Sisi Urges Fair Vaccines for Africa at 2nd Edition of Aswan Forum

During the second edition of the Aswan Forum for Sustainable Peace and Development, President Abdel Fattah El Sisi said Monday that Egypt affirms that international solidarity is an urgent matter so that humanity can get out of the novel coronavirus pandemic crisis peacefully and safely. 

“Despite our regional and international efforts to confront the pandemic, the current stage has brought new challenges, most importantly the availability of the necessary vaccine for our peoples,” Sisi added. 

Sisi stressed that “On this occasion, it’s important to reaffirm the African demand to get fair and equitable vaccines to meet the demands of the peoples of our continent."

“I am pleased to welcome you all to the second session of the Aswan Forum for Sustainable Peace and Development, that interactive African platform that we launched together during Egypt's presidency of the African Union in 2013 to advance an ambitious agenda that works to strengthen the relationship between the stability of the state of peace and security and the achievement of sustainable development in our continent and to enhance cooperation between our countries and with our partners,” Sisi noted in his opening speech. 

The first edition of the Forum (11-12 December 2019) brought together more than 600 participants from 70 countries and emphasized the imperative of a paradigm shift in Africa from crisis management to achieving sustainable peace and development.

Since then, the COVID-19 pandemic has had far-reaching impacts on societies and economies across the world. While Africa has shown strong leadership in addressing the health impact of COVID-19, pre-existing vulnerabilities further magnified by the pandemic, have destabilized lives and livelihoods on an unprecedented scale. Youth, women and forcibly displaced populations continue to be disproportionately impacted.  The longer the crisis lasts; its impact will erode the hard-won gains of decades of economic and human development.

Against this backdrop, Egypt will organize the Second Edition of the Aswan Forum for Sustainable Peace and Development, titled: “Shaping Africa’s New Normal: Recovering Stronger, Rebuilding Better.”

The Forum, held virtually from 1-5 March 2021 under the auspices of Sisi, brings together leaders from governments, regional and international organizations, financial institutions, private sector, and civil society, as well as visionaries, scholars, key experts and practitioners for a context-specific discussion of the new risks, threats and challenges, as well as opportunities that lie ahead. 

Grounded in “Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want”, it will develop action-oriented recommendations for a strong recovery that advances sustainable peace and development with prevention and resilience at its core.