Agriculture Minister urges Philippines to open markets to key Egyptian exports
His remarks came during a speech delivered on behalf of the Egyptian government at the celebration of the Philippines' National Day, held in the presence of Azedin Tago, Ambassador of the Republic of the Philippines to Egypt, along with ambassadors, government representatives, and officials from international organisations and federations.
Farouk highlighted the strength and depth of Egyptian–Philippine relations, describing them as distinguished and comprehensive. He noted that these ties span multiple areas, including diplomatic, economic, cultural, and educational cooperation, in addition to trade, investment, and knowledge exchange, as well as coordination in regional and international forums through mutual support.
He recalled the historical roots of this relationship, dating back to the opening of the Philippine Embassy in Cairo on 3 March 1946—at the time, the only Philippine diplomatic mission in both the Arab and African regions. This, he said, reflects the long-standing and special nature of the relationship.
The Minister noted the continued development of bilateral ties over the decades, citing the Treaty of Friendship signed on 18 January 1955 as a foundational agreement that paved the way for enhanced cooperation. He also pointed to Egypt's accession in 2017 to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (ASEAN), which affirms Egypt's commitment to fostering peace, stability, and economic integration in the region.
Farouk stated that numerous memoranda of understanding and cooperation protocols have been signed between the two countries, particularly in the field of agriculture. He noted the recent approval by Egyptian authorities to allow the import of durian fruit into Egypt as an example of such progress. In return, he expressed hope that the Philippines would reciprocate by facilitating access for Egyptian produce to its domestic markets.
Despite the strong relations, Farouk acknowledged that bilateral trade remains below expectations. In 2023, Egypt's exports to the Philippines totalled approximately $12m, with agricultural products accounting for just $2m—or 16%—of that figure. Meanwhile, Egypt's imports from the Philippines reached $12.5m, of which agriculture represented 14%.
He underscored Egypt's potential role as a strategic entry point for Philippine and broader Southeast Asian goods into the African continent through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and COMESA. Conversely, he encouraged the Philippines to position itself as a launchpad for Egyptian agricultural exports into ASEAN markets.
The Minister also called for greater private sector engagement and investment from both sides, especially in agriculture, to help achieve food security and strengthen mutual interests.
In closing, Farouk stressed the need to deepen cooperation in priority sectors such as tourism, investment, telecommunications, education, and agriculture, leveraging the comparative advantages each country has to offer.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily News Egypt
an hour ago
- Daily News Egypt
Egypt Post discusses enhanced cooperation with Ivorian counterpart
Dalia El-Baz, Chairperson of Egypt Post, held a meeting today with Isaac N'gouan Nambayahou, CEO of La Poste de Côte d'Ivoire, in the presence of Nermeen Hassan, Head of the International Cooperation Sector at Egypt Post. The visit is part of ongoing efforts to deepen bilateral cooperation between the two postal institutions. The meeting coincides with Nambayahou's candidacy for the post of Deputy Director General of the Universal Postal Union (UPU) for the 2026–2029 cycle. Côte d'Ivoire is also seeking membership in the UPU's Postal Operations Council, while Egypt is running for seats on both the Council of Administration and the Postal Operations Council for the same term. El-Baz reaffirmed Egypt's unwavering commitment to strengthening ties with African nations, praising Côte d'Ivoire's prominent role on the continent—particularly in West Africa. She expressed Egypt Post's full support for Nambayahou's candidacy and highlighted the importance of mutual coordination between Egypt and Côte d'Ivoire in upcoming UPU elections. Both sides agreed to exchange support for their respective bids for membership in the UPU's governing bodies, ahead of elections scheduled during the 28th UPU Congress to be held in Dubai in September 2025. El-Baz stressed Egypt Post's dedication to expanding cooperation with African partners to empower postal institutions and promote economic development across the continent. She reaffirmed Egypt Post's continued provision of technical and operational assistance to Côte d'Ivoire Post, aimed at enhancing service delivery across Ivorian post offices, driving a qualitative leap in performance, and fostering trade and economic integration among African countries. These efforts, she noted, align with global trends in postal service evolution. For his part, Isaac Nambayahou expressed deep appreciation for the strong cooperation between Côte d'Ivoire Post and Egypt Post, commending the level of coordination between the two entities on both regional and international platforms. He said the relationship reflects the depth and strength of the broader Egypt–Côte d'Ivoire partnership. Nambayahou also praised Egypt's active role as co-chair of the UPU's Postal Policy and Regulations Committee during the 2022–2025 term, particularly its leadership on key issues such as customs policy and regulatory frameworks—especially in light of heightened global security concerns. He called on Egypt Post to continue its leadership within the UPU's Council of Administration and Postal Operations Council during the 2026–2029 term, to further elevate Africa's influence within the union. Finally, Nambayahou lauded the significant infrastructure and service improvements achieved by Egypt Post, commending ongoing modernisation efforts in line with international standards. He concluded by expressing optimism for even stronger collaboration between Côte d'Ivoire Post and Egypt Post in the period ahead, in pursuit of shared goals and greater African integration.
