President Sisi receives the head of the African Development Bank Group to discuss ways to achieve development

In light of the rapid economic transformations taking place on the African continent, the importance of establishing regional partnerships emerges as one of the main drivers for supporting development and enhancing the ability of countries to confront interconnected challenges, starting from the repercussions of global crises, all the way to infrastructure needs and sustainable economic transformation.

From this standpoint, partnerships between African countries and the African Development Bank have a strategic necessity to provide the financing and technical expertise necessary to advance development paths and regional integration, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially the eighth goal related to economic growth and decent work, and the ninth goal related to industry, innovation and infrastructure.

In this context, cooperation between Egypt and the African Development Bank Group gains special importance, in light of the economic and political weight that Cairo represents within the continent, and the development experience it has accumulated in recent years. This cooperation also reflects a broader trend towards maximizing the role of the private sector and expanding the scope of cross-border projects, which contributes to achieving comprehensive sustainable development and consolidating economic interdependence between African countries, in support of the seventeenth goal of strengthening partnerships to achieve development.

Egyptian support and African praise

As an embodiment of cooperation, Mr. President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi received Dr. Sidi Ould Tah, Chairman of the African Development Bank Group, which includes the African Development Bank and the African Development Fund, in the presence of Mr. Hassan Abdullah, Acting Governor of the Central Bank and Governor of the Arab Republic of Egypt at the African Development Bank, and from the side of the group, Dr. Khaled Sharif, Executive Director for Egypt and Djibouti, and Mr. Mohamed Al-Azizi, Director-General of the Regional Office for Development and Service Delivery for North Africa.

The official spokesman for the Presidency of the Republic stated that Mr. President welcomed, at the beginning of the meeting, Dr. Sidi Ould Tah, stressing Egypt’s full support for him in his leadership of the African Development Bank Group since he assumed office in September 2025, and pointing to the economic and geopolitical challenges currently witnessing that are reflected in development efforts in African countries, which reinforces the importance of the pivotal role of the Bank and the Fund in mobilizing financial resources and providing the necessary technical support to countries. Continent.

For his part, the Chairman of the African Development Bank Group expressed his happiness at meeting with Mr. President, and his deep appreciation for the support provided by Egypt to the group, stressing his commitment to working closely with the Egyptian government to enhance extended cooperation between Egypt and the group, congratulating Egypt on the economic reforms undertaken by the country over the past ten years, and the steadfastness of the Egyptian economy in the face of global challenges, noting in this context the importance of studying the Egyptian experience and making African countries benefit from it.

The strategic partnership between Egypt and the African Development Bank

Ambassador Mohamed El-Shenawy, the official spokesman, added that the meeting discussed the strategic partnership between Egypt and the Bank, whether through Egyptian support to ensure the financial sustainability of the Bank and the Fund, or through ongoing and planned projects within the joint cooperation portfolio.

In this context, Mr. President appreciated the efforts made to prepare the new country cooperation strategy between Egypt and the Bank (2027-2031), expressing his aspiration for this strategy to be consistent with national priorities and plans, especially Egypt’s Vision 2030, and to support the state’s efforts in enhancing the role of the private sector as a major actor in achieving sustainable and comprehensive development.

The President also stressed the importance of infrastructure projects on the African continent, as well as compatible cross-border projects, which contribute to enhancing regional integration and achievingsustainability standards and high development impact, as well as their positive effects on countries’ economies, including facilitating the transport of goods and passengers.

In this regard, His Excellency referred to the great experience of Egyptian companies in implementing prominent development projects in African countries, stressing Egypt’s readiness to share its expertise with the Bank, the Fund and sister African countries, and stressing the need to make all necessary efforts and communicate with partners to mobilize the financial resources necessary to finance these projects on the continent.

The meeting also discussed developments related to Egypt’s hosting in the city of El Alamein in June 2026 for the first edition of the African Business Forum. The meeting concluded with an emphasis on Egypt’s continued support for the African Development Bank Group, and moving forward in enhancing joint cooperation and coordination between the two sides.

In the end, this meeting reveals that the path of development in Africa is no longer based on traditional financing alone, but rather is based on building broader partnerships that combine financing, experience, and joint regional planning. Hence, the importance of cooperation between Egypt and the African Development Bank Group goes beyond the boundaries of bilateral relations, to become part of a broader vision that seeks to transform available resources into productive projects, and to link national needs with the continent’s priorities, in a way that enhances the ability of African countries to formulate their development solutions from within, not from outside.

The messages issued by the meeting also reflect a growing awareness that the next stage will be measured by the ability of countries to transform infrastructure into added economic value, and to transform regional integration from a political slogan into a practical reality that is reflected in the movement of trade, investment and job opportunities.

For its part,The Earth Guards Foundation appreciates Egypt’s efforts to employ its institutional weight and development experience to expand areas of African cooperation, thus consolidating its position as an effective partner in formulating a more balanced future for the continent, based on achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).