@fao/RNE H.E. Hisham Badr with FAO officials

Cairo 12/12/2016

H.E. Ambassador Hisham Badr, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Multi-Lateral Affairs and International Security visited FAO premises in Cairo today where he was greeted by Mr Abdessalam OuldAhmed, FAO Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for the Near East and North Africa, and Mr Hussein Gadain, FAO Representative in Egypt.

Accompanied by the ambassador Mohamad Najm, Mr. Badr was informed on FAO’s contributions to agriculture in Egypt for the past 70 years, through a display of historic books and project documents, before being briefed by FAO technical officers about the most recent activities and projects in Egypt, ranging from agriculture water management to Avian flu, Food loss and food waste, Date Palm Strategy, among others.

FAO Regional Representative Mr. Ouldahmed explained to the guest FAO’s historic partnership with Egypt, ranging from participating at drafting the agricultural strategies, to assisting in the studies of the Aswan Dam, confirming FAO’s readiness to assist Egypt in its futuristic plans and projects.

As for FAO country representative, Mr. Hussein Gadain, he shared FAO current  projects in Egypt and reiterated FAO’s commitment to supporting Egypt’s priorities in Agriculture and Nutrition.  

H.E. Mr. Badr praised the fruitful relationship with FAO, at both national and regional levels, urging FAO officers to prepare the seeds for a transformative economy in Egypt.

He showed specific interest in all projects that would have a direct impact on the Egyptian citizen and the Egyptian Economy with minimal investments and time frames, namely the reduction of food loss and food waste in the value chains, particularly in the wheat, date palm and other products.

He also called for implementing successful pilot projects, noting that Egypt looks at benefiting from FAO’s expertise in its 1.5 million Feddan project.

Egypt has always enjoyed a privileged status within FAO, as it wasn’t only one of the first founding countries, but it hosted FAO’s first regional office outside of Rome., and FAO is implementing currently many strategic projects in the fields of cooperative reforms, Food Loss and Food Waste, Water management, nutrition and resilience.