Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi received in Sharm el-Sheikh on Sunday the Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations Qu Dongyu.

The meeting discussed joint cooperation between Egypt and the FAO, alongside ways to enhance cooperation between Egypt, African countries and the organization, as well as coordinating to support efforts and programs aimed at improving Africa’s food security conditions.

The Egyptian presidency’s spokesperson, Bassam Rady, said that Sisi praised the cooperation between Egypt and the FAO in food security and agricultural development.

Sisi stressed Egypt’s keenness to strengthen these ties, pushing them forward in all fields that would achieve agricultural development, especially in light of the importance Egypt attaches to upgrading the agricultural sector as one of the main ingredients for economic growth – within achieving sustainable development as part of Egypt’s “Vision 2030” .

Rady said that the FAO director praised the ongoing cooperation with Egypt in different areas, and reviewed the projects implemented by the organization in this regard currently.

Qu Dongyu stressed the commitment to support new projects in Egypt commensurate with Egyptian priorities, especially regarding the introduction and application of modern agricultural technologies, alongside supporting work to improve and raise productivity, optimize the use of agricultural land, and reform irrigation systems to rationalize water use.

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm