Egypt courts African investment

AfCFTA
Cairo steps up drive for African trade and investment
STAFF REPORTER
  • 13 Hours Ago

Egypt has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening African economic integration, trade and investment following a series of high-level continental meetings hosted in New Alamein from 2 to 4 October 2026.

Egyptian Ambassador to Namibia Ramia Shawky said the engagements reflected Cairo’s commitment to African unity, regional cooperation and sustainable development.

The meetings brought together political leaders, policymakers and business representatives for discussions on continental economic integration, regional security and investment opportunities.

They included the eighth Mid-Year Coordination Meeting of the African Union (AU), the inaugural Alamein-Africa Business Forum, a quadrilateral summit involving Egypt, Eritrea, Somalia and Sudan, and a gathering of the founding states of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), marking the initiative’s 25th anniversary.

The Alamein-Africa Business Forum was a key component of the engagements, providing a platform for African governments and private-sector representatives to explore investment opportunities, strengthen commercial partnerships and promote intra-African trade.

The initiative comes as African countries seek to translate the continent’s economic potential into greater cross-border investment and stronger regional value chains.

According to Shawky, the forum will become a recurring platform for economic engagement, following an AU decision to hold it in Egypt every two years.

“Egypt looks forward to hosting its second edition in 2028,” she said.

The diplomatic engagements also placed emphasis on regional peace and security, with the quadrilateral summit reaffirming respect for national sovereignty and territorial integrity, good-neighbourly relations and stronger regional cooperation.

The four countries agreed to establish a mechanism to monitor the implementation of the summit’s outcomes and maintain regular consultations.

Shawky said the initiatives reflected Egypt’s vision of a more integrated, peaceful and prosperous continent, underpinned by African ownership, solidarity and African-led solutions.

For African economies, the emphasis on trade, investment and private-sector partnerships comes amid continued efforts to deepen economic integration under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

The challenge remains translating diplomatic commitments and business engagements into tangible investment flows, expanded trade and sustainable economic opportunities across the continent.