Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Co-operation Dr Rania Al-Mashat reaffirmed Egypt’s commitment to leading global efforts that integrate food systems, nutrition, and climate agendas, in alignment with the ambitious objectives of the United Nations Convergence Initiative.
Her remarks were delivered virtually during Egypt’s national workshop on the Convergence Initiative, launched by UN Secretary-General António Guterres at COP28 in the United Arab Emirates. The initiative, implemented by the UN Food Systems Coordination Hub, seeks to align food system transformation with climate action in support of the 2030 Agenda and the Paris Agreement.
Quoting the UN Secretary-General, Al-Mashat noted that while the world is halfway to 2030, progress on more than half of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) remains off track. “The future of food systems and the future of climate action are not parallel tracks — they are deeply intertwined,” she said.
Al-Mashat emphasised that Egypt has adopted a distinctive path based on integration, innovation, and investment. She highlighted Egypt’s pioneering move to conduct one of the region’s first inclusive national dialogues on food systems, engaging stakeholders from government, the private sector, civil society, and academia to rethink how food systems operate. This dialogue laid the foundation for Egypt’s national food systems transformation strategy.
She also cited the launch of the National Climate Change Strategy 2050, which reflects Egypt’s belief that food security and climate resilience are inseparable. Al-Mashat pointed to the Nexus of Water, Food, and Energy (NWFE) platform as a model for aligning national planning with investment mobilisation. Through NWFE, Egypt is targeting over $14.7 billion in climate-aligned investments across key sectors.
Al-Mashat further underscored the vital role of the private sector in driving sustainable development. She noted that agriculture accounts for 11% of Egypt’s GDP and employs 28% of the workforce, making it a pillar of rural livelihoods and economic resilience. Enabling private investment and innovation across food value chains, she said, will be essential to achieving long-term sustainability.
