At the 2024 General Assembly meeting of the Chamber of Food Industries, Chairperson Ashraf El Gazayerli announced that the food sector achieved a remarkable 21% increase in exports last year, surpassing $10bn. This milestone marks an unprecedented achievement for the sector, underlining its growing influence in the global market. Maysa Hamza, Executive Director of the Chamber, also highlighted the organization's major accomplishments for the year. She emphasized the Chamber's commitment to institutional growth, which includes refining and updating its strategy, embracing digital transformation, and automating processes to improve governance. The Chamber's strategic objectives for 2024 include addressing challenges faced by factories, effectively voicing their concerns to local and international stakeholders, and providing valuable sector and market data to support its members. Additionally, the Chamber is focused on enhancing the competitiveness of the food sector and bolstering companies' capabilities through a range of technical and consulting services. Hamza also reiterated the Chamber's ongoing efforts to assist companies in complying with food safety standards. In 2024, the Chamber delivered 46 training programs, conducted 85 factory visits, and organized numerous seminars and workshops in collaboration with the National Food Safety Authority. These initiatives have supported the training of 3,799 individuals across various governorates, thanks to the backing of eight donor-funded projects. The Chamber's work in standardization is equally significant, having approved 44 new standards through the Egyptian Organization for Standardization and Quality, and actively participated in updating industry standards. Furthermore, the Chamber is contributing to the revision of the National Food Safety Authority's decree No. 4 of 2020 on food additives to align it with the latest Codex Alimentarius guidelines and European Union regulations. On the global front, the Chamber represented Egypt's food sector in eight international missions, attending scientific conferences, research forums, specialized training programs, and international exhibitions. These missions took place in countries such as Malaysia, Russia, France, the UAE, Oman, India, and Germany, highlighting Egypt's growing presence in the global food industry.
