African leaders and institutional heads gathered at the inaugural Alamein Africa Forum on Saturday, issuing a unified call to move Africa from political ambition to concrete project implementation and economic sovereignty.
Opening the forum alongside fellow heads of state, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi emphasized that the gathering comes at a time of profound geopolitical and economic upheaval. El-Sisi stressed that peace, stability, robust national institutions, and respect for sovereignty remain the essential foundations for attracting investment, calling for stronger cross-border business connections and practical measures to accelerate intra-African trade.
African Union Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf underscored that the continent does not lack vision or ambition, but rather the operational capacity to translate strategies into bankable, financed, and well-executed projects. To bridge this gap, the AU brought government leaders and private sector executives to the same table to align national strategies with Agenda 2063.
Emphasizing the need for structural change, Burundian President and AU Chairperson Évariste Ndayishimiye highlighted the paradox of a resource-rich continent that remains insufficiently transformed. Ndayishimiye called for a transition from traditional diplomatic ties to production partnerships, advocating for fully functioning trade corridors under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). He proposed an “African Investment and Implementation Dashboard” to track strategic continental projects, timelines, and measurable results.
Addressing institutional strength, Afreximbank President Dr. George Elombi urged member states to defend and capitalise African-owned financial institutions. Elombi noted that Afreximbank has repeatedly shielded regional economies from global shocks—including the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ukraine conflict, and the 2026 Gulf crisis—demonstrating the vital role of African multilateral finance in maintaining economic resilience.
AUDA-NEPAD CEO Nardos Bekele-Thomas reinforced the implementation imperative, warning that Africa suffers not from a shortage of meetings, but from a deficit of project execution and financial closure. She urged greater mobilization of African sovereign wealth and pension funds to transition key infrastructure projects into investor-ready status.
The first Alamein Africa Forum opened Friday in the northern Egyptian coastal city of El Alamein, bringing together around 1,500 African business leaders to discuss investment, trade and economic cooperation. Running from Oct. 2 to 4, the forum aims to promote greater economic integration and business cooperation across the continent. It is co-organized by the Egyptian government, the African Export-Import Bank, and the African Union Development Agency.
