Egypt pursues stronger agricultural investment across Africa
Egypt - 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.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The National
6 hours ago
- The National
Trump admits immigration sweeps are causing labour shortage in farming and hotels
President Donald Trump conceded on Thursday that his 'very aggressive ' immigration policies are causing labour shortages in farming and hotels. Mr Trump said he would soon issue a 'common sense' order that would protect those two industries. 'Our farmers are being hurt badly, they have very good workers,' he said. 'They've worked for them for 20 years. They're not citizens, but they turn out to be, you know, great, and we have to do something about that.' Earlier on Thursday, Mr Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform that nationwide raids on people in the country without documentation is also hurting hotel and service business too. 'Our great farmers and people in the hotel and leisure business have been stating that our very aggressive policy on immigration is taking very good, long-time workers away from them, with those jobs being almost impossible to replace,' he wrote. 'Changes are coming.' The comments were a stunning reversal for a president who ran on a campaign promise to conduct the largest deportation operation in the country's history. They also come amid worsening national tension, after he sent thousands of armed troops to Los Angeles to quell protests that erupted at the weekend over his administration's anti-immigration policies. The protests ignited after immigration agents went to the car park of a hardware shop where day labourers are known to gather. On the campaign trail, Mr Trump said he would focus on criminals and gang members, and that he would seal the southern border shut. Since he took office this year, immigration agents have conducted sweeping operations on restaurants, building sites and businesses, detaining hundreds of people, many without criminal records, and in some cases those in the country legally. The effort has largely affected Latin American migrants, many of whom are in the country illegally, and yet are indispensable – albeit underpaid – workers in the farming, building and service industries across much of the country. The arrests and deportations, often without due process, have separated families and deeply hurt communities. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said the nation has 'a very broken labour system' and that it was a matter of national security for it to be fixed. 'We have to make sure our workforce is legal and is here legally,' Ms Rollins told CNBC on Thursday. 'But the President understands that we can't feed our nation or the world without that labour force, and he's listening to the farmers, which I really appreciate.' On Thursday, Democratic Senator Alex Padilla from California was forcibly removed from a news conference in Los Angeles after he tried to question Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who was in the city to address the continuing protests and promote federal law enforcement's immigration crackdown efforts. Mr Padilla said he had concerns with that effort. 'I am Senator Alex Padilla. I have questions for the secretary,' he said, as men in plain clothes rushed towards him and pushed him out of the room. He said he was briefly handcuffed and detained but was later released.
Zawya
7 hours ago
- Zawya
Egypt: President El-Sisi Speaks with German Chancellor
Today, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi spoke by phone with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. The Spokesman for the Presidency, Ambassador Mohamed El-Shennawy, said President El-Sisi congratulated the German Chancellor on his well-deserved victory in the German elections, which reflected the confidence of the German people. The President wished the new government success in its ambitious plans to consolidate Germany's pivotal role on the European and international arenas. The President noted that the current situation is of paramount importance in light of the accelerating regional and international changes and the urgent need to respect established international rules and principles and international law, in alignment with Germany's efforts and expertise over recent decades. The German Chancellor expressed his appreciation for the kind gesture and emphasized his country's commitment to maintaining close relations with Egypt. Both sides affirmed their commitment to strengthening and deepening bilateral relations in all fields, particularly economic, trade, and investment, as well as enhancing development cooperation, thus strengthening ties between the two friendly peoples. The call focused on the current regional and international developments. President El-Sisi reviewed ceasefire efforts in Gaza and stressed that it was important for the international community to exert pressure for an immediate cessation of military operations in the Strip and the provision of humanitarian aid, in addition to the complete rejection of plans to displace Palestinians from their land. The President noted the importance of expanding recognition of the Palestinian state in line with the two-state solution. The call also touched on the developments in Syria, Lebanon, Libya, Sudan, and Somalia, as well as ways to restore stability in the Middle East. The German Chancellor affirmed his country's commitment to continuing coordination and consultation with Egypt to restore regional calm and peace. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Presidency of the Arab Republic of Egypt.
Zawya
7 hours ago
- Zawya
Niger's Economy Rebounds in 2024 Thanks to Large-Scale Oil Exports and a Good Agricultural Season
Niger's economy recorded robust growth in 2024, driven by large-scale oil exports. However, short-term sources of growth remain limited and exposed to downside risks, according to the World Bank's latest economic update for Niger, published today. The report analyzes the country's economic, and poverty trends and provides a three-year outlook. A special chapter is dedicated to analyzing Niger's agri-food system, offering recommendations for its effective transformation. According to the report, Niger's economy grew by 8.4% in 2024, up from 2% in 2023. This acceleration was primarily fueled by the start of large-scale oil exports and strong agricultural production, supported by favorable weather conditions. Despite high inflation, including rising food prices, sustained growth contributed to a reduction of extreme poverty. Government revenues fell in 2024 due to a decrease in tax revenues – particularly trade-related taxes – leading to a reduction in investment spending. The resulting deficit, combined with a rapid accumulation of debt, led the IMF and World Bank to jointly downgrade Niger's debt sustainability risk rating from moderate to high. ' Economic growth is expected to remain relatively high in the short-term, but Niger's sources of growth – oil and rain-fed agriculture – are limited and vulnerable to shocks and volatility,' said Han Fraeters, World Bank Country Manager for Niger. ' Investing in an efficient and resilient agri-food system is crucial if Niger is to achieve long-term, sustainable, and inclusive growth.' Economic growth is projected to slow down in 2025, due to a high base effect from 2024 but is expected to remain above 6%, supported by the continued expansion of the oil sector. Inflation is expected to ease, thanks to the strong 2024 harvest. The extreme poverty rate is project to decline in 2025-2027 if agricultural output remains robust. However, food insecurity will remain a challenge. ' If security risks are contained and efforts to expand irrigation are successful, growth could be higher,' said Danon Gnezale, Economist at the World Bank and co-author of the report. ' Several options exist to strengthen the agri-food system, including strengthening value chains and producer organizations, investing in climate-smart agriculture technologies, adopting better regulations, and improving infrastructure.' Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The World Bank Group.
