Egypt’s Abdel Fattah el-Sisi arrives in Equatorial Guinea to attend African Union meeting

By KC Madeira

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has arrived in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, to participate in the African Union’s 7th Mid-Year Coordination Meeting (MYCM) as chair of the North Africa Regional Mechanism and chairperson of the Heads of State & Government Orientation Committee of the African Union Development Agency, his spokesperson disclosed.

Amid ongoing efforts to strengthen continental unity and promote regional collaboration, Africa is navigating a complex geopolitical landscape characterised by food shortages, armed conflicts, climate change, and demographic pressures.

What does the MYCM do?

Created in 2017 to take the place of the AU’s customary mid-year summits, the MYCM brings together a select number of African leaders, such as the heads of regional organisations, AU Commissioners, and chairpersons of Regional Economic Communities (RECs).

To expedite the implementation of Agenda 2063 – the continental body’s strategic framework for equitable growth and sustainable development – the MYCM aims to coordinate and harmonise the activities of the AU and RECs, as reported by Daily News Egypt.

Additionally, the MYCM reviews the current status of continental integration in accordance with AU protocols; coordinates the division of labour between the AU, member states, RECs, and other regional mechanisms; and aligns policies across different sectors.

The meeting also identifies areas of cooperation, establishes mechanisms for collaboration at regional and continental levels, and evaluates the implementation of AU decisions and legal frameworks related to inter-institutional relations.

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Sisi’s activities at the summit

Sisi, meanwhile, is anticipated to discuss Egypt’s attempts to improve the efficiency of these systems during the summit, with an emphasis on connecting peace and security activities to more general development objectives meant to bring about long-term stability throughout Africa.

He is further expected to have bilateral discussions with a number of African leaders during the conference.

Addressing the continent’s urgent problems and looking into ways to improve political and economic stability in the service of common development goals will be the main topics of these sessions.

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