Cairo, October 04 (QNA) - The eighth mid-year coordination meeting of the African Union (AU) and Regional Economic Communities (RECs) convened in Egypt on Sunday.

The event brings together several African heads of state to discuss progress on the AU's 2026 theme regarding assuring sustainable water availability and safe sanitation systems to achieve the goals of Agenda 2063.

The meeting further drilled down on the latest developments in continental efforts to strengthen coordination and integration among Africa's RECs, advance implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and drive forward the AU's institutional development.

In his inaugural remarks, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi said the meeting explores avenues for enhancing existing coordination among the AU, the economic communities and regional mechanisms to help reinforce sustainable development efforts in African nations, navigate from a multiplicity of efforts to integration, and move from shared ambitions to limited, implementable projects and programs that achieve a concrete impact on the lives of African peoples.

El-Sisi underlined Egypt's unyielding position in pushing back against any foreign intervention in the internal affairs of African nations, emphasizing that Egypt calls for respecting nations' sovereignty and territorial integrity as the essence and indispensable principles for the stability of Africa.

Relationships among African nations should be based on mutual respect, neighborly relations, as well as dialogue and consultation rather than unilateral policies or parochial interests, El-Sisi stressed.

He advocated for the full operationalization of AfCFTA, which entered into force in 2019, thereby unlocking prospects for a truly integrated African market that can capitalize on the continent's enormous productive capacity, boost intra-African trade, support industrialization and technology transfer, and create more job opportunities.

Having weighed in during the meeting, President of the Republic of Burundi and AU Chairperson Evariste Ndayishimiye said the meeting aims to unify efforts among African nations and advance continental integration by achieving the objectives of Agenda 2063.

He underscored that managing African resources is of the essence in solidarity and collaboration with African countries, asserting that the success of regional integration hinges on an economic consensus among African nations.

Ndayishimiye further pointed out that the AU is working to achieve stability in Africa to curb ongoing geopolitical tensions in the global political context, as well as address challenges pertaining to the peace architecture that affect regional integration in Africa. (QNA)