Angolan President João Lourenço called on Saturday for the definition of concrete measures to equip the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD) with the resources it needs to fulfil its mandate over the next 25 years, speaking at a summit of the agency's founding states in El Alamein, Egypt.
Lourenço addressed the opening of the AUDA-NEPAD Founders' Summit, using the occasion to press for a strengthening of African ownership of the institution and to lay the groundwork for a more structured strategic leadership role by its founding members.
He argued that the El Alamein gathering should mark the beginning of a sustained process of development, leadership and strategic direction for the organisation, rather than a one-off event.
The head of state stressed that the political leadership that proved indispensable to the creation of NEPAD in 2001 remains necessary today to ensure the institution has the appropriate instruments to meet the challenges of the coming decades.
"We hope that this summit will not be an isolated occasion, but the beginning of a regular dynamic of development, leadership and strategic direction that will mark the next chapter of AUDA-NEPAD," Lourenço said.
In his address, the Angolan president framed the El Alamein summit as not merely a moment to celebrate the agency's track record, but as a critical opportunity to significantly reinforce African ownership and to renew member states' commitment to the institution.
On the sidelines of the Founders' Summit, Lourenço held a bilateral meeting on Saturday with George Elombi, president of the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank).
The discussions covered a range of economic topics, including Afreximbank's support for small and medium-sized enterprises, the financing of development projects in Angola, and pharmaceutical production within Angola's Special Economic Zone.
The president's programme in El Alamein also included participation in the Africa-El Alamein Forum, a conference dedicated to strengthening cooperation, investment and economic development across the continent.
Lourenço's schedule in Egypt continues on Sunday with his attendance at the 8th Semester Coordination Meeting between the African Union, Regional Economic Communities and Regional Mechanisms.
That meeting, which brings together African heads of state and senior officials from regional bodies, aims to reinforce coordination between the African Union and its regional integration mechanisms within the framework of the Agenda 2063 priorities.
Source: ANGOP / Original article: https://www.angop.ao/noticias/politica/joao-lourenco-advoga-reforco-da-auda-nepad/
