Egypt's Agriculture Minister Alaa Farouk and his Lebanese counterpart Nizar Hani have agreed to sign an MoU on agricultural research during the upcoming Egyptian-Lebanese Higher Committee meetings, the Ministry said on Wednesday. The two ministers highlighted the importance of removing barriers to agricultural trade and ensuring the smooth flow of goods, noting broad consensus in the technical meetings on boosting cooperation and tackling trade challenges. The MoU will cover pesticide residue management, crop varieties resistant to salinity, drought, and heat, exporting veterinary vaccines, aquaculture, digital agricultural extension, agricultural media, and climate change adaptation. The Lebanese side reaffirmed that Egypt remains a priority source for potato imports, while both sides agreed to exchange decisions and documents on agricultural trade in real time to ensure smooth transactions. They emphasised cooperation in training and knowledge exchange, recognising veterinary health certificates to facilitate trade in animal-based products. They also agreed to increase Egyptian fish exports to Lebanon from accredited facilities. Farouk stressed that the meetings reaffirmed the depth of Egypt-Lebanon historical relations and the shared determination to address challenges such as food security and climate change, the statement added. Hani said the agreements reached, particularly in agricultural research and trade facilitation, represent a significant step towards strengthening Lebanon's agricultural capacity and securing food supplies. Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English Subediting: M. S. Salama
