President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi met with Russian President Vladimir Putin at Constantine Palace in St. Petersburg.

Russian President welcomed President El-Sisi’s visit to Russia. President Putin praised President El-Sisi's important role in launching the first Russia-Africa Summit during Egypt's chairmanship of the African Union in 2019 which aimed to support and deepen the distinguished and historical relations between the African continent and Russia, in addition to strengthening consultation between the two sides on how to address common challenges.

President Putin also stressed the importance he attaches to continuing coordination and consultation with President El-Sisi on various regional and international issues of common interest. He also expressed his appreciation for Egypt's role as a main pillar of security and stability in the Middle East and Africa.

President El-Sisi expressed his keenness to promote partnership relations with the Russian Federation, given the continuous development witnessed by those relations which culminated in the comprehensive strategic partnership agreement in 2018. In this regard, the president praised the existing bilateral cooperation in many fields and the ongoing joint projects, especially the Russian industrial zone in the Suez Canal Economic Zone, and Al-Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant.

President El-Sisi also stressed the importance of coming out with actual and practical results from the Russia-Africa summit for the benefit of the African people in the first place, given that the summit aims to establish sustainable cooperation between Russia and African countries. The president expressed, in this regard, Egypt's readiness to enhance various aspects of cooperation between the two countries on the African continent.

On the other hand, the two presidents reviewed regional and international issues of common interest and exchanged views on a number of existing conflicts in the Middle East region, foremost of which are developments in Sudan, Syria and Libya, and the Palestinian issue. Both presidents shared common visions on the importance of advancing efforts to restore and consolidate the security, stability and peace of the countries of the region, in a manner that preserves the unity and sovereignty of their territories and the legitimate rights of their peoples.

 

President Putin also briefed President El-Sisi on the developments of the Russian-Ukrainian crisis. President El-Sisi affirmed Egypt's support for all endeavors that would quickly settle the crisis politically in a peaceful manner in order to reduce the existing human suffering, end the negative economic repercussions on the countries of the world, especially developing and African countries, and maintain international security and stability.

 

Thursday: 27-7-2023

President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi participated in the opening session of the Russia-Africa Economic and Humanitarian Forum, which is held on the sidelines of the Second Russia-Africa Summit in St. Petersburg, Russia.

During the opening session, Russian President Vladimir Putin as well as the President of the Union of the Comoros, who is currently the Chairperson of the African Union, delivered speeches.

The Russia-Africa Economic and Humanitarian Forum features 38 panel discussions focusing on four spheres: The New Global Economy, Integrated Security and Sovereign Development, Cooperation in Science and Information Technology and the Humanitarian and Social Sphere: Working Together for a New Quality of Life.

President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi met with President of South Africa, President Cyril Ramaphosa, on the sidelines of the 2nd Russia-Africa Summit held in St. Petersburg.

President El-Sisi assured Egypt's aspiration to strengthen the historic bilateral relations between the two fraternal countries and to operationalize the frameworks for joint cooperation in various areas, particularly with regard to increasing trade, exploring opportunities for mutual investment, to achieve the common interests of both sides, as well as continuing coordination on issues of mutual interest on the African continent.

President Ramaphosa underscored South Africa's keenness to develop cooperation relations with Egypt, push it towards greater prospects of joint action, as well as continue to consult with Egypt on the issues and challenges facing Africa, particularly in view of Egypt's leading role at the African level, and its efforts to advance the development process and to maintain peace and security on the African continent.

The talks also witnessed the latest regional developments at the continental level, as well as the most important developments of mutual interest at the international level, in particular the Russian-Ukrainian crisis. The leaders exchanged views on the developments of the African Crisis Mediation Initiative, of which Egypt and South Africa are members.

President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi attended a lunch banquet with Russian President Vladimir Putin, along with African Heads of State and Government, heading the various African economic groupings.

President El-Sisi participated in the event in his capacity as current Chairperson of the African Union Development Agency- NEPAD, which represents the development arm of the AU, particularly with regard to the mobilization of financial resources for the implementation of leading continental projects on “Agenda 2063” for Africa’s Development. This is, in addition to strengthening ongoing efforts to achieve continental integration, including the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement, and reinforcing initiatives aimed at advancing development in Africa, notably infrastructure projects and industrial transformation.

Mr. President outlined Egypt’s vision on the priorities of the Africa-Russia Partnership as follows:

First:

Enhancing peace and security in the continent, in light of Egypt’s keenness on supporting African capacities in this regard. This shall take place through effectuating Egypt’s leadership of the post-conflict reconstruction and development dossier at the level of the African Union, as Cairo hosts the Center for Reconstruction and Development, as well as maintaining the periodic convening of the Aswan Forum for Peace, Security and Sustainable Development, as an important and main discussion platform.

Second:

Egypt realizes the close correlation between development, on one hand, and building and sustaining peace, on the other. Therefore, Egypt, as it assumes the chairmanship of the Steering Committee of NEPAD for the next two years, is committed to advancing the implementation of the program for reinvigorating the connection between peace, security and development, and to exerting intensified efforts to mobilize resources for investment in infrastructure and continental interconnection projects.

Third:

Enhancing the continent’s capabilities to achieve its food security by finding solutions to provide food, fertilizers, agricultural technology and the necessary financing mechanisms for this.

Fourth:

Addressing the challenges of climate change and taking serious and sincere steps towards providing the necessary financing to support African countries in their endeavors in this regard.

