Finance Minister Ahmed Kouchouk and Ambassador Ragy El-Etreby, Egypt’s G20 representative and Assistant Foreign Minister, led the host delegation. The three-day meeting, organized in coordination with South Africa’s presidency of the G20, focuses on the escalating crisis of food security—a challenge that is both regional and global.
This is the third consecutive year and the fifth time overall that Egypt has joined G20 deliberations as a guest country, recognition of its regional weight and contribution to multilateral diplomacy. Analysts note that hosting such a meeting outside the core membership marks a milestone for the forum, signaling the G20’s willingness to broaden engagement with developing countries.
“Egypt’s hosting of this session demonstrates its unique capacity to articulate the concerns of Africa and the Global South in international negotiations,” said Dr. Hala El-Said, a Cairo University economist, in an interview with Al-Ahram Weekly.
In his address, Kouchouk outlined Egypt’s and Africa’s priorities for tackling food insecurity, citing domestic efforts to expand farmland, boost productivity, and strengthen farmer support programs. But he stressed that national reforms alone are not enough.
“The imbalance in the global financial system, the widening development financing gap, and accelerating climate challenges all hinder our capacity to ensure food security,” he warned. Rising global food prices, he added, are straining already fragile public finances across the developing world.
Kouchouk emphasized the role of technology and artificial intelligence in managing food systems more effectively, from predictive analytics for crop yields to smart irrigation technologies in water-stressed regions. He also called for greater private-sector participation, urging businesses to step in with investment and scalable solutions.
The urgency is clear. According to the African Development Bank, an estimated 283 million Africans currently face hunger, while climate change threatens to slash agricultural yields by up to 30% by 2030. Egyptian officials argue that food security must be reframed not only as a humanitarian imperative but as a pillar of economic stability.
“Egypt is positioning itself as a voice for Africa in shaping a fairer, more resilient global food system,” Environment Minister Dr. Yasmine Fouad said during a panel discussion on the sidelines of the meeting.
Observers note that Egypt’s intervention aligns with a broader African agenda to push the G20 toward more inclusive solutions, particularly in financing climate adaptation and agricultural transformation. By highlighting the intersection of inflation, food supply, and debt sustainability, Egypt is reframing food security as an economic stability issue that impacts both the Global South and advanced economies.
