Kenyan President praises Sisi’s leadership of COMESA group

CAIRO – 8 June 2023: Kenyan President William Ruto hailed efforts exerted by President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and his leadership of the COMESA group, noting that during Sisi’s presidency, he focused on achieving the public interest of the African continent and leading the industry in the best possible way.

Ruto’s comments were given in his speech at the 22nd Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) Heads of State and Governments Summit Lusaka.

He expressed his country's aspiration for Arab-African cooperation through green investment and transforming all businesses to be carbon-free.

Ruto added that there are many crises that impeded economic integration in the African continent, such as the Coronavirus pandemic, adding that they are working cooperatively to achieve a healthy recovery and flexibility for all common policies and frameworks for the continent.

He called on taking advantage of all opportunities in the continent to achieve sustainable development by investing in the infrastructure of each country separately, besides increasing investments in the African continent from 40% to 60%.

The summit was held under the theme: “Economic Integration for a Thriving COMESA Anchored on Green Investments, Value Addition and Tourism”.

“Allow me to announce the end of Egypt’s term chairing COMESA and it is my pleasure to hand over the chairmanship of COMESA to his excellency, President [Hakainde] Hichilema of the Republic of Zambia,” Sisi said.