Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Co-operation and Egyptians Abroad Badr Abdel-Aati and President of the State Council Counsellor Mahmoud Ibrahim Abu El-Dahab witnessed on Sunday the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Egyptian Agency for Partnership for Development (EAPD) and the Union of African State Councils and Supreme Administrative Courts at Princess Fawzia Palace, the historic headquarters of the Egyptian State Council.
Vice President and Secretary-General of the State Council Counsellor Nasser Abdel-Qader and Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs and EAPD Secretary-General Ambassador Nermin El-Zawahiri were present at the ceremony.
In his remarks, Abdel-Aati said the memorandum reflects the commitment of Egyptian state institutions to strengthening joint African action through closer institutional cooperation, capacity building and the exchange of expertise.
He stressed that these efforts are essential to promoting sustainable development, good governance and stability across the continent.
The foreign minister reaffirmed that Egypt’s foreign policy is guided by respect for international law, state sovereignty, strong national institutions and effective multilateral cooperation, while recognising the diversity of legal systems and judicial traditions.
He described the agreement as an important step towards expanding judicial and administrative co-operation among African countries, supporting the rule of law, enhancing institutional efficiency and contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and the African Union’s Agenda 2063.
Abdel-Aati further added that the memorandum forms part of Egypt’s broader strategy to strengthen African capacity building through EAPD, whose programmes are designed in line with the priorities of partner countries and based on mutual respect, shared interests and South-South cooperation.
He noted that selecting the Egyptian State Council as a partner reflects its distinguished judicial expertise and longstanding role in administrative law.
For his part, Counsellor Abu El-Dahab highlighted Egypt’s leading role in advancing African judicial co-operation and praised the Union’s contribution to promoting administrative justice and the rule of law.
He noted that the Union was established in 2022 following an initiative launched by President Abdel Fattah El Sisi during Egypt’s presidency of the African Union in 2019, with Egypt selected as its permanent headquarters.
