Celebrating the 72nd anniversary of the Egyptian Revolution of the 23rd of July 1952
30 July 2024
Ambassador Ahmed Elfadly hosted a reception to commemorate Egypt’s national day at House of Egypt in Pretoria on 23 July 2024. It was the 1952 Revolution led by the late President Gamal Abdel Nasser that was a major catalyst in asserting the Arab identity of Egypt, then enhancing her African identity in the 1950s, while leading a policy of non-alignment amidst the Cold War as of the 1960s, said Elfadly. “In this context, Egypt was a leading force behind the Pan-Arab, Pan-African and Non-Aligned Movements, supporting liberation movements throughout the Arab world and the African continent.”
Addressing guests Elfadly outlined Egypt’s position in Africa and in the world. He detailed the strong relationship between Egypt and South Africa which is flourishing on all fronts. Speaking about the current state of the globe Elfadly said, “The resources disbursed and efforts consumed to trigger or sustain conflicts in our own African continent and beyond would have created a global paradise of prosperity if spent otherwise, on developing a truly global village, had we recognized that our power is in our unity, and that our unity is in our diversity.”
Remarks by Ambassador Ahmed Elfadly, Ambassador of the Arab Republic of Egypt to South Africa, Botswana & Lesotho on the occasion of the 72nd anniversary of the Egyptian Revolution of the 23rd of July 1952
The 1952 Revolution led by the late President Gamal Abdel Nasser was a major catalyst in asserting the Arab identity of Egypt, then enhancing her African identity in the 1950s, while leading a policy of non-alignment amidst the Cold War as of the 1960s. In this context, Egypt was a leading force behind the Pan-Arab, Pan-African and Non-Aligned Movements, supporting liberation movements throughout the Arab world and the African continent.
Today, we gather at a time where uncertainty continues to be the prevailing sentiment at this critical juncture of modern history in our “global village”. Overnight, the once alarming news of COVID-19 with its lockdowns and loss of lives have been replaced by more alarming reports of military confrontations that breach international law and trigger additional refugee crises, while the destructive effects of climate change are spreading across the globe.
The resources disbursed and efforts consumed to trigger or sustain conflicts in our own African continent and beyond would have created a global paradise of prosperity if spent otherwise, on developing a truly global village, had we recognized that our power is in our unity … and that our unity is in our diversity.
It is in this context that Egypt initiated The Aswan Forum for Sustainable Peace and Development, bringing together African leaders, policymakers and intellectuals to provide African solutions that our African continent so desperately needs, to protect the present and secure the future for generations to come. The first edition was held in 2019 during Egypt’s chairmanship of the African Union. The second took place in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic. The third was during the following year where the world was seized with developments in Ukraine and its impact on food energy and security. It was also the year during which Egypt was honored to host COP27 on behalf of Africa, in Sharm El-Sheikh, to make Africa’s voice clearly heard.
I thought then that multilateralism had emerged triumphant in Sharm El Sheikh, despite the airs of polarization, geopolitical tensions and cascading crises. I also thought that the consensus and progress achieved in Sharm El Sheikh reflected a continued belief in international cooperation in facing global problems, and that we still need each other to overcome these daunting challenges through collective response, only to discover later that these are dreams yet to come true. For by the time the fourth edition of the Aswan Forum was held earlier this month, the international community has been seized by existential challenges that had already emerged in the immediate neighborhood of Egypt, namely in the Gaza Strip and in Sudan.
In Sudan, its Vice President, Malik Agar has described in Pretoria last July how peace agreements are being dishonored, thus leading to vicious cycles of violence and protracted conflicts, inviting intervention by foreign elements with diverse objectives, amidst regional disparities due to a lack of social justice and a mismanagement of Sudan’s diversity. He requested the international community to assist Sudan in achieving peace, and we heeded the call in Egypt and offered unlimited support.
Aside from receiving more than 0.5 million Sudanese citizens fleeing the scourge of war, to live in peace with the 5 million Sudanese citizens already residing in Egypt, President El Sisi hosted a well attended Summit of Sudan’s six neighboring countries in Cairo last July to discuss ways to end an armed conflict that triggered a major humanitarian crisis in the region. In addition, Sudanese factions met in Cairo on 6 July for reconciliation talks for the first time since the conflict began in April 2023. The conference encouraged a national dialogue among Sudanese groups to achieve lasting peace in the country, involving regional and international actors. We are hopeful that such efforts would yield the desired outcome in the near future.
