The African Union (AU) high-level panel for Egypt is expected to present a progress report after assessing its findings following meetings with political stakeholders in Cairo during a visit that ended at the beginning of August.
The panel, led by former President Alpha Oumar Konare of Mali, began their meeting in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa on Monday with the consultations expected to end on Wednesday.
A statement published by the AU on Tuesday said the panel has continued “to follow closely the evolution of the political and security situation in Egypt, as well as related international efforts.”
From these assessments the panel will “determine the next steps in the implementation of its mandate,” read the statement.
The panel met with Deputy Chairperson of the Commission Erastus Mwencha on Monday “to discuss the situation in Egypt and the efforts it is deploying.”
They are expected to meet with AU Chairman and Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn and “provide a progress report during the meeting of the peace and security council.”
The panel arrived in Cairo at the end of July and met with various interim government figures including Prime Minister Hazem El-Beblawi, Minister of Defence General Abdel Fatah Al-Sisi and Minister of Foreign Affairs Nabil Fahmy.
They also met with deposed president Mohamed Morsi and representatives of the Anti-Coup Alliance.
The panel’s visit came after the AU decided to suspend Egypt from the Peace and Security Council following Morsi’s ouster at the beginning of July.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has repeatedly expressed its opposition to this decision. The ministry also deployed envoys around Africa to deliver this message and to explain the situation in Egypt.
Egypt’s ambassador to Eritrea, Mahmoud Nayel and the interim president’s Special Envoy Mona Omar visited Eritrea on Monday and Tuesday and met with Eritrean President Isaias Afewerki. During the meeting the Egyptian pair underlined Egypt’s “refusal of the hasty decision of the Peace and Security council to suspend the activities of Egypt in the African Union.”
