Alaa Farouk, Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, held a strategic meeting with a ministerial committee to explore ways of enhancing cooperation with African countries in the agricultural sector. The session included Sherif El-Gabaly, Chair of the African affairs committee in the House of Representatives; Hesham El-Hosary, Chair of the House agriculture and irrigation committee; Abdelsalam El-Gabaly, Chair of the Senate agriculture and irrigation committee; Abdelhamid Demerdash, Chairperson of the Agricultural Crops Export Council; as well as ministry leaders, experts, and investor representative Ahmed El-Sewedy. The discussions focused on mechanisms to boost Egyptian agricultural investments across African countries and strengthen bilateral cooperation in food production and agribusiness. Minister Farouk reaffirmed President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi's directives to deepen Egypt's partnerships across the continent—particularly in agriculture—as a cornerstone of regional food security and economic integration. He stressed that these partnerships would be underpinned by joint ventures, integrated agro-industrial projects, and existing trade agreements. Farouk emphasised the importance of identifying practical methods and frameworks for collaboration, calling for greater engagement from the private sector, scientific institutions, and research bodies. He requested the committee to present alternative proposals and an implementation roadmap within two weeks, to be reviewed in coordination with scientific and international partners for subsequent feasibility and technical assessments. Highlighting Africa's potential, Farouk noted that many countries on the continent offer compelling opportunities for investment due to abundant land, water resources, and the capacity to cultivate a wide range of strategic and high-value crops. These comparative advantages, he said, make agricultural cooperation mutually beneficial. The meeting also explored the development of a replicable investment model for projects in selected African countries. Key criteria include political stability, transport infrastructure, land quality, water availability, and other agricultural enablers. An agreement was reached to prepare a clear and detailed study outlining a viable investment model, to be implemented through partnerships between government agencies, the private sector, and national banks. The model will target countries offering promising opportunities and investor-friendly environments. Farouk further noted that efforts are underway to ensure data accuracy and risk mitigation, using standardised criteria to guide decision-making. It was also agreed that business leaders and investors would be invited to take part in the model, with an open call for participation from all interested stakeholders. The minister concluded by stating that this meeting builds on ongoing coordination between the Ministry and Parliament's African Affairs Committee, aiming to scale up Egyptian investments and agricultural collaboration across the continent. Participants recommended forming a permanent committee to assess investment opportunities, composed of representatives from the African Affairs Committee, the House and Senate Agriculture Committees, the Ministry of Agriculture, and the private sector.
