CAIRO – 17 March 2019: At the closing session of two-days Arab and African Youth Forum held in Aswan city, Egypt’s President Abdel Fatah al Sisi issued nine fundamental decisions
President Sisi ordered the cabinet to coordinate with Ministries of foreign affairs and education to allow young Arab and African researchers to benefit from the Egyptian Knowledge Bank.
Ministry of Higher Education would coordinate with the National Training Academy to establish cooperation council that includes African and Arab Universities in order to promote cultural and scientific coordination.
The president also announced a new initiative to eliminate Hepatitis C among one million African citizens.
Sisi announced that the Egyptian government would launch a new phase of its “100 Million Lives” initiative to screen non-Egyptians staying in the country for the viral disease.
The president directed the administration of World Youth Forum (WYF) to form a teamwork that includes young Arab and African minds to promote cooperation between the African continent and the Arab region in all the fields.
The WYF would be tasked as well to gather teamwork of African and Arab young individuals to establish a vision that combats polarization, extremism and terrorism.
Al Sisi directed the administration of WYF to prepare for the next Egypt & Sudan forum to promote cooperation between both countries based on the principle of brotherhood in the Nile Valley.
Moreover, the president announced that Egypt is preparing a document in cooperation with the African Union Commission and the Arab League to be discussed at the next AU summit, in which four suggestions were brought up:
1- The establishment of an African-Arab market
2- The establishment of a new fund to finance projects of railways, roads and electricity in African and Arab states.
3- The invention of a new mechanism to fight terrorism in African and Arab states and to realize stability.
4- Utilize social media platforms to eliminate the mistaken stereotypes between Africa and the Arab world.
Furthermore, the president recommended more policies to empower African and Arab women and youth.
Egypt has the elements of the scientific research industry
During a session on the future of scientific research and health care, President Sisi stated that Egypt and Africa have the elements of the scientific research industry, but the question is whether this industry is as efficient as it is in developed nations.
"The answer is certainly 'not'," President Sisi said during a seminar on the future of Egypt and Africa lack the funding for scientific research, he added.
"We only have more efficiency in the human element and therefore distinguished minds may be present more in our countries. However, developed nations have adopted mechanisms to attract these minds to the industry," he added.
Industry and technology are developing constantly as the developed countries have the funding and the industry there is complete. They take the idea or the research and turn it into commodities that finds their way to the markets. The industry is developing day after day, he said, asserting the need for more effort to be exerted.
"We are trying through the quality of education and giving the opportunity to youths. Even if we cannot give this to them here we provide it elsewhere for the sake of humanity," he added.
Under the patronage of Egypt's President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi, the Arab and African Youth Forum launched in Aswan on Saturday, and set to last for three days until March 18.
The forum's agenda revolves around Arab and African subjects of concern in light of Egypt's presidency of the African Union in 2019. The Youth forum’s activities include open discussions, workshops, seminars and round tables gathering senior officials, decision-makers and a large number of young people from all over Africa.
Mon, Mar. 18, 2019
