Alamein Africa Forum opens in Egypt with 1,500 participants

The Alamein Africa Forum opened on Friday in the northern Egyptian city of New Alamein, bringing together 1,500 officials, business leaders, investors and representatives of financial institutions from Africa.

The three-day forum includes three high-level conferences focused on economic development and continental integration, according to a statement.

Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said at the welcoming session of the inaugural forum that Africa is at an “important moment” that offers significant opportunities for economic transformation and overcoming development challenges.

He said the continent has vast natural resources, a large market, one of the world’s youngest populations and major opportunities in manufacturing, energy, agriculture, technology, services and the digital economy.

Africa, however, faces challenges related to securing financing, developing infrastructure, high cost of capital, strengthening links between markets and removing barriers that continue to restrict intra-African trade and investment, he said.

Madbouly said the forum is taking place at a time of rapidly accelerating economic and technological changes globally, with supply chains and centers of production, trade and investment being reshaped.

“These transformations require everyone to look at Africa not only as a continent facing development challenges, but also as one that offers real opportunities and has the ability to become an active part of the new global economy,” he said.

The forum's agenda includes trade, food security, energy, infrastructure, financing, digital transformation, artificial intelligence and critical minerals.

Discussions are also aimed at turning development priorities into implementable projects and investments, while boosting intra-African trade.

Egyptian Planning Minister Ahmed Rostom said Africa’s economy is estimated at around $3.6 trillion.

Despite accounting for about one-fifth of the world’s population, he said, Africa’s share of global trade stands at only around 1.5%, while foreign direct investment flows remain limited compared with the continent’s potential.

New Alamein will host a summit on Saturday of the founding states of the African Union Development Agency, or AUDA-NEPAD, the official technical development body of the AU.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi will chair the meet, with broad participation by African leaders and officials, his office said.

The 8th Mid-Year Coordination Meeting of the African Union, meanwhile, is scheduled for Sunday.

The events are part of Egypt’s efforts to strengthen African economic integration, attract investment and mobilize financing for development projects across the continent.

The African Union approved holding the Alamein-Africa Forum every two years in New Alamein at its February 2026 summit.

The forum is co-organized by Egypt, the African Export-Import Bank, or Afreximbank and AUDA-NEPAD.