Egypt hosts African business forum to boost private sector engagement

Egypt is hosting an international forum on 20-21 February in the Red Sea resort town of Sharm El-Sheikh, which aims to boost private sector involvement and investments in the Africa.

African heads of states and Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi will participate at the Africa 2016: Business for Africa, Egypt and the World conference.

"It gives me a great honour and pleasure to host Africa 2016 Forum," El-Sisi said in a welcome message posted on the business forum's official website.

"It's a landmark platform that will bring together a wide range of the foremost political and business leaders in Africa and across the world to discuss ways of enhancing pan African international trade and investment and promoting business climate with a major focus on the role of the private sector."

Some 1,500 delegates from Africa and the world are expected to attend, with a focus on the energy, ICT, financial services, trade, agribusiness, and health care & pharmaceuticals sectors.

Nigeria's Muhammadu Buhari and Sudan's Omar al-Bashir are among the African presidents who will attend the international business forum.