Mostafa Madbouly launches 'Africa-Alamein Business Forum': Platform to enhance partnerships, investment, and accelerate economic integration on the continent
Cairo – Ahmed Sabri: Prime Minister Dr. Mustafa Madbouly affirmed that Africa stands today at a pivotal moment, noting that the continent possesses vast natural resources, a large market, one of the world’s youngest populations, and significant opportunities in manufacturing, energy, agriculture, technology, services, and the digital economy.
This statement came during the Prime Minister’s address at the welcome session of the first edition of the Africa-El Alamein Business Forum, held in the new city of El Alamein. The event was attended by a number of ministers, officials, business leaders, and private sector representatives from Egypt, alongside broad participation from brothers across various African countries, as well as representatives of African and international institutions, financial and development organizations, and leaders of the business community and private sector.
Madbouly pointed out in his speech that the gathering carries special significance, as it does not merely inaugurate a new economic event, but rather launches an African platform intended to serve as a sustainable space for dialogue and interaction among governments, the private sector, and financial and development institutions. The forum will be held biennially in Egypt, in implementation of African Union decisions and its orientation toward enhancing the role of the private sector in development efforts and economic integration on the continent.
In this context, Dr. Mustafa Madbouly clarified that the first edition of the forum represents the beginning of a trajectory hoped to extend and evolve from one edition to the next, allowing partnerships, expertise, and projects to accumulate, and becoming one of the platforms that help bridge the gap between what the continent aspires to achieve at the continental level and the investments, financing, partnerships, and implementation capacities required to realize those goals on the ground.
The Prime Minister noted that the choice of the new city of El Alamein to host the first edition carries, in itself, a clear message, explaining that El Alamein is not merely a city hosting an international meeting, but rather a model of what ambitious visions can achieve when coupled with planning, infrastructure investment, political will, and execution.
He added that Egypt, through this city—which represents one of Egypt’s new-generation cities—hopes to initiate a broad dialogue on African cities, their economies, and the future of their infrastructure, as well as on how to build a more connected continent, one better equipped for production, manufacturing, trade, and leveraging its vast potential.
Dr. Mustafa Madbouly also pointed out that the location of new El Alamein on the Mediterranean coast recalls an important geographical and economic reality: Africa is not isolated from the world, but lies at the heart of global trade and investment flows, possessing resources, location, markets, and human capital that qualify it to be a key partner in shaping the global economy in the coming decades.
During his speech, the Prime Minister reiterated that Africa stands today at a pivotal moment, noting that the continent possesses vast natural resources, a large market, one of the world’s youngest populations, and significant opportunities in manufacturing, energy, agriculture, technology, services, and the digital economy.
At the same time, he clarified that there is growing awareness of the scale of challenges facing development efforts, whether related to securing financing, developing infrastructure, high cost of capital, or the need to strengthen market linkages and remove barriers that still hinder trade and investment flows within the continent.
Dr. Mustafa Madbouly noted that Africa, through Agenda 2063, the African Continental Free Trade Area, and other continental frameworks and initiatives, has chosen to move in a broader direction toward economic integration, enhancing intra-African trade, and developing shared infrastructure. He explained that the success of these paths requires the private sector to be a genuine partner in shaping and implementing solutions.
