Egypt’s el-Sisi, Other African Leaders Make Their Way to Beijing China-Africa Forum

FROM EIR DAILY ALERT

Egypt’s el-Sisi, Other African Leaders Make Their Way to Beijing China-Africa Forum

Aug. 30, 2018 (EIRNS)—Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi flew to Bahrain today on the first leg of a three-nation tour that includes China and Uzbekistan. He is due to hold talks with Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa, and top Bahraini government officials. The President will then head to Beijing for the Forum on China Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) summit. He is scheduled to meet with President Xi Jinping, and expects to sign a number of cooperation deals.

El-Sisi will end his trip on Sept. 5 in Uzbekistan’s capital Tashkent, in what will be the first such visit by an Egyptian President. He will discuss with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev ways to bolster bilateral ties, and there are plans to sign several deals during the talks.

Many other African leaders are en route to the FOCAC summit. President of the Federal Republic of Somalia Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo and a high-level delegation arrived today. This is Farmajo’s first official visit to China since he was elected President on Feb. 8, 2017, and his communications officer reports he will meet with Xi Jinping for bilateral talks.

Burkina Faso will be represented at the summit by President Roch Kabore.

“For us, this trip is an important mission as it will help build up and consolidate the two countries’ relationship, which is founded on win-win, legal and transparency principles,”

Kabore said in an interview with Xinhua. Kabore expanded that Africa-China cooperation is based on the principles of mutual benefit. “We don’t have any regrets about this existing China-Africa cooperation, which is developing day by day in favor of our respective peoples.”