More than 20 African heads of state and government representatives are expected to gather in Egypt on Friday for the inaugural three-day Alamein Africa Forum, as Cairo seeks to strengthen its economic and diplomatic ties across the continent.
The summit, taking place in the Mediterranean city of Alamein, will bring together political leaders, business executives, bankers and development institutions to discuss opportunities in infrastructure, trade, agriculture, healthcare, mining, technology and renewable energy.
The forum is part of Egypt’s broader effort to deepen its engagement with Africa after years of concentrating much of its diplomatic and economic attention on the Middle East and the Mediterranean.
Egyptian Deputy Foreign Minister for African Affairs Mohamed Abu Bakr Saleh described the gathering as an African platform designed to encourage greater trade and investment links between countries across the continent.
He said the forum would allow businesses from different African regions to establish partnerships and agreements, adding that Egypt intends for the event to become a biennial gathering under an African Union mandate.
Egypt estimates that its investments across Africa are worth about $14 billion. One of its major projects is Tanzania’s $3 billion Julius Nyerere Hydropower Project, which was constructed by a consortium led by Egyptian companies.
Focus on Intra-African Trade
The summit comes amid efforts to increase trade and investment within Africa, which remains relatively low compared with other regions.
Intra-African trade stood at about $192 billion in 2023, representing roughly 15 percent of the continent’s total trade. By comparison, intra-regional trade accounts for more than half of total trade in Asia and more than 70 percent in Europe.
Africa attracted approximately $70 billion in foreign direct investment in 2025, significantly below the roughly $1.6 trillion invested globally during the same period, according to United Nations figures.
Saleh said the continent has significant natural and economic resources that have yet to be fully developed.
“Africa possesses vast resources, but they are still not being exploited to the level we would like to see,” he said.
Nile Dispute Remains a Backdrop
The summit is also being held against the backdrop of the longstanding dispute between Egypt and Ethiopia over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), a multibillion-dollar hydropower project on the Blue Nile.
Ethiopia maintains that the dam is important for electricity generation and economic development, while Egypt has expressed concerns about the potential impact on its Nile water supplies and has called for a binding agreement governing the dam’s operation.
More than a decade of negotiations between Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan have yet to produce a comprehensive settlement.
Saleh reiterated Cairo’s position on the issue, describing water security as a fundamental concern for Egypt.
The Alamein forum is expected to serve both as an economic platform and as part of Egypt’s broader effort to strengthen its relationships with African countries.
