Sisi Receives African Presidents on Sidelines of G7 Summit

Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah El Sisi held, at his residence in Biarritz, a business lunch with a number of African presidents on the sidelines of G7 Summit in France.

They included Rwandan President Paul Kagame, President of Senegal Macky Sall, President of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa, President of Burkina Faso Roch Marc Christian Kaboré and chairperson of the African Union Commission, Moussa Fakih,

The meeting aims to strengthen African positions during the G7 Summit, which is currently taking place in Biarritz City in France from 24 to 26 August.

During the meeting, President Sisi said he aims to enhance coordination and consultation before the summit’s activities kick off, Presidential spokesman Bassam Rady.

They also agreed on the general files that will be put forward during the summit, to harmoniously express the challenges facing the African continent and envisioning ways of addressing them.

The presidents also expressed the common African positions during many conferences and summits.

President El-Sisi stressed the importance of emphasizing the essence of relationship between the African continent and its international partners, based on equality and meeting the common interests of both sides.

He also pointed out to the importance of highlighting the most-needed development projects by the African countries, including poverty eradication, tackling climate change, combating endemic diseases, youth, women's empowerment and other issues.

The president also referred to the relationship between achieving development and maintaining security and stability, and focusing on the goals contained in the African Development Agenda 2063.

The Spokesman added that the Presidents of Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa and Burkina Faso expressed their appreciation for El-Sisi’s initiative to hold this meeting to coordinate African positions during Biarritz Summit.

They also praised the effective Egyptian presidency of the African Union this year, stressing the importance of enhancing integration steps, continuing liberalization of intra-trade through the entry into force of the African-Continental Free Trade Agreement.