“In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful”

Your Excellency President Vladimir Putin,

President of the Russian Federation

Your Excellency President Azali Assoumani,

President of the Union of Comoros and Chairperson of the African Union

Your Excellences, Heads of State and Government of our African continent

At the outset, I would like to express our deepest appreciation to His Excellency President Putin for the warm welcome and hospitality.

I am pleased to be present today at the second session of the Africa-Russia Summit which I had the honor to jointly launch, together with President Putin, in its first edition in 2019, during Egypt's chairmanship of the African Union.

This path formulated a sustainable institutional framework, befitting the size and depth of the historical partnership which brings together African countries and Russia.

Today, our summit comes during a very complex international circumstance, and a general climate characterized by a high degree of polarization and changes that are affecting the main bases, on which our World Order was built in its modern concept. Our African countries stand in the midst of that to face a huge number of challenges, which not only affect their ability to complete their development path, but also threaten the determinants of their security and the rights of future generations.

And so, our peoples are legitimately questioning what tools we have and what measures we are taking to address these challenges and secure a safe future for them.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Egypt has always been a pioneer and at the forefront in pursuing the path of peace, the peace of the strong which is based on truth, justice and balance.

It was its strategic choice and it carried the banner to spread this culture, believing in the power of logic, not the logic of power and that the world accommodates everyone.

Allow me from this podium, and on the occasion of our summit today, to present to you Egypt's vision regarding the current international situation as well as the most important axes, which we know how important they are to focus on, as a basis for deepening the existing cooperation under the umbrella of our strategic partnership.

First:

African countries are sovereign, independent and active in their international community. They aspire to peace and security and seek sustainable development that realize the interests of their peoples, first and foremost. They shall stay out of endeavors of polarization in existing conflicts.

Second:

Developing durable solutions for ongoing conflicts in our world today shall be based on the objectives and purposes of the UN Charter and the principles of international law. Those include the peaceful settlement of conflicts; maintaining the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states; addressing the root causes of the crises, particularly those pertinent to the determinants of the states’ national security; and abstaining from using various tools to stoke conflicts and deepen the state of polarization, including employing economic sanctions outside the mechanisms of the multilateral World Order.

Third:

The importance of taking into consideration the needs of developing countries, primarily countries in the African continent, with regard to the severe repercussions on their economies as a result of the ongoing conflicts and challenges, specifically in the areas of food security, supply chains and high energy prices. In this regard, I underscore the importance of finding prompt solutions to provide food and grain at prices that would help Africa overcome this crisis, while exploring innovative financing mechanisms to support agricultural and food systems in Africa. I look forward to reaching a consensual solution with regard to the Grain Deal, that would take into consideration the demands and interests of all parties and curb rising grain prices.

Fourth:

The successive international developments and their repercussions which affect all corners of our world inevitably require an effective and vigorous African voice inside existing international fora to convey the stances of African states and realize the amount of balance required when discussing issues directly affecting their interests. Here, I express Egypt’s hope for African demands and efforts toward reform of international financial institutions to receive the support of the Russian partner and friend within the G20

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The documents that will emerge from today's summit rightly demonstrate the depth of the strategic relations and significant bonds that bring together our African States and Russia. They will also highlight the broad prospects for strengthening existing relations between us, particularly in areas of common interest. Those include primarily the promotion of peace and security and combating the threats they face and invigorating the pathways of economic development with a focus on infrastructure sectors, agricultural industrialization and industrial transformation, harnessing Russian technology. This is, in addition to strengthening cultural connections and historical bonds between our peoples.

In this regard, I reiterate Egypt's commitment to continuing its serious and sincere engagement in efforts to deepen our strategic partnership, stemming from a belief in the opportunities and areas of cooperation that exist within its framework. This would take place by harnessing Egypt's tools and capabilities, at the national level, by effectuating the existing cooperation between Egyptian companies and their Russian counterparts in areas of mutual interest. At the continental level, this would take place through Egypt's Chairmanship of the Steering Committee of the Heads of State and Government of the African Union Development Agency (NEPAD), and through spearheading the dossier of post-conflict reconstruction and development to support efforts to promote peace, security and development, at the level of the African Union.

In conclusion, I would like to once again extend gratitude to Russia and His Excellency President Putin for convening this forum, looking forward to continuing coordination within the framework of the pivotal partnership between us, and wishing the Russian people and all African peoples lasting progress and prosperity.

Thank you.