In the Gaza Strip, a tragedy of unprecedented magnitude has been unfolding since October. Egypt has categorically rejected any form of displacement to the PalestinIan people as well as any attempt to liquidate the Palestinian cause, and repeatedly called on Israel - as an occupying power - to end its disregard for the lives of unarmed civilians and to adhere to the necessary humanitarian standards in compliance with international law and international humanitarian law. Last week, we condemned in the strongest terms the Israeli attack on displaced Palestinians in Al-Mawasi, asserting that such crimes will not be subject to a statute of limitations and cannot be justified under any pretext. President El Sisi also warned against using the Rafah crossing as an instrument to tighten the siege on the Palestinian people in Gaza. These ongoing violations add serious complications to the current efforts aimed at reaching de-escalation and a ceasefire, and they exacerbate the humanitarian suffering of Palestinians, one that has not been ignored by the International Court of Justice, which last Friday, deemed Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem, as unlawful, and that Israel is obligated to bring an end to its presence there as rapidly as possible.
Despite these great times of difficulty and despair, I believe there is still light at the end of the tunnel, not only due to such a progressive and historic ruling by the court … but also other encouraging developments in other parts of the world as well. For example, a Government of National Unity has been established earlier this month in South Africa, reminding us all that power is indeed in unity. and unity is indeed in diversity.
It is this spirit that should encourage us Africans to achieve the Africa We Want. Africa has yet to build production capacities in its journey towards industrialization and the creation of wealth in accordance with Agenda 2063, which remains central to a common vision in this regard, instead of continuing to manage poverty. Integrating the continent is key in achieving this vision and an important catalyst for implementing Agenda 2063 is the AUDA-NEPAD under the stewardship of its new CEO, guided by President El Sisi, in his capacity as the Chairperson of the AUDA-NEPAD Heads of State and Government Orientation Committee since February 2023.
As we celebrated Nelson Mandela Day last week, we are reminded by Madiba that “After climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb “.
In this spirit, allow me to briefly share with you the important hills we’ve climbed successfully in our bilateral relations with South Africa over the past year.
Trade and Investment have been at the core of these developments. Fully aware of the empowering potential of Intra-African Trade Fairs, Egypt hosted the Third Fair last November, after successfully launching the First Fair in 2018 and after having the largest pavilion in the Second Fair that took place in Durban in November 2021.
We remain committed to tripling our exports to Africa by 2025, from approximately $5 billion to $15 billion. Egypt is the largest export market for South African goods and services in North Africa. Despite global challenges, and economic hardship, our exports to South Africa increased by 4% over the past year, and the balance of trade with South Africa increased more than 7 fold (732%) in favor of Egypt. This is still lower than our expectations. We expect more in the years to come, as the AfCFTA is further operationalized and more non-trade barriers are removed, particularly after both Egypt and South Africa with 10 other African countries finalized last January their legal modalities to enable trade in thousands of product lines, ranging from food and beverages to steel products and equipment, pharmaceuticals and household goods, within the context of a Guided Trade Initiative. The onus is now on relevant business communities in both countries to make the best out of this important development.
Investment has its share of positive results as well. Volkswagen Group Africa, based in South Africa, has expressed interest in expanding its presence in the Egyptian market by participating in the Automotive Industry Development Programme (AIDP). Last month, it signed a new Memorandum of Understanding with the Government of Egypt to develop a feasibility study for the construction of a car body shop and assembly line. This new strategic cooperation agreement offers Volkswagen Group Africa an asset-light investment model, which shifts the investment focus from capital expenditure to operational expenditure. I look forward to enhancing the presence of other multinational companies in Egypt, in South Africa, and in other African countries, to accelerate by their presence the march to integrating our beloved continent.
Our investors continue to be present in South Africa as well, mainly as production centers not service providers. For example, MCV has been manufacturing commercial vehicles in Capetown since 2007, with a production capacity equivalent to 20% of domestic production in South Africa.
Last November, I participated in a sod turning event in Limpopo, after EETD, a subsidiary of Elsewedy Electric – an Egyptian conglomerate with a global footprint and an annual revenue of $4.8bn - has been awarded the engineering, procurement and construction of the 77MWp PV Power Plant Lephalale Solar Project with Cennergi Holdings, a subsidiary of the South African mining company Exxaro Resources. This solar farm will be on a 236 hectare site ( the equivalent of 450 soccer fields ) and aims to supply clean energy to Exxaro’s flagship Grootegeluk mine in Limpopo, one of the five largest coal mines in South Africa, as part of Exxaro’s Sustainable Growth and Impact Strategy implementation. This mine fuels Eskom’s Matimba and Medupi power stations, which in turn generate together a total installed capacity of 8484MW, roughly 20% of the total installed power capacity in South Africa. The project entails a R1.56 billion investment and is set to be completed in 2025.
