On Monday, 21 November, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi addressed the African Union (AU), emphasising Egypt’s continued efforts to fortify peace and stability in Africa. These statements came as part of the AU’s theme, ‘Towards Repositioning Post-Conflict Reconstruction and Development in Africa.’

Al-Sisi prompted international partners to maintain their efforts in developing a better Africa, with Egypt held to the same standard.

“Stemming from Egypt’s belief in the importance of this dossier to African states and in its significance to enhancing and protecting their citizens’ peace and stability, and as AU champion on the post-conflict reconstruction and development dossier,” said al-Sisi, “I placed special importance [on] this end, including Egypt’s hosting of the AU Post-conflict Reconstruction and Development Centre (PCRD).”

The PCRD will serve as one of the “major tools” and a key resource for the Union’s pursuit of peace and stability, expected to reinforce development in many of the continent’s states.

Al-Sisi continued, stating that Egypt “looks forward” to collaboration with the AU Commission in order to energise the “full operationalisation of the Centre and [to] adopt its functional structure to assume its role.”

The president underscored that, in hosting the PCRD, Egypt considers supporting stability as one of its main priorities.

“I would like to confirm that Egypt will continue to exert all efforts aimed at supporting ways to sustain peace and consolidate stability in our African countries,” he reiterated, “in coordination with my brothers the heads of African state and government. I call on them to include the axes of the PCRD policy in their economic plans, in line with the objectives of Agenda 2063.”

Agenda 2063, also dubbed ‘The Africa We Want’, is the AU’s “blueprint and master plan for transforming Africa into the global powerhouse of the future.” It serves as a strategic framework inclusive of sustainable development, made to represent the pan-African drive for unity, self-determination, freedom, progress and collective prosperity.