FM affirms president Sisi's keenness on implementation of AfCFTA

CAIRO – 4 December 2024:  Egypt’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Emigration and Expatiates Affairs Badr Abdelatty affirmed on Wednesday keenness of President Abdel Fattah El Sisi on putting into effect the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), due to its importance to push forward development efforts in the African continent.

Abdelatyy made the remarks during a meeting with President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the African Export–Import Bank (Afreximbank) Benedict Okey Oramah.

The foreign minister hailed the strong partnership between Egypt and the AFREXIM Bank.

He commended the bank's role in boosting the intra-African trade and activating the African Continental Free Trade Agreement, affirming Egypt's keenness to enhance cooperation with the African Export-Import Bank in this regard.

Abdelatty highlighted the possibility of diversifying existing cooperation frameworks between Egypt and the bank in the coming period, with a greater focus on mobilizing finance to implement the Agenda 2063.

President Sisi attaches great importance to accelerating the implementation of the second ten-year plan for Agenda 2063, in light of his current chairmanship of the Steering Committee of Heads of State and Government of the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD), in order to achieve continental development goals, the top Egyptian diplomat added.

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is one of the Flagship Projects of Agenda 2063 Africa’s development framework that aims at accelerating intra-African trade and boosting Africa’s trading position in the global market by strengthening Africa’s common voice and policy space in global trade negotiations.