This is just a beginning as other companies are also considering entering the market in South Africa, namely in the power, pharmaceutical and construction sectors.
Sustaining these positive developments and more, shall require strong government to government relations and strong people to people relations.
In this context, I am pleased to confirm that Presidents El Sisi & Ramaphosa see eye to eye on many continental and continental challenges and opportunities. Testimony to that is the smooth transition of the Chairmanship of the African Union from Egypt to South Africa in February 2020, then South Africa’s support to Egypt’s membership in the New Development Bank of BRICS, followed by her support to inviting Egypt during the BRICS Summit in August 2023 to become a full member of BRICS, which we have as of January 1, 2024.
Presidents El Sisi and Ramaphosa have been often on the phone this year. During the second half of last year, they met in St. Petersburg in July on the sidelines of the Africa-Russia Summit, and then with the African leaders participating in Africa’s Russia-Ukraine peace mission to discuss the progress made on the initiative. They also met in Cairo in October during the Cairo Summit for Peace to discuss the ongoing escalation of the conflict in Israel and the Gaza Strip … Both Presidents also did not forget to call each other after their re-election to a new term to congratulate each other and discuss ways and means of further advancing bilateral relations.
I am equally pleased to indicate that the Prime Minister of Egypt visited South Africa last August and at least five Egyptian Cabinet Ministers have been meeting their South African counterparts throughout the past year, discussing bilateral and/or regional cooperation, whether in Egypt, South Africa or elsewhere, such as the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Defense, Trade & Industry, Finance, and Environment, to name a few. In fact, the 10th Session of the Joint Commission for Cooperation met in Pretoria last April, led by both Ministers of Foreign Affairs, marking the resuscitation of its periodicity after the 9th Session was held in Cairo, May 2022 … 12 years after holding the 8th Session. In this historic 10th session, both Ministers agreed on the need to elevate the existing relations to the level of strategic partnership. They further agreed to propose to their respective Principals the transformation of the Joint Commission for Cooperation to a Bi National Commission, and to resuscitate the Egypt-South Africa Business Council before the end of this year. I think we deserve a round of applause for that! Congratulations!
The New Ministers of Foreign Affairs, who were both sworn in on the same day, less than three weeks ago, met last week on the margins of the 6th Mid-Year AU Coordination in Accra to reaffirm the aforementioned outcomes and to discuss other issues of mutual concern.
The Speakers of both Parliaments have also met and agreed to work on launching an Inter-Parliamentary Friendship Group, ushering in a new era of people to people relations.
Free movement of people is equally important in people to people relations. As such, Egypt announced more than two years ago that South African nationals are eligible to obtain a visa upon arrival. Ever since, tourism has been on the rise, our EgyptAir flights have been flying four times a week between Cairo and Johannesburg, and have been fully booked for weeks. Hence, we intend to work on expanding and deepening the presence of EgyptAir in South Africa, which intends to operate daily flights in 2025.
On a more personal note, today’s commemoration of the National Day also signals the near end of my tour of duty as Ambassador of Egypt to South Africa in a few weeks, whereby it would be time to begin my journey back from Cape to Cairo.
I have been honored and blessed to serve as an Ambassador of Egypt to South Africa at a time where our leaders share a similar outlook to the continent and beyond. This was neither the case when South Africa was established as a nation state in 1910, nor when Egypt witnessed its 1952 Revolution.
I am equally proud to be ending my tour of duty at an all-time high in our bilateral relations. When I arrived and presented my credentials to President Ramaphosa in 2020, I remember telling him two things :
First : That South Africa and South Africans are our soft spot. me and my Spouse, as we have great memories in this country when we spent part of our honeymoon here several years ago. And in this spirit we came to this country with an open mind and heart to transform the historic support that Egypt gave to the ANC throughout its struggle for freedom and the warm relations that exist between him and President El Sisi into a strategic and sustainable relationship at all levels and in all fields.
Second : That people to people relations are equally important. I looked forward through my work here, to earn the trust and support of 60 million South Africans.
Fellow South Africans
Thank you for your support. I hope that I delivered and that I earned your trust.