馃嚜馃嚞EgyptNorth Africa
Inaugural FoodGuard Summit opens in Egypt to advance food safety
via Egypt Today5 min read
The inaugural FoodGuard Summit, organized by Informa Markets in collaboration with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization UNIDO, officially opened in Cairo, Egypt, as part of the 14th edition of Fi Africa and Propak MENA 2026. The summit, held from June 2 to 4, 2026, at the Egypt International Exhibition Center, operates under the patronage of H.E. Eng. Mostafa Madbouly, Prime Minister of Egypt. The opening session featured strong governmental support with participation and keynote addresses from H.E. Dr. Sherif Farouk, Minister of Supply and Internal Trade, and H.E. Khaled Hashem, Minister of Industry. Mr. Wouter Maloman, Chief Commercial Officer at Informa Markets, and Dr. Patrick Jean Gilabert, Representative and Head of the UNIDO Regional Office Hub in Egypt, also delivered opening remarks, emphasizing public-private sector collaboration for food security and value chain development. The event brings together decision-makers, private sector leaders, and international organization representatives to discuss food security and safety, showcasing solutions for supply chains and food processing in Africa and the Middle East. Fi Africa and Propak MENA 2026 welcomed over 8,000 visitors on its first day and is expected to attract more than 15,000 visitors and specialists. The summit's first main session addressed "Food Loss and Waste: A Strategic Imperative for Regional Food Security in Africa and the Middle East," with H.E. Khaled Hashem, Minister of Industry, an
Free daily or weekly digest of the most important stories from across 18 African countries. No spam, unsubscribe any time.
This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Egypt Today.
Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs Badr Abdelatty met with a delegation from the UN Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People on the sidelines of the Jerusalem Conference in Cairo. Abdelatty stressed that regional security depends on restoring the Palestinian people's rights and implementing the US president's peace plan for Gaza. He condemned Israeli violations in the West Bank, including settlement expansion, land confiscation, and incursions into religious sites. Abdelatty urged the UN committee to mobilize international pressure within the United Nations to ensure compliance with international law, reiterating Egypt's rejection of attempts to liquidate the Palestinian cause or displace Palestinians. The delegation, led by Cheikh Niang, expressed appreciation for Egypt鈥檚 role in defending Palestinian rights.
Cairo hosted high-level meetings on Sunday, July 19, 2026, aimed at supporting peace, security, and stability in the Horn of Africa. Minister of Foreign Affairs Badr Abdelatty held separate talks with Eritrean Foreign Minister Osman Saleh, Somalian Foreign Minister Abdisalam Abdi Ali, and Massad Boulos, Senior Advisor to the U.S. President on Arab and African Affairs. These quadrilateral consultations are part of ongoing coordination to enhance regional security, support peace efforts, and address security challenges. In their bilateral meetings, the foreign ministers of Egypt and Eritrea affirmed that the security and governance of the Red Sea are the exclusive responsibility of bordering countries, rejecting attempts by non-littoral parties to impose security arrangements or secure maritime access in violation of international law.
A Reuters poll indicates the Egyptian pound is projected to strengthen to LE 49 against the U.S. dollar by the end of June 2027. The survey, conducted between July 7 and 16, also suggests broadly stable expectations for Egypt鈥檚 economic growth, with concerns over the Middle East conflict's economic impact easing. Economists forecast Egypt's economy to have grown by 4.8 percent in fiscal year 2025/26, an increase from the 4.6 percent forecast in April. Growth is expected to slow to 4.5 percent in 2026/27 before accelerating to 5.3 percent in 2027/28 and 5.5 percent in 2028/29. Official figures show the economy expanded by 5 percent in the January-March 2026 quarter. The Central Bank of Egypt projected average real GDP growth of about 5 percent for the fiscal year ending June 2026. The improved outlook for the pound, from an earlier forecast of LE 51.5 and a current rate of approximately LE 50.6 per dollar, reflects greater optimism. Dominic Bartos, an associate economist at Moody鈥檚 Analytics, noted Egypt's economy remains in an expansionary phase. The poll also highlighted improvements in economic indicators, including a 31.2 percent increase in remittances to $43.1 billion between July 2025 and May 2026, recovering tourism revenues, Suez Canal receipts, and an increase in foreign-exchange reserves to $55 billion by June 2026. The International Monetary Fund reached a staff-level agreement with Egypt in June, potentially providing an additional $1.6 billion in financing. Despi