President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi underlined on Wednesday the crucial role played by Tanzania as one of the countries active in promoting security and stability in Africa.

These remarks came during the president's meeting with Tanzanian President Samia Hassan on the sidelines of the 27^th session of the UN Climate Change Conference in Sharm El-Sheikh.

Presidential spokesman Bassam Rady stated that President El-Sisi said that Egypt was keen on strengthening ties with Tanzania on all levels. Egypt, the president said, gave importance to investing in vital sectors in Tanzania. The greatest example of these investments is the construction of the Tanzanian Julius Nyerere Dam. 

During the meeting, President Sisi underlined the close ties between Egypt and Tanzania. He welcomed the Tanzanian president in Egypt.

El-Sisi offered condolences to Tanzania for the victims of the plane that crashed into Lake Victoria while trying to land in Bukoba airport located in the northwest of Tanzania, added the spokesman.

The Tanzanian president, for her part, thanked President Sisi for his sincere brotherly feelings toward the victims of the plane crash.

She also hailed as deeply rooted the relations between Egypt and Tanzania, affirming her keenness on further strengthening ties with Egypt, according to the spokesman.

The Tanzanian president also said that there were prospects for developing cooperation between the two countries in numerous fields, particularly in the field of economy.

Hassan also extended thanks to Egypt for its distinguished contribution to development efforts in Tanzania, emphasising Egyptian efforts in the construction of  Tanzania's Julius Nyerere Dam, said Rady.

A consortium of Egyptian companies, namely Arab Contractors and El-Sewedy Electric, finished the construction of the main body of Julius Nyerere Dam located in Rufiji River in Tanzania in October.

The two leaders also discussed the latest developments in Africa. Both leaders agreed on the importance of integration between African countries, especially in the fields of economy and trade, the Presidential spokesman said.

Furthermore, the two leaders discussed efforts to combat terrorism, which is considered one of the major challenges facing Africa.

According to Rady, the talks broached the issue of the water of the Nile, with both sides agreeing to support the Nile Basin countries' path toward development. - Ahram Online

ENTEBBE, Uganda, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni said on Monday that while the developed world must reduce greenhouse gas emissions, Africa should play its part in stopping the destruction of forests and wetlands, which has contributed to adverse climate change effects.

Museveni told reporters here at State House Entebbe, 40 km south of the Ugandan capital of Kampala, that African countries need to restore the wetlands and forests that have been destroyed.

The Ugandan leader has been critical of the destruction of wetlands and forests in the eastern African country to build industries and human settlements. The Ugandan government is embarking on the uphill task of evicting people and industries that have reclaimed swamps.

The president, who addressed a wide range of issues, also said the developed world should help Africa with resources to restore the destroyed environment.

Museveni's comment comes as world leaders and environmentalists meet at a UN conference on climate change held in the Egyptian coastal city of Sharm El-Sheikh. The meeting, also referred to as the 27th session of the Conference of Parties (COP27) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, kicked off on Sunday as the world seeks possible solutions to climate change challenges. - Xinhua

The Ugandan Air Force attacked and destroyed a big camp of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebels in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni announced Sunday.

The attack was conducted with the authorization of the Congolese government.

“Ugandans and other East Africans: This is to inform you that on Friday, with the authorization of the DRC government, the Ugandan Air Force attacked and destroyed a large ADF terrorist camp,” Museveni said on Twitter.

He noted that it was important for them to know the capacity Africa which possesses that can help it address chronic security challenges.

“The enemy, in desperation, has now fled beyond the boundary of our operations. The ignorant terrorists do not know that within just minutes -- not hours -- we can reach (them) with deadly fire, many areas, far beyond the line of the limit of exploitation,” said Museveni.

“Hence, on Friday, they got their deserved reward. Wherever they go, we shall reach them, as long as the Congo government allows us to operate with them,” he said, congratulating Ugandan and Congolese troops.

The Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda launched joint military operations to flush out the ADF in the east of DR Congo in late 2021.

But the operations have been criticized for doing little to improve the security situation, prompting calls by civil society groups to end them.

In the latest attack attributed to ADF rebels, two people were wounded by gunfire Sunday during an ambush that targeted a civilian vehicle on the Mbau-Kamango road in Beni territory, North Kivu, the Congolese military said.

The ADF have been attacking and killing civilians in eastern DR Congo for over two decades. The group killed more than 1,300 civilians last year, according to the UN.

The joint operations in North Kivu and Ituri provinces were launched following a triple suicide bombing in Uganda’s capital city Kampala in which seven people were killed and dozens injured.

The ADF pledged allegiance to Islamic State in 2019.

Last year, the US placed the ADF on its list of “terrorist organizations” affiliated with ISIS. - James Tasamba, Anadolu Agency