Prime Minister Mostafa Medbouly represented Egypt at the opening session of the 38th Ordinary Session of the African Union (AU) Summit, held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on February 15th and 16th. The Prime Minister attended on behalf of President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi.
Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani, President of Mauritania and outgoing Chairperson of the AU for 2024, chaired the two-day summit. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres were also in attendance at the opening session.
The AU Summit Bureau for 2025 was announced during the opening ceremony, with Angola assuming the chair. The opening session included addresses from the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, the UN Secretary-General, the Palestinian President, and the Mauritanian President. The member states comprising the AU Bureau for 2025 were also announced. The Bureau, composed of five member states representing each region, supports the work of the AU Chairperson throughout the year.
A handover ceremony took place between Mauritania and Angola, with Presidents El Ghazouani and Lourenço delivering speeches. The opening session also marked the launch of the AU’s theme for 2025: “Justice for Africans and People of African Descent Through Reparations.”
During the summit, Prime Minister Medbouly met with Marie Antoinette Rose Katir, the CEO of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM). The meeting, which was also attended by Egyptian officials, reaffirmed Egypt’s support for the APRM and its financial sustainability. Medbouly emphasized the APRM’s role in achieving its goals.
Medbouly noted the approval by an Egyptian-led sub-committee of a supplementary budget allocation of approximately $1.5m for the APRM, including around $1.1m from the member-state-funded reserve fund. He also stated that Egypt intends to focus on administrative reform during the upcoming voluntary review.
Prime Minister Medbouly affirmed Egypt’s willingness to collaborate with the APRM in public administration and capacity building and offered assistance to AU member states.
Katir expressed her appreciation for Egypt’s support and her commitment to continued cooperation. She further added that she looked forward to leveraging Egypt’s expertise.
