• "Al-Mashat" Affirms Egypt's Keenness to Maximizing Partnership with FAO to Support Food Security and Sustainable Economic Development
• The Egyptian Economy Has Promising Opportunities in Agriculture Sector and Food Security... Investments in the Sector are Growing by 20% During the Current Fiscal Year
H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation, held a bilateral meeting with Dr. AbdulHakim Elwaer, Assistant Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and Regional Representative for the Near East and North Africa, to discuss ways to enhance joint cooperation in sustainable agriculture, food security and climate finance, as well as joint efforts to promote comprehensive economic development in light of the comprehensive partnership between Egypt and the UN.
At the beginning of the meeting, H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat welcomed the FAO delegation headed by Dr. AbdulHakim Elwaer, emphasizing Egypt's keenness to strengthen the partnership with the FAO, especially in light of the current global challenges, based on its role in accelerating towards sustainable food systems, enhancing social inclusion, and empowering youth and women in rural Egypt, in line with Egypt's Vision 2030.
H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat reviewed the priorities of the Ministry of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation following the merger between the two ministries, where the ministry works to coordinate long-term economic and social policies, in addition to overseeing public investments, noting the sustainability and financing framework for economic development, through which the ministry aims to support efforts to achieve qualitative and sustainable growth. H.E. noted that the merger of the Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation portfolios maximizes the integration of domestic resources and international partnerships, and enhancing their utilization.
H.E. affirmed The Egyptian government's keenness to maximize the benefit of constructive partnerships with FAO in line with its program priorities as well as the strategic framework for partnership with the United Nations for Sustainable Development (UNSDCF) until 2027, which is based on five main pillars: investment in human capital, inclusive economic development, transparency and governance, women's empowerment, and environmental sustainability.
Al-Mashat pointed out the development of investments in the agriculture and land reclamation sector in the economic and social development plan to grow by 20% in the current fiscal year compared to the previous current fiscal, noting the significant attention the state pays to the sector in order to maximize food security efforts and increase the export of agricultural crops and its vital role in employing workers, as it is one of the most employed sectors.
The meeting discussed the implementation of the FAO's country program in Egypt and joint efforts with the government to enhance food security in line with national priorities, whether through increasing investment in human capital and strengthening social protection efforts, as well as supporting climate change adaptation, and improving the efficiency of natural resource use, and promoting inclusive and sustainable economic development.
The two sides reviewed joint cooperation efforts within the framework of the implementation of the country platform of the ”NWFE” program, the Nexus of Water, Food and Energy, which includes a number of priority projects to support sustainability in the fields of water and food, and contribute to enhancing food security efforts in Egypt.
The meeting also addressed South-South and triangular cooperation, and the importance of utilizing the FAO’s expertise and experience in supporting knowledge exchange and enhancing opportunities for South-South cooperation.
Moreover, the Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation presented efforts to enhance entrepreneurship and the business environment for startups through the Ministerial Group for Entrepreneurship, highlighting in this regard the areas of collaboration that can be launched with the organization to encourage entrepreneurship and startup ideas to support food security policies and encourage innovative solutions.
For his part, Dr. AbdulHakim Elwaer praised Egypt's developmental vision and its integration with FAO's regional goals, affirming that Egypt is a pivotal partner in agricultural and food transformation efforts in the region, and expressed aspirations to strengthen cooperation in the fields of agricultural artificial intelligence, food loss prevention, and empowering small farmers.