I can say that I strongly biased to the importance of establishing solid ties between Egypt and the African countries as Egypt is one of the African countries. The geographical association is not only the reason for this bias, but there is a fundamental economic and political interests which represent for us a vital and strategic issue. The River Nile which flows from the great African land and passes through a number of states in this continent to reach the Egyptian territories. Herodotus was very fair when he said that Egypt is the gift of the Nile.

Although some colonial interventions that seek always to increase the gab between Egypt and some African countries but what has been achieved over the years, especially during the struggle for independence has appeared in the support and backing submitted by the July Revolution to the liberation movements. Despite the pressure, most of these African countries stand in the side of the Arab issues in all the international forums. The Egyptian-African cooperation is a further indication of the depth of relations between the two sides.

It is noteworthy that the lack of follow-up for the continuation of the Egyptian-African relations has led to some deficiencies in certain times. Comes on top of these factors is stopping the exchange of visits as a kind of superiority and lack of interest.

Mubarak's visit to South Africa and Uganda confirms that Egypt did not give up this sense of belonging. This visit emphasizes Egypt's desire to work with the African countries for the common interest of the African countries particularly with regards to food and the alliance of the developed countries to increase the suffering of the peoples of the developing countries such as the black continent countries.

No doubt the choice of the two countries for the beginning of this Egyptian move has political and economic dimensions. South Africa, as it is known is one of the few African states that have succeeded in moving forward in development projects and benefited greatly from the state of stability. As for Uganda, it is one of the headwaters of the Nile, one of the main factors of civilization and fateful link between the countries of the continent. For all these reasons President Mubarak pays visits to both countries.

Galal Dewedar