Cairo: Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation Alaa Farouk met with his Mauritanian counterpart, Sidi Ahmed Ould Abah, Minister of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty, to discuss ways to enhance bilateral cooperation in the agricultural sector.

According to State Information Service Egypt, the discussions focused on developing a strategic partnership between Egypt and Mauritania aimed at achieving sustainable agricultural development and food security. Both sides emphasized the importance of strengthening collaboration in agricultural research and knowledge exchange between research centers in the two countries. They highlighted Egypt's extensive expertise in supporting scientific research and improving the productivity of key crops such as rice, wheat, maize, and vegetables, as well as developing new varieties of strategic crops.

The ministers explored the possibility of establishing a branch of Egypt's Agricultural Research Center in Nouakchott, Mauritania's capital, to serve as a regional hub for transferring Egyptian agricultural technology and expertise to Mauritania and neighboring countries.

Talks also covered joint agricultural investment opportunities and ways to encourage the private sector in both countries to launch integrated agricultural projects. The ministers underscored the need to enhance bilateral trade in agricultural products and to remove any obstacles that may hinder trade flows, in a way that serves the mutual interests of the Egyptian and Mauritanian peoples.

Minister Alaa Farouk reaffirmed Egypt's commitment to providing comprehensive technical support and cooperation to Arab and African partners, emphasizing the deep-rooted relations and strong ties between Egypt and Mauritania. He announced that the Ministry is prepared to dispatch a technical delegation of Egyptian experts and researchers to Mauritania to conduct field assessments and determine specific agricultural development needs. Furthermore, he highlighted Egypt's readiness to expand training programs for Mauritanian specialists through the Egyptian International Center for Agriculture and other specialized institutes and training centers.

Both ministers affirmed that this visit represents a new milestone in the strategic partnership between Egypt and Mauritania, and expressed their mutual commitment to enhancing agricultural cooperation to promote comprehensive agricultural development and sustainable growth in both countries.