Egypt and Senegal Deepen Strategic Coordination Ahead of African Union Summit in Addis Ababa

Egypt and Senegal have moved to reinforce diplomatic and strategic coordination ahead of the upcoming African Union Summit, signaling a shared intent to shape continental priorities at a critical moment for Africa’s political and development agenda.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty met with Senegal’s Minister of African Integration and Foreign Affairs Cheikh Niang to discuss expanding bilateral cooperation and aligning positions on regional and international issues in the lead-up to the summit.

According to Egypt’s foreign ministry, Abdelatty described Senegal as a strategic partner in West Africa and welcomed Dakar’s growing leadership role on the continent. He congratulated Senegal on assuming the presidency of Economic Community of West African States, as well as its joint presidency with the United Arab Emirates of the 2026 United Nations Water Conference.

The talks placed strong emphasis on development cooperation. Egypt expressed readiness to support Senegal’s five-year development plan and Vision 2050 through knowledge-sharing across infrastructure development, new city planning, irrigation systems, land reclamation, agriculture, livestock, fisheries, and strategic crop cultivation. Abdelatty also highlighted interest from Egyptian companies in expanding pharmaceutical exports to Senegal, referencing investor discussions held during his visit to Dakar in July 2025.

Education cooperation featured prominently in the discussions. Egypt plans to expand French-language university programmes to attract Senegalese students, while the upcoming inauguration of Senghor University in Alexandria is expected to strengthen academic collaboration with Francophone African states.

On regional security, Abdelatty reaffirmed Egypt’s support for counter-terrorism efforts in West Africa and the Sahel, stressing the need for approaches that combine security responses with long-term development. The ministers also exchanged views on developments in the Middle East and the Horn of Africa, underlining the interconnected nature of Africa’s peace and security challenges.

Both sides agreed to intensify political coordination and mutual support in international forums. This alignment carries added weight as Egypt currently chairs the African Union Peace and Security Council, while Senegal leads the African Ministers’ Council on Water, positioning both countries at the center of key continental decision-making structures.

The meeting concluded with the signing of a memorandum of understanding between Egypt’s Diplomatic Studies Institute and Senegal’s National School of Administration, aimed at enhancing cooperation in diplomatic training and institutional capacity building.

As African leaders converge in Addis Ababa for the African Union Summit, the Egypt–Senegal engagement reflects a broader reality: Africa’s agenda is increasingly being shaped by coordination between its own institutions, not external actors. The continent may still be young in institutional terms, but its leaders are learning fast, aligning interests, and laying foundations that look forward rather than backward, with an understanding that Africa’s future is built step by step, not inherited fully formed.

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