‘We struggled for independence, now we struggle to mitigate COVID-19 impact’: Egypt’s FM in Aswan Forum closing

CAIRO - 5 March 2021: “We struggled together in the past to get our independence, now we have to struggle together in the face of COVID-19 impact,” Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shokry said Friday in the closing of the second  edition of Aswan Forum for Sustainable Peace and Development. 

 

Shokry said that “the forum discussed ways Africa can deal with the exceptional situation the world is going through.” 

 

“In spite of difficulties and challenges, Egypt asserts its confidence in African states to overcome that predicament,” Shokry added. 

 

“We have to work together to benefit from Africa’s natural resources,” Shokry underlined. 

 

“I hope to see you all face to face in the 3rd edition of Aswan Forum for Sustainable Peace and Development,” the minister concluded.  

 

Director General of Cairo International Center for Conflict Resolution, Peacebuilding, and Peacekeeping (CCCPA) that organizes Aswan Forum Ahmed Abdel Latif displayed the recommendations of the second edition. 

 

Those consist of:  

 

Mitigation of health conditions 

 

Bolstering local vaccine production

 

Ensuring equal access to vaccine

 

Enforcing Africa CDC

 

Improving governance 

 

Offering capacity-building for successful governance 

 

Securing financing for governance to materialize 

 

Coherence between African and international polices 

 

Accelerating climate change adaptation and resilience to protect the most vulnerable 

 

Prioritization of funding for women security  

 

Persuading the international community to cancel and extend the suspension of African debts 

 

Accelerating the implementation of African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) 

 

Leveraging African and international efforts to prevent conflict and accomplish sustainable peace 

 

The closing of the second edition of Aswan Forum for Sustainable Peace and Development was held Friday. The forum is organized by Cairo International Center for Conflict Resolution, Peacebuilding, and Peacekeeping (CCCPA). This edition took place virtually in March 1-5, 2021 and had as theme “Shaping Africa’s New Normal: Recovering Stronger, Rebuilding Better.”