Egypt's Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, Alaa Farouk, has held talks with Mauritania's Minister of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty, Sidi Ahmed Ould Abouh, to explore ways to enhance bilateral cooperation in agriculture and promote sustainable development and food security. The Tuesday meeting was attended by Sherif El-Gebaly, Chairperson of the African Affairs Committee in Egypt's House of Representatives, alongside senior officials from the Egyptian Ministry of Agriculture. Discussions centred on establishing a strategic partnership between the two countries in key agricultural fields, including strengthening cooperation in agricultural research and exchanging expertise between research centres. The two sides also reviewed Egypt's successful experience in improving the productivity of strategic crops such as rice, wheat, maize, and vegetables, as well as developing new crop varieties suited to local conditions. The ministers discussed the establishment of a branch of Egypt's Agricultural Research Centre in Nouakchott, which would serve as a hub for agricultural technology transfer and capacity building, drawing on Egypt's extensive expertise in this field. They also explored opportunities for joint agricultural investments and encouraged the private sectors of both countries to establish integrated projects that enhance production and trade. The talks addressed mechanisms to boost the exchange of agricultural products and overcome any obstacles that may hinder bilateral trade, in a way that benefits both nations. Minister Farouk reaffirmed Egypt's commitment to providing all forms of technical cooperation and support to its Arab and African partners, highlighting the deep-rooted historical and developmental ties between Egypt and Mauritania. He announced that the Ministry of Agriculture is preparing to dispatch a specialised technical delegation of experts and researchers to Mauritania to assess the country's agricultural development priorities and recommend tailored support programmes. Farouk also underscored Egypt's readiness to expand training opportunities for Mauritanian specialists through the Egyptian International Centre for Agriculture, affiliated with the Foreign Agricultural Relations Department. The training will be delivered through Egypt's network of specialised institutes and research centres to help strengthen Mauritania's technical capacities. At the conclusion of the meeting, both ministers affirmed that the talks mark a new stage in the strategic partnership between Egypt and Mauritania, and expressed their shared commitment to advancing agricultural cooperation to achieve sustainable development in both countries.
