Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty on Sunday pledged continued technical support and capacity-building for the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to drive continental economic integration.
In a meeting with AfCFTA Secretary-General Wamkele Mene, Abdelatty affirmed Egypt’s full support for the agreement, describing it as a primary pillar for sustainable development. He noted that the AfCFTA offers vital opportunities to increase intra-African trade, facilitate the movement of goods and services, and enhance the global competitiveness of African products.
Abdelatty highlighted Egypt’s expertise in trade policy and industrial development, offering training programmes for African cadres to strengthen institutional capacities and meet the goals of the African Union’s Agenda 2063. Mene expressed appreciation for Egypt’s “leading role” and looked forward to further cooperation to achieve the continent’s developmental interests.
In a separate meeting the same day, Abdelatty met with Francesca Beloube, the African Union (AU) Commissioner for Economic Affairs, Trade, Tourism, Industry, and Minerals. He emphasised Egypt’s support for the AU’s membership in the G20, stating it provides a critical platform to amplify African voices and address challenges such as the debt crisis.
The minister welcomed the “Unified African Position on Debt” as a milestone in continental coordination. He also called for the reform of international financial institutions to better serve developing nations and expressed a desire to coordinate with the AU Commission on empowering young entrepreneurs and supporting sustainable economic initiatives alongside African banks.
Beloube commended Egypt’s active efforts in fostering development and integration, noting her commitment to enhancing cooperation with Cairo to achieve the African Union’s long-term strategic objectives.
