Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul-Gheit said that Egypt's participation in the 12th COMESA Heads of State and Government summit was out of its keenness on developing the bloc's role and consolidating ties with its member states.

The Minister was speaking to reporters before heading for the Kenyan capital Nairobi to attend the COMESA summit on behalf of President Hosni Mubarak.

Foreign Minister Abul-Gheit said that the summit would probe a host of issues topped by developing the process of establishing a Free Trade Area (FTA).

The latest developments in the western Sudanese region of Darfur and the Democratic Republic of the Congo will be also on the agenda of the meetings.

The Egyptian delegation to the meetings will brief the participants on the Egyptian efforts to settle crises in Darfur and Somalia.