Al-Mashat discusses with the World Food Programme enhancing food security efforts and supporting small-scale farmers
Discussions focused on ongoing projects under the 2023-2027 Joint Country Programme and maximizing the benefits of the Luxor Center Innovation and Knowledge Sharing Platform
Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, Minister of International Cooperation, met with Ms. Rania Dagash - Assistant Executive Director, Partnerships and Resource Mobilization of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), during the African Development Bank's annual meetings held in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi.
Both sides discussed ways to enhance joint cooperation between Egypt and the World Food Programme. Dr. Al-Mashat lauded the ongoing efforts in the field of food security in Egypt, support for South-South cooperation, and the implementation of several projects aimed at achieving agricultural and rural development and increasing farmers' income in Egyptian governorates, in addition to the ongoing cooperation in the field of school feeding within the framework of the priority given by the state to these projects.
The Minister of International Cooperation followed up on the outcomes of her meeting with the Executive Director of the World Food Programme during her visit to the Italian capital, Rome, last January. The meeting also discussed the ongoing projects within the framework of the program's Country Strategy in Egypt 2023-2027, which includes projects to support the livelihoods of migrants to Egypt in cooperation with the European Union in Aswan Governorate, in addition to many projects that support small-scale farmers and work to increase their income.
Dr. Al-Mashat also praised the projects implemented between government entities and the World Food Programme in the village of Al-Boghdadi in Luxor, which is one of 63 villages in the governorate that have benefited from the programs implemented in cooperation with the WFP to achieve agricultural and rural development. In addition, the Minister of International Cooperation discussed cooperation with the program within the framework of the Luxor Center Innovation and Knowledge Sharing Platform, which was launched by the program in Luxor to be the first of its kind in Africa and falls within the initiative of the World Food Programme's Centers of Excellence, which are platforms for achieving food security and addressing malnutrition among developing countries through the exchange of knowledge and expertise.
The two sides discussed the possibility of cooperation within the framework of the Climatech Run international competition, of which the Ministry has organized two editions during the COP27 and COP28 climate conferences. The meeting also addressed the economic challenges facing the world and the financing gap that hinders development efforts.
On her part, the Assistant Executive Director for Partnerships and Resource Mobilization at the World Food Programme thanked Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, Minister of International Cooperation, for her efforts to enhance mutual cooperation relations and facilitate the efforts and projects of the program in the villages of Upper Egypt. She also emphasized the importance of the ClimatechRun international competition during the climate conference and its importance in encouraging start-ups in the field of climate action.
The partnership between the Arab Republic of Egypt and the World Food Programme extends for more than 50 years, to support sustainable development programs, complete social protection programs, and provide food security for the most vulnerable groups. The current portfolio between Egypt and WFP amounts $586 million, through which many projects are implemented, the most important of which is the project to achieve agricultural and rural development in Upper Egypt, where the program implemented projects in 63 villages in 5 governorates during its first phase.