El Alamein:The Angolan Head of State, Joo Lourenço, is set to present an update on the African Union Development Agency's (AUDA-NEPAD) contributions to continental integration and development. This presentation will occur during the 8th Biannual Coordination Meeting between the African Union (AU), Regional Economic Communities (RECs), and Regional Mechanisms (RMs). According to Angola Press News Agency, Joo Lourenço will deliver the update in his role as Chairperson of the AUDA-NEPAD Steering Committee of Heads of State and Government. The meeting, held behind closed doors, follows the Summit of the Founding Countries of AUDA-NEPAD and the Alamein Africa-GO63 Forum, both of which Mr. Lourenço attended. The opening ceremony preceding the working session will feature speeches from the President of Egypt, Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, the President of Burundi and current AU Chairperson, Évariste Ndayishimiye, and the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf. The meeting aims to bolster contin ental integration and cooperation in line with Agenda 2063, known as 'The Africa We Want'. It will gather various Heads of State and Government, leadership from the African Union Commission, and Chairpersons of RECs and RMs. Kenya's President, William Samoei Ruto, is also expected to present a report on the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) as Chairperson of the relevant AU committee. He will discuss coordination between the AfCFTA and the RECs. Francisca Tatchouop Belobe, African Union Commissioner for Economic Development, Trade, Tourism, Industry, and Minerals, will provide an update on the state of continental integration, while Bankole Adeoye, Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace, and Security, will address policy coordination and harmonization between the AU and RECs. The initiative seeks to enhance cooperation, information sharing, early warning mechanisms, and response capacity among the AU, RECs, and RMs, involving regional communities such as SADC, ECOWAS, EC CAS, COMESA, EAC, UMA, IGAD, and CEN-SAD.
