Cairo: Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation Alaa Farouk received Minister of Livestock and Fisheries of the Republic of C´te d'Ivoire Sidi Timoko Tour© and his delegation to explore ways to enhance mutual cooperation in food security, livestock and fisheries, and agricultural processing. The meeting included Engineer Mostafa El-Sayyad, Deputy Minister of Agriculture, and Mr Bertin Doli, Ambassador of C´te d'Ivoire to Cairo.

According to State Information Service Egypt, Mr. Farouk highlighted the directives of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, emphasizing Egypt's readiness to support African nations by sharing its capabilities and expertise in agriculture. He proposed increasing training opportunities for Ivorian engineers at the Egyptian International Centre for Agriculture to enhance their skills and technology adoption.

The discussions focused on establishing a joint agricultural processing system to enhance exports and balance trade between the two nations, particularly in fisheries, poultry, and table-egg sectors. The ministers acknowledged Egypt's recent achievements in self-sufficiency in these areas and its ability to meet African market demands.

Both ministers emphasized the role of investment and the private sector, proposing reciprocal meetings between businesspeople from both countries through the Ivorian embassy in Cairo. They agreed on arranging field visits for delegations to witness successful practices at production sites and research centers, and forming a joint working group to implement agreements and explore opportunities for an agricultural investment forum.

The Ivorian minister expressed appreciation for Egypt's agricultural advancements and invited the Egyptian Minister of Agriculture to visit Abidjan in November with a delegation of Egyptian businessmen for the Livestock and Fisheries Production Exhibition.

The meeting also saw the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to bolster cooperation in fisheries, aquaculture, and marine protection. The MoU was signed by Major General Hussein Farhat from Egypt's Lakes and Fish Resources Protection and Development Agency and Minister Sidi Ti©moko Tour© from C´te d'Ivoire. The agreement aims to transfer Egyptian aquaculture expertise and combat illegal fishing, alongside organizing seminars and workshops for Ivorian staff in aquaculture and fisheries sectors.