Mubarak inaugurates Africa - Europe Summit in Cairo

President Hosni Mubarak opened today an exceptional and historic summit of two neighboring continents, Africa and Europe, with a call for a strategic Partnership.

"Egypt hosts the first Africa-Europe summit, out of its Belief in the importance of forming a strategic partnership that would reflect the desire and determination of both continents to capitalize on relationships of the past and to develop ties of the present," Mubarak said.

Addressing a large gathering of leaders, heads of state and senior officials from 66 African and European states at the summit's opening, Mubarak paid tribute to the Portuguese-European initiative for adopting the idea of this summit.

He, further, lauded the Organization of African Unity (OAU) and African States for their constructive contribution to bring the initiative into light. "African countries have exerted relentless efforts over the past decade to create the proper climate that would pave the way to steer them out of the circle of problems and enable them to intermingle in the global economy to realize the sought-for economic and social development," he said.

Concluding his speech, Mubarak voiced confidence that open-minded and openhearted discussions and deliberations will contribute to setting solid bases for a sustainable and evolving strategic partnership within the framework of a well-defined working program.