Addis ababa: President Abdel Fattah El Sisi said his tenure as Chair of the Steering Committee of the NEPAD Heads of State and Government since February 2023 coincided with a pivotal phase in the agency's history, marked by the review of the First Ten-Year Implementation Plan of Agenda 2063 and the adoption of the Second Ten-Year Plan.
According to State Information Service Egypt, he said profound international and regional shifts necessitate joint action to fulfill African peoples' aspirations for a dignified life and to address rising poverty and unemployment rates, as well as declining levels of food, water, and energy security. This statement was made during President El-Sisi's speech on Sunday, February 15, 2026, during the presentation of the report of the NEPAD Heads of State and Government Steering Committee in Addis Ababa. The speech was read out on his behalf by Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation, and Egyptian Expatriates Badr Abdelatty.
President El-Sisi highlighted the honor of chairing the NEPAD Heads of State and Government Orientation Committee during a crucial period in the agency's trajectory. This phase witnessed significant transformations that compelled collective efforts to improve living standards and confront challenges such as poverty, unemployment, and setbacks in food, water, and energy security.
"Our priorities during Egypt's chairmanship focused on two parallel tracks: first, restructuring and further developing the agency and its secretariat; and second, intensifying efforts to mobilize financing for priority sectors across the continent, particularly following the adoption of the Second Ten-Year Plan for the implementation of Agenda 2063," he added.
These efforts have transformed continental strategies into regional and national programs, mobilizing funding for continental projects. The agency's program budget rose to over $300 million, and it successfully passed the European Union's 'nine pillars' assessment.
Key achievements include the launch of the Africa Team initiative to mobilize up to $500 billion in financing for approximately 300 development projects. Additionally, there was the initiation of a study track to establish a NEPAD Development Fund as a sustainable mechanism to address the agency's financing gap, securing $100 million to support public health services in African countries, and contributing to the preparation and launch of the new roadmap for the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Program alongside initiatives aimed at empowering women and youth in innovation and the digital economy.
Other accomplishments include adopting an approach that recognizes the direct link between peace, security, and development. As the African Union champion for post-conflict reconstruction and development, Egypt finalized the update of the AU policy on reconstruction and pursued advanced cooperation between the agency, the AU Centre for Post-Conflict Reconstruction and Development in Cairo, and the Aswan Forum for Sustainable Peace and Development.
Moreover, the agency leveraged various African partnerships to serve the continent's development priorities and interests, urging major economic powers to invest in and finance these priorities, while highlighting the mounting debt crisis and the need to reform the global economic system.
During Egypt's chairmanship, the agency enhanced African countries' resilience to climate change and mitigated its adverse impacts on peace, security, and development through its Centre of Excellence for Climate Resilience and Adaptation, hosted by Egypt.
President El-Sisi noted Egypt's continued efforts to share development experiences with African nations, including innovative financing models and public-private partnerships. Egypt also launched a $100 million mechanism to finance projects in Nile Basin countries, focusing on water, food, and energy as a nucleus for further resource mobilization.
The meeting held on February 10 reviewed progress in the Presidential Infrastructure Championing Initiative under President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa. Discussions emphasized maximizing NEPAD's work in collaboration with the African Union.
The meeting concluded with the handover of the agency's leadership to President Joo Louren§o of Angola, with confidence in his ability to provide substantive value and wise leadership to the agency.
President El-Sisi announced Egypt's intention to host an African Business Summit to enhance connectivity and integration among governments, business sectors, and African financing institutions. He extended his gratitude to all leaders and officials who supported the Committee during Egypt's tenure, wishing the incoming Chair and the new Committee every success.