Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi officially inaugurated the first edition of the Alamein-Africa Forum on Saturday, calling on continental leaders to prioritize state stability as the fundamental prerequisite for economic development and integration.
Addressing a high-level audience of African heads of state, top officials, and business leaders in the Mediterranean city of New Alamein, El-Sisi declared that “stability is not a luxury.” He stressed that a secure environment—built on supporting national institutions, respecting state sovereignty, and rejecting interference—is essential to attract investors, manufacturers, and agricultural development.
Sisi stress that African private sector is main driver of continent GDP
The president highlighted the critical role of the African private sector, noting it contributes over 70% of the continent’s GDP. However, he pointed to a significant structural challenge: 85% of African private sector transactions are conducted with entities outside the continent, while intra-African trade remains stalled at approximately 18% of total trade.
El-Sisi attributed this partly to a severe information gap, stating that more than 50% of small and medium-sized enterprises lack adequate data on neighboring African markets, forcing them to look to distant international markets instead. He described the forum—which will be held biennially following an African Union resolution—as an institutional bridge designed to break this isolation, connect cross-border businesses, and fully operationalize the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Touching on global economic pressures, the Egyptian leader noted that Africa, where youth make up 65% of the population, is unfairly bearing the brunt of external crises. He cited soaring energy and fertilizer costs and disrupted supply chains as direct impacts on the continent’s growth. Nevertheless, El-Sisi expressed confidence that with unified action, the 21st century will be an “African century.”
Following the opening session—which featured remarks from the AU Commission Chairperson, the CEO of AUDA-NEPAD, the President of Afreximbank, and the Burundian President—El-Sisi led a tour of the accompanying economic exhibition. The tour included visits to pavilions showcasing projects aimed at continental integration, including those of Afreximbank, AUDA-NEPAD, and the host nation, Egypt.
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.
