Doha:The African Union (AU) and Regional Economic Communities (RECs) convened their eighth mid-year coordination meeting in Egypt on Sunday, bringing together several African heads of state to assess the AU's 2026 theme focused on sustainable water availability and safe sanitation systems in line with the goals of Agenda 2063.

According to Qatar News Agency, the meeting addressed the latest developments in strengthening coordination and integration among Africa's RECs, advancing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), and moving forward with the AU's institutional development.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, in his opening remarks, highlighted the meeting's role in enhancing coordination among the AU, economic communities, and regional mechanisms. He emphasized the importance of transitioning from shared ambitions to implementable projects that significantly impact the lives of African people, while stressing Egypt's stance against foreign intervention in African internal affairs and advocating for respect of national sovereignty.

El-Sisi also called for the full operationalization of AfCFTA, which came into effect in 2019, to foster an integrated African market, stimulate intra-African trade, support industrialization, and create job opportunities.

President of the Republic of Burundi and AU Chairperson Evariste Ndayishimiye expressed the meeting's aim to unify African efforts and promote continental integration in achieving Agenda 2063's objectives. He stressed the importance of managing African resources through solidarity and collaboration, noting that regional integration's success depends on economic consensus among African countries. Ndayishimiye also highlighted the AU's commitment to achieving stability in Africa to mitigate geopolitical tensions and address challenges to the continent's peace architecture.