CAIRO, Sept 12 – Egypt and South Africa are seeking to strengthen cooperation on continental connectivity and trade infrastructure, with President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi calling for more efficient economic corridors linking northern and southern Africa.
El-Sisi made the proposal during a meeting with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on the sidelines of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi, where the two leaders discussed bilateral relations and broader regional issues.
The Egyptian president said stronger north-south trade routes would help facilitate commerce across the continent and support greater economic integration among African economies.
The push reflects the growing importance of cross-border infrastructure to Africa’s efforts to expand intra-continental trade and connect markets across different regions.
Egypt seeks strategic partnership with South Africa
El-Sisi welcomed the continued expansion of relations between Egypt and South Africa and expressed interest in elevating bilateral ties to the level of a strategic partnership.
He also highlighted efforts to upgrade the countries’ existing joint committee into a higher-level framework that could provide a broader platform for expanding economic cooperation.
According to the discussions, the upgraded mechanism would focus on strengthening bilateral trade, economic relations and mutual investment, potentially giving greater institutional support to commercial ties between the two largest economies in their respective African regions.
Ramaphosa welcomed Egypt’s continued engagement with South Africa and said Pretoria was interested in expanding cooperation across multiple sectors.
He also stressed the importance of building on the countries’ historical relationship and their shared participation in multilateral frameworks, including BRICS.
Trade corridors at centre of continental integration
The two presidents placed particular emphasis on connectivity projects linking Africa’s northern and southern markets. For Egypt, stronger connections with southern Africa could create additional channels for trade and investment while supporting the broader objective of integrating African economies.
Ramaphosa welcomed El-Sisi’s focus on infrastructure connectivity and trade corridors, reinforcing the view that improved transport links can play a central role in expanding commercial activity across the continent.
The discussions also covered major regional and international issues, including the war in Sudan and developments in the Middle East.
The renewed focus on Egypt-South Africa economic cooperation comes as African governments continue to pursue infrastructure and trade initiatives aimed at reducing barriers between markets.
Stronger north-south corridors could ultimately provide businesses with more efficient routes to move goods across regions, while supporting greater investment flows and the expansion of intra-African commerce.
