Rome: Egypt's Ambassador to Italy and Permanent Representative to the United Nations Organisations in Rome, Bassam Rady, has announced a significant achievement for Egypt on the international stage. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Conference has unanimously elected Egyptian diplomat Mina Rizk as Chairperson of the FAO Council for the upcoming four years.

According to State Information Service Egypt, the Egyptian Embassy in Rome played a pivotal role by nominating Rizk, who currently serves as the Deputy Permanent Representative of Egypt to the FAO, for this prestigious position. Rizk's election marks a historic moment as he becomes the first Egyptian to lead the FAO Council in the organization's 80-year history, which dates back to 1945.

Ambassador Rady highlighted the competitive nature of the election, which saw participation from five candidates representing various geographic groups within the organization, including Africa, Asia, South America, North America, and Europe. The candidates comprised ministers and senior officials from these regions.

Rady further noted that, at 38 years old, Rizk is not only the first Egyptian but also the youngest individual to ever assume this high-ranking position within the FAO. He emphasized that Egypt's successful bid for the position was bolstered by the concerted efforts of the Rome embassy, reflecting the country's growing leadership in addressing critical global issues such as food security, water, agriculture, and irrigation.

These sectors hold particular significance for Egypt, especially in light of major development initiatives under President Abdel Fattah El Sisi's administration aimed at enhancing food security and agricultural productivity.