Nile Oracle 29 9 2026 Amb Raouf Saad

Overview

At the Alamain African Economic Forum, Ambassador Raouf Saad framed the event as a major step toward advancing African integration and upgrading Egypt’s approach to Africa. He argued that Egypt’s current engagement focuses more on coordinating relations around African priorities than on older narratives centered only on liberation and imperial dynamics.

He linked this shift to two milestones:

• Egypt’s role in AU agenda-setting after the AU presidency shift (notably from 2019)
• The “CUP 27”-era agenda peak in 2022, including the forum’s structure, which mirrors high-level global economic platforms—particularly through the value of side meetings and engagement with multinational and business actors

The Forum as an Ongoing Process

Saad emphasized that the forum should not be a one-time event, but the beginning of an ongoing process supported by:

• Strategy
• Institutionalization

He also welcomed the AU’s decision to hold an African economic summit biennially, suggesting that Alamain should become part of a sustained rhythm that drives integration among African economies.

Stakeholders to Bring Together

Saad highlighted the importance of involving:

• Governments and official leadership
• The business community
• African finance institutions, including regional and national banks
• Partner frameworks such as Africa Exim/NEPAD-related initiatives

Key Prescriptions

1) Make public–private partnership central

Saad argued cooperation cannot be government-only. The private sector requires government support—both “coverage” and enabling incentives—so economic, social, and cultural projects can move forward.

2) Avoid treating Africa as a single uniform continent

Because countries differ politically and economically, strategy must be tailored case-by-case rather than approached with one uniform continental template.

3) Use structured matchmaking based on comparative advantages

Saad proposed a matchmaking conference grounded in country-specific studies identifying comparative advantages, including:

• Technology and capabilities
• Sector strengths suited to partner needs

He suggested these inputs should be produced and supported by AU structures, development banks, NEPAD, and UN-related contributions, and then circulated to enable delegation-to-delegation meetings.

4) Move from small donor-style projects to “mega projects”

Saad argued Africa’s historical production patterns were shaped by colonial interests and small projects that primarily benefited donors. He cited Egypt’s dam project in Tanzania as an example of a scalable mega-project model that could be replicated and adapted to strengthen each country’s production structure and unlock underused resources.

Follow-Up Discussion: Knowledge and a Continental Project Bank

In the follow-up discussion, the host and Saad agreed on the need for better knowledge of African countries’ needs and existing projects, so companies (including Egyptian firms) can identify what each country requires.

A proposal was raised to transform existing mapping work into a more continental, shared research or project bank that designs projects and seeks financing to support implementation across multiple countries.

Closing Note (Segment Context)

The segment ends as Saad is about to deliver leader-to-business messaging for the forum, referencing three related meetings. One of these focuses on the African business community and leadership, including the KNEAD gathering of leading “establishing” figures (“godfathers”) from Egypt, Algeria, Senegal, Nigeria, and South Africa.

Presenters / Contributors

• Ambassador Raouf Saad
• The host (name not provided in the subtitles)