NAIROB – Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah El Sisi arrived in the Kenyan capital Nairobi Saturday to participate in the Fifth Mid-Year Coordination Meeting (5th MYCM) of the African Union (AU), which will be held on Sunday and bring together Regional Economic Communities (RECs), Regional Mechanism (RMs) and member states.
Sisi is set to deliver a speech at the event to shed light on Egypt’s plans and efforts on helping counter the negative impacts of climate change on African countries, Egyptian Presidency Spokesman Ahmed Fahmy said earlier in the day.
The president will also hold talks with his Kenyan counterpart, William Ruto, to discuss mechanisms of boosting relations between Egypt and Kenya and mull the latest developments on regional issues of common interests, Fahmy added.
In his speech Sisi is expected to outline Egypt’s plan in light of its chairmanship of the steering committee of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) heads of state during the coming two years.
The president is set to discuss with the African heads of state the progress made so far in the trade integration program among African countries and means to support the continental integration steps topped by the freedom of travel, a unified African passport and connecting African financial markets and infrastructure.
The MYCM was conceptualized in 2017 as the principal forum for the AU and Regional Economic Communities (RECs) to align their work and coordinate the implementation of the continental integration agenda, replacing the June/ July summits.
It is a meeting between the bureau of the AU Assembly and Regional Economic Communities (RECs), with the participation of the Chairpersons of RECs, the AU Commission and Regional Mechanisms (RMs).
Convened under the AU theme of the year 2023 “Acceleration of African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Implementation”, the 5th Mid-Year Coordination meeting is expected to consider, among other issues, the status of regional integration in Africa, consideration and adoption of an effective Division of Labor between the AU, RECs/RMs and Member States on the remaining sectors, and the consideration of the report on AU Institutional Reform.
