Egyptian President: ODA-NEPAD Agency is a Key Pillar of African Development Work

Cairo, Oct 3 (KUNA) -- Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi affirmed on Saturday that the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD) constitutes one of the key institutional pillars of African development work. This statement came during al-Sisi’s address while presiding over the summit of the founding states of the agency, which is co-chaired by Angolan President João Lourenço, chairman of the Steering Committee of Heads of State and Government of NEPAD, in New Alamein.

Al-Sisi stressed the importance of continuing to support the agency, enhancing its institutional capacities, and developing its operational mechanisms, enabling it to assume its growing responsibilities and accelerate the transformation of the continent’s aspirations and ambitions into tangible development achievements and results. He noted that since the launch of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) initiative in 2001, it has evolved to become the executive arm of the African Union in translating the objectives of Agenda 2063 into concrete development programs and projects.

He pointed out that today’s summit proceedings continue the ongoing institutional efforts undertaken by African states to support NEPAD’s progress and enhance its objectives, as well as to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the establishment of our African agency, and to exchange views on the challenges facing development efforts and realizing the aspirations of the continent’s peoples.

Al-Sisi added that Africa and the world have witnessed radical transformations in recent decades, and that technology, digital transformation, and innovation have become decisive factors in shaping countries’ capacities. Furthermore, building a knowledge-based economy, investing in human capital, and empowering youth have become fundamental pillars for achieving sustainable development. He believed that the coming phase requires developing a development vision that keeps pace with rapid changes, placing the African human being at the core of the development process.

In this context, he highlighted the private sector as a primary driver of development and a key engine for growth and job creation. However, enabling it to fulfill this role requires governments to provide a conducive investment environment by developing infrastructure, enhancing the efficiency of legal and regulatory frameworks, facilitating business operations, and consolidating stability and the rule of law.

He emphasized that “we must strengthen public-private partnerships and innovate more effective mechanisms for development financing and implementing projects that yield tangible economic and social returns.” He noted that NEPAD has contributed over the past years to supporting continental infrastructure, driving agricultural transformation, developing human capital, enhancing industrialization, and promoting regional integration. As the agency’s responsibilities expand and its roles grow, our support for it must evolve accordingly.

In light of this, Egypt, during its chairmanship of NEPAD’s Steering Committee, prioritized development financing and worked to address funding gaps, which are among the most prominent challenges facing the continent’s development progress. He explained that the initiative to hold the Business Forum in New Alamein every two years was launched to support the implementation of our development plan and ambitious projects under the second decade of Agenda 2063.

The Egyptian President stated that his country’s presidency saw a push toward establishing an African Union Development Fund under the “Africa Team” initiative, “aimed at enhancing our collective capacity to implement projects at the continental level and consolidating our partners’ confidence in Africa’s ability to achieve its goals.”

Al-Sisi concluded his speech by saying, “Let us make New Alamein the starting point for a new phase, and let this meeting be a renewed pledge to move forward on the path of achievement and development, in fulfillment of the aspirations of our peoples and future generations.”

For his part, the Angolan President affirmed his country’s commitment to working with heads of state and government and the African Union Commission to strengthen AUDA-NEPAD, consolidate African ownership of its work, and ensure that the continent’s ambitions are translated into tangible results that positively contribute to the economic and social development of its countries.

Lourenço explained that NEPAD was established out of the necessity for Africa to take responsibility for setting its own development agenda, expressing his pleasure at participating in the summit and joining the countries that played a leading role in founding NEPAD in 2001.

For his part, Burundian President Évariste Ndayishimiye affirmed that the meetings aim to look to the future and stressed the necessity of Africa being an active and influential actor in its own development trajectory. He clarified that Agenda 2063 requires serious, concrete work focused on developing roads and infrastructure, providing an energy sector, creating real job opportunities for youth, with special attention to the manufacturing sector.

Regarding the role of the development agency, Ndayishimiye stressed that it is a pivotal institution for financing and achieving effective results, accomplished by preparing project packages, mobilizing necessary investments, and restructuring partnerships to ensure accelerated development using African mechanisms. He also emphasized the importance of accelerating integration with the private sector and investing in various fields, pointing out the necessity of concerted efforts and coordinated action between the African Union Commission, NEPAD, and African groups to ensure effective project implementation. (End) A.F.F. / R.J.