, and chairperson of the African Union Commission and other international figures participated in 13 key sessions.
Aswan Forum Day 1Agenda
Sisi opened the forum with a keynote speech, followed by the first session titled “The Africa We Want: Sustaining Peace, Security & Development” focusing on Africa’s economic potential.
The second session, titled “Silencing the Guns in Africa: Owning the Prevention Agenda” focused on how the prevention agenda must be integrated into national development policies and efforts, with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the core of this approach.
The third session was titled “Twenty-One Strategies Later: Why is Sustainable Peace and Development in the Sahel Still Elusive?” focusing on the main challenges facing the Sahel region.
Other sessions on the first day will look at a regional cooperation framework for peace, security, and development in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, and the problem of extremism and moving away from terrorism.
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