Sisi cleared Egypt's vision for African nations

President Abdel Fattah El Sisi's speech to the 32nd African Union (AU) Summit touched on Egypt's vision for ways and mechanisms of boosting joint African action, presidential spokesman Bassam Rady said in a statement Sunday.

The remarks particularly mulled issues related to the development file, women and youth empowerment, peace and security, and relations with the AU's strategic partners, Rady noted.

Sisi's speech tackled priorities of Egypt's 2019 AU chairmanship, especially unifying efforts to achieve the continental integration, accelerating the establishment of a free trade zone and reconstructing of Africa far away from conflicts, the spokesman stated

In terms of choosing "Year of Refugees, Returnees and Internally Displaced Persons in Africa: Towards Durable Solutions to Forced Displacement" as 2019 theme, Rady pointed out that Sisi stressed the importance of fostering cooperating to put an end to all causes of asylum and displacement.

The inaugural session was followed by a closed meeting, allowing the African leaders to discuss peace and security situation in the continent in light of resolving some disputes in Africa, in addition to the AU decision to silencing the guns in Africa by 2020, he further said.

President Sisi stressed the importance of preserving cohesion of the African national institutions in face of terrorism and extremist thoughts, reviewing Egypt's experience in fighting terrorism.