Egypt wins 1st-ever FAO council chairmanship with historic election of Mina Rizk - Foreign Affairs
Rizk's election marks a significant diplomatic milestone, coming after a highly competitive vote against other candidates, including ministers and senior officials.
The candidates included Azad Jafarli from Azerbaijan, Winston G. Pinnock from the Bahamas, Tomás Duncan Jurado from Panama, and Maria Helena Semedo from Cabo Verde.
The Egyptian nominee was unanimously elected during the FAO Conference's general session on Thursday for a four-year term, following a rigorous race against four other candidates from across Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas.
According to Egypt's Ambassador to Italy, Bassam Rady, this marks the first time an Egyptian representative has assumed this senior leadership role. At just 38 years old, Rizk is also the youngest person to have ever led the council.
He said that the embassy led the nomination and diplomatic campaign, positioning the candidacy as part of the country's broader effort to empower young professionals and enhance Egypt's role in strategic international forums.
The state also aims to equip future generations of Egyptian diplomats through hands-on international experience, building a strong, capable cadre that will drive the Ministry of Foreign Affairs forward, Rady said.
He noted that Egypt's successful bid for the FAO Council presidency was also the result of months of focused diplomatic work by the Egyptian embassy in Rome.
These efforts aimed to showcase the strength of Egypt's candidate and highlight the country's readiness to lead the council at this critical time, the ambassador noted.
This comes amid rising global attention to issues of food security, water, agriculture, and irrigation — sectors that are a top priority for Egypt.
These efforts align with Egypt's broader national development strategy, which includes major projects in the food security and agricultural sectors, Rady emphasized.
He explained that the FAO Executive Council is the organization's main governing body, responsible for shaping its policies, comprising approximately 25 percent of its member states and is elected for three-year terms.
According to Rady, Egypt also chairs the FAO's Finance Committee, while the Egyptian Central Auditing Organization has been selected to conduct the organization's legal and financial audits.
Additionally, the Egyptian Food Bank was awarded the FAO Partnership Award for this year, recognizing its outstanding cooperation with FAO.
The FAO also plans to hold its annual international conference for its regional offices in Egypt's New Administrative Capital later this year.
The FAO, a United Nations (UN) agency founded in 1945, aims to lead global efforts in eradicating hunger and improving food security.
It supports sustainable agriculture, fisheries, and rural development while addressing issues like climate change, water scarcity, and nutrition through international cooperation and policy guidance.
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