• Mohsen Sarhan: "We are committed to continuing our strategic leadership role in advancing developmental work and achieving food security and sustainability in the communities."

Cairo – The Egyptian Food Bank has announced its participation in the twenty-eighth session of the Conference of the Parties (COP28) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, currently taking place in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, with the involvement of nearly 150 countries worldwide. The participation of the Egyptian Food Bank includes various activities within the COP28 events for the second consecutive year. The goal is to contribute to the development of strategic climate change policies, leverage decisions from the summit, and maximize the impact on achieving food security, sustainability, and empowering small farmers while exchanging expertise.

"Our participation in the COP28 for the second consecutive year in Dubai complements our leadership role in advancing developmental and humanitarian work, directly contributing to achieving food security. This year's focus is on enhancing women's empowerment, supporting small female farmers, by integrating them into our supply chain, aiming to elevate the development of agriculture and livelihoods," said Mohsen Sarhan, CEO of the Egyptian Food Bank. "The collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) focuses on empowering small female farmers, shedding light on the major challenges facing the agricultural sector in Egypt as the first sector affected by climate change. Additionally, it involves presenting key policies, programs, financing plans, and local initiatives by the Egyptian government, international donor agencies, and non-governmental organizations to aid in adaptation and mitigation of the impacts of climate change."

During their participation in COP28, the Egyptian Food Bank signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the UNDP with Alessandro Fracassetti, UNDP Resident Representative. This collaboration aims to provide Egyptian Food Bank   with modern technological methods benefiting its areas and programs. The two-year cooperation, starting from October 28, 2023, to October 27, 2025, focuses on designing and implementing developmental projects to enhance social and economic resilience for small female farmers, in climate-affected regions. The collaboration builds on the results of the development lab in this sector and uses innovative approaches to serve the capabilities of Egyptian Food Bank, particularly in areas like the Future Food Program and the Innovation Labs program, especially in improving the income of small farmers and ensuring their