Bridging Continents, United Against Cancer: Delivering on the Cairo Commitment
On April 15th, leaders and institutions from across the MENA region and the European Union will gather in Rome for a landmark event: “Unity in Action: The MENA–EU Cancer Care Partnership.” Hosted at the historic Villa Aurelia, this high-level meeting builds directly on the momentum of the Cairo Declaration of Cooperation, signed earlier this year by ten Arab states under the leadership of the Arab League. The declaration marked a turning point for cancer control in the region—rooted in unity, shared responsibility, and a drive to close the care gap.
This upcoming meeting represents the next chapter: the move from aspiration to implementation.
The event will open with welcome remarks from prominent figures in oncology and public health, including Professors Ruggero de Maria and Hesham Elghazaly. Keynote addresses by Giovanni Leonardi of the Italian Ministry of Health, Professor Ahmed Hassan Fahal of the Arab League’s Scientific Research Council, and ICPC President Marcel Tanner will highlight the global importance of this partnership and reaffirm the Arab League’s leadership in advancing a collective, region-wide response to cancer.
At the heart of the agenda are tangible actions and cross-regional learning. A spotlight session will feature voices from Algeria to Belgium, Egypt to Bulgaria, Oman to Italy—showcasing impactful models in screening, digital innovation, patient engagement, and health workforce development. These exchanges will lay the foundation for practical collaboration across regions that differ in resources but share the same goal: better cancer outcomes for all.
Participants will explore opportunities for joint initiatives ranging from population-level screening to AI-powered diagnostics and tele-oncology. The discussions will emphasize the need for capacity building, scalable innovation, and collaborative, borderless strategies to advance cancer care.
The presence and keynote of Dr. Fahal, on behalf of the Arab League, will be particularly meaningful—signaling the League’s firm commitment to transforming declarations into tangible results, especially in fragile and conflict-affected contexts.
The meeting will conclude with a forward-looking session, drafting a Terms of Reference outlining shared priorities and areas for cooperation between MENA and EU partners. These outcomes will serve as the foundation for sustained dialogue and collective action—culminating in a high-level follow-up conference in Rome in 2026.
As a symbolic and strategic milestone, a pilot partnership agreement will be signed between the Egyptian Cancer Society and the Italian Alliance Against Cancer. This first agreement represents the transition from dialogue to delivery—demonstrating how targeted collaboration can drive real change and set the stage for deeper, long-term regional alignment.
We will share the full agenda below.
