Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry met with CEO of the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD) Nardos Bekele-Thomas in Addis Ababa on Thursday.

During the meeting, Bekele-Thomas congratulated Egypt on assuming the presidency of the steering committee of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ahmed Abu Zeid said.

The African official highlighted priorities in the coming period, notably mobilizing financial resources to carry out infrastructure and connectivity projects on the continent and also implement Energize Africa Initiative which focuses on catalyzing and harnessing the youths’ potential, creativity and innovativeness into Africa’s economic growth and development drive. She noted that Africa’s owning its present and future requires a high degree of imagination and innovation that will only come from its youth. For this reason, AUDA-NEPAD has designed Energize Africa to fast-track capacity mobilization for program delivery and transformation on the Continent, according to her.

The official said she looks forward to a close coordination and cooperation with the Egyptian presidency of the steering committee, voicing hope to visit Egypt to probe various development files.

According to the Foreign Ministry spokesman, the foreign minister asserted Egypt’s keenness on supporting AUDA-NEPAD in its efforts to address regional challenges and contribute to the development of the continent.

Source: State Information Service Egypt