President El-Sisi’s Speech at the 2nd Africa-Russia Summit

“In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful”

Your Excellency President Vladimir Putin,

President of the Russian Federation

Your Excellency President Azali Assoumani,

President of the Union of Comoros and Chairperson of the African Union

Your Excellences, Heads of State and Government of our African continent

At the outset, I would like to express our deepest appreciation to His Excellency President Putin for the warm welcome and hospitality.

I am pleased to be present today at the second session of the Africa-Russia Summit which I had the honor to jointly launch, together with President Putin, in its first edition in 2019, during Egypt's chairmanship of the African Union.

This path formulated a sustainable institutional framework, befitting the size and depth of the historical partnership which brings together African countries and Russia.

Today, our summit comes during a very complex international circumstance, and a general climate characterized by a high degree of polarization and changes that are affecting the main bases, on which our World Order was built in its modern concept. Our African countries stand in the midst of that to face a huge number of challenges, which not only affect their ability to complete their development path, but also threaten the determinants of their security and the rights of future generations.

And so, our peoples are legitimately questioning what tools we have and what measures we are taking to address these challenges and secure a safe future for them.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Egypt has always been a pioneer and at the forefront in pursuing the path of peace, the peace of the strong which is based on truth, justice and balance.

It was its strategic choice and it carried the banner to spread this culture, believing in the power of logic, not the logic of power and that the world accommodates everyone.

Allow me from this podium, and on the occasion of our summit today, to present to you Egypt's vision regarding the current international situation as well as the most important axes, which we know how important they are to focus on, as a basis for deepening the existing cooperation under the umbrella of our strategic partnership.

First:

African countries are sovereign, independent and active in their international community. They aspire to peace and security and seek sustainable development that realize the interests of their peoples, first and foremost. They shall stay out of endeavors of polarization in existing conflicts.

Second:

Developing durable solutions for ongoing conflicts in our world today shall be based on the objectives and purposes of the UN Charter and the principles of international law. Those include the peaceful settlement of conflicts; maintaining the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states; addressing the root causes of the crises, particularly those pertinent to the determinants of the states’ national security; and abstaining from using various tools to stoke conflicts and deepen the state of polarization, including employing economic sanctions outside the mechanisms of the multilateral World Order.

Third:

The importance of taking into consideration the needs of developing countries, primarily countries in the African continent, with regard to the severe repercussions on their economies as a result of the ongoing conflicts and challenges, specifically in the areas of food security, supply chains and high energy prices. In this regard, I underscore the importance of finding prompt solutions to provide food and grain at prices that would help Africa overcome this crisis, while exploring innovative financing mechanisms to support agricultural and food systems in Africa. I look forward to reaching a consensual solution with regard to the Grain Deal, that would take into consideration the demands and interests of all parties and curb rising grain prices.

Fourth:

The successive international developments and their repercussions which affect all corners of our world inevitably require an effective and vigorous African voice inside existing international fora to convey the stances of African states and realize the amount of balance required when discussing issues directly affecting their interests. Here, I express Egypt’s hope for African demands and efforts toward reform of international financial institutions to receive the support of the Russian partner and friend within the G20

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The documents that will emerge from today's summit rightly demonstrate the depth of the strategic relations and significant bonds that bring together our African States and Russia. They will also highlight the broad prospects for strengthening existing relations between us, particularly in areas of common interest. Those include primarily the promotion of peace and security and combating the threats they face and invigorating the pathways of economic development with a focus on infrastructure sectors, agricultural industrialization and industrial transformation, harnessing Russian technology. This is, in addition to strengthening cultural connections and historical bonds between our peoples.

In this regard, I reiterate Egypt's commitment to continuing its serious and sincere engagement in efforts to deepen our strategic partnership, stemming from a belief in the opportunities and areas of cooperation that exist within its framework. This would take place by harnessing Egypt's tools and capabilities, at the national level, by effectuating the existing cooperation between Egyptian companies and their Russian counterparts in areas of mutual interest. At the continental level, this would take place through Egypt's Chairmanship of the Steering Committee of the Heads of State and Government of the African Union Development Agency (NEPAD), and through spearheading the dossier of post-conflict reconstruction and development to support efforts to promote peace, security and development, at the level of the African Union.

In conclusion, I would like to once again extend gratitude to Russia and His Excellency President Putin for convening this forum, looking forward to continuing coordination within the framework of the pivotal partnership between us, and wishing the Russian people and all African peoples lasting progress and prosperity.

Thank you.

After President El-Sisi’s speech, Russian President Vladimir Putin confirmed that relations between Moscow and Cairo are strategic not only on paper but also in reality, said at the plenary session of the second Russia-Africa summit.

He added: "Relations between Russia and Egypt have been strategic for decades. This is simply a fact of life. It does not even matter what is written in our documents, although it is exactly what is written there, but the fact of life is that relations between Egypt and Russia are truly strategic - both in the field of politics and economy”.

Photo of Leaders Participating in 2nd African-Russian Summit

President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi participated in a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin and leaders of African countries engaged in the African mediation initiative to settle the Russian-Ukrainian crisis.

The leaders followed up on the latest with regard to the African initiative to mediate between Russia and Ukraine, reiterating that Africa has a major interest to work toward ending this crisis, given the grave and enormous negative repercussions of this crisis on numerous vital sectors, including food security, energy and international financing. There was an agreement on the need to continue intensive action to push forward the African initiative by establishing the mechanisms necessary to encourage both the Russian and Ukrainian sides to engage, in earnest, in the coming period.

Saturday: 29-7-2023