Sisi Reviews Egypt's Efforts During 2019 African Union Chairmanship

In his speech at the opening session of the 33rd ordinary Summit of the African Union, President Abdel Fattah El Sisi reviewed the Egyptian endeavors throughout a year of chairmanship of the Union.

Sisi congratulated the Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed for winning the Nobel Peace Prize, sending his greetings to all peoples in the African continent.

"Egypt was honored to chair the African Union in 2019 when the continent has moved forward," Sisi said.

He continued that during the Egyptian chairmanship of the African Union, the continent has witnessed many developments at various levels and in different fields.

"Egypt has acknowledged challenges that Africa has been facing and promising opportunities that the continent enjoys at the same time."

The Egyptian president stressed that despite of continuing conflicts in some parts on the continent and increasing dangers of extremism and terrorism in the Sahel and African Horn; Egypt was keep on fostering security and peace upon adopting a principle of African solutions to African crises.

"Egypt has applied that solution many times in the last year, most notably through hosting two summits on Libya and Sudan," Sisi added.

"We also tested this proposition during the past year on many issues such as Guinea-Bissau, South Sudan and Central Africa."

President Sisi pointed out that Egypt’s presidency of the African Union during the past year witnessed Africa’s openness to international institutions to achieve comprehensive development, indicating that Egypt’s efforts culminated in launching the action plan for infrastructure development 2021- 2030, such as the project to develop the master plan for the continental electrical connection in preparation for the establishment of the African Energy Market, and the Cairo-Cape Town project and other road, rail and other projects.

Sisi reaffirmed his belief in youth as he reviewed many initiatives to support young people, such as the initiative to rehabilitate one million young people by 2021 to employ African youth.