Egypt’s Sisi, Angola’s Lourenço discuss African development, security

CAIRO - 7 June 2023: President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi said on Wednesday he was honored to be the first Egyptian president to have visited Angola. 

He will then visit Zambia to attend the COMESA summit and then will travel to Mozambique in a continuation of Egypt’s deep interest in well coordinated African continent. 

Sisi revealed that there is a plan to visit African brotherly countries to dig trajectories for cooperation such as foreign trade, tourism, security, and fighting terrorism.

In a press conference with his Angolan counterpart João Lourenço, both leaders called on upstream and downstream countries of the river Nile to sit at the negotiation table. 

Sisi called for a binding agreement based on international law, highlighting that Egypt is 90 percent desert and the Nile is its only water resource that gives life to the remaining 10%.

President  Lourenço said “River Nile won’t be monopolized by any country, it rather belongs to all,” adding that the Nile should instead be a reason for unity. 

As Angola witnesses an economic upturn, it is interested in cooperation with Egypt, where a number of agreements were signed during Sisi’s visit.

Construction, energy, and infrastructure are at the forefront of areas for cooperation.

Lourenço said that Egyptian construction companies have great expertise in building new cities and would contribute greatly to development and infrastructure in Angola.

President Sisi said Egypt is keen on enhancing relations with Angola in this and the following visits, adding that he spoke of Egypt’s experience in digital transformation and privatization, as well as becoming a free market.

They also discussed international and continental cooperation as well as security.

Sisi expressed keenness on partnering with Angola in its endeavors towards development, while Lourenco praised Egypt’s role in pushing the wheel of development in Africa.

Lourenco also applauded Egypt’s efforts to keep security in the continent and said Angola will cooperate with Egypt to face the many challenges in Africa.

They two leaders discussed conflicts in North Africa, the Sudanese crisis, and other issues in the continent. They will also tackle Angolan president’s efforts in settling disputes through the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region.

They also discussed security in the Horn of Africa, Congo, Mozambique, and the states that have been impacted by the situation in Libya and Sudan.

Sisi revealed that there is an Egyptian-Angolan coordination to attempt to resolve the Sudanese crisis.

Conflicts in Libya and Sudan, both of which are neighbors to Egypt, have had deep impact on Egypt. Egypt has thus far received 200,000 Sudanese people.

“We send a message to our brothers in Sudan to highlight the importance of a cease-fire to stop bloodshed, and to start dialogue to improve life for our brothers in Sudan,” Sisi said.