Daily News Egypt
an hour ago
- Daily News Egypt
Philip Morris Misr announces new price list effective 1 July
Philip Morris Misr has announced updated prices for its full range of tobacco products, including its heated tobacco lines HEETS and TEREA, as well as conventional cigarettes under the Merit, Marlboro, and L&M brands, effective from 1 July 2025. The company affirmed that the new pricing is transparently communicated to adult smokers and nicotine users through QR codes printed on cigarette and heated tobacco packaging—an initiative launched in 2022 to ensure price transparency. Ali Nevzat Karman, Managing Director of Philip Morris Egypt and Levant, stated: 'Philip Morris Misr continues to work diligently to meet the needs of adult smokers and nicotine users in the Egyptian market, while supporting the company's ambitious vision of a smoke-free future.' The updated retail prices (per pack) are as follows: Merit (all variants): EGP 105 Marlboro (all variants): EGP 97 Marlboro Crafted (all variants): EGP 79 L&M (all variants): EGP 76 TEREA (all variants): EGP 76 TEREA Capsules (all variants): EGP 80 HEETS (all variants): EGP 69 Philip Morris Misr has called on retailers and distributors across the country to adhere strictly to the newly declared prices. Philip Morris International (PMI), the parent company of Philip Morris Misr, is a leading global consumer goods firm focused on delivering a smoke-free future. The company is transforming its portfolio to include a growing range of smoke-free alternatives, as well as exploring products beyond the tobacco and nicotine sectors. As of 31 December 2024, PMI's smoke-free products were available in 95 markets and used by an estimated 38.6 million adult consumers worldwide. Smoke-free products accounted for 42% of the company's total net revenues in the first quarter of 2025.
Daily News Egypt
an hour ago
- Daily News Egypt
MSMEDA allocates EGP 400m to support micro enterprises via Tasaheel
The Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency (MSMEDA) has signed a new microfinance contract worth EGP 400m with Tasaheel for Small, Medium and Micro Enterprise Finance, aiming to expand funding for micro-scale projects across Egypt. The agreement was signed by Nevine Badr El-Din, Head of the Central Microfinance Sector at MSMEDA, and Mounir Nakhla, Chairperson of Tasaheel, in the presence of MSMEDA CEO Bassel Rahmy and Deputy CEO Mohamed Medhat. Rahmy affirmed MSMEDA's ongoing efforts to broaden access to microfinance through partnerships with a wider network of microfinance institutions. This initiative, he said, supports self-employment and the establishment of productive, sustainable businesses that generate decent job opportunities. He explained that the contract is designed to finance both newly established and existing micro-enterprises, helping them to expand, upgrade operations, and purchase equipment. This, in turn, is expected to contribute to increased productivity and job creation—both permanent and temporary—across various sectors. According to Rahmy, the agreement is projected to finance around 8,000 micro-enterprises, with average funding estimated at EGP 266,000 per project, depending on the specific needs of each enterprise. Funds may be used for working capital or investment in fixed assets such as machinery. He noted that this initiative is part of MSMEDA's broader 2025 strategy to scale up micro-enterprise financing, a critical driver of employment generation in Egypt. It aligns with the directives of Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, who chairs the agency's board, to increase the sector's contribution to the national economy—particularly in local manufacturing and agriculture. Mounir Nakhla expressed pride in Tasaheel's continued partnership with MSMEDA, describing it as a successful model of public-private cooperation aimed at empowering micro-entrepreneurs. 'This agreement will help improve the quality of life for Egyptian families by creating sustainable jobs across governorates and driving inclusive economic development,' he said. Nevine Badr El-Din highlighted the success of previous contracts between the two parties. The first agreement, signed in 2017, financed 2,257 micro-enterprises with a total value of EGP 28m, with women representing 52% of beneficiaries. Under the second agreement in 2022, approximately 37,459 micro-enterprises received a combined total of EGP 307m, again with over 50% of the recipients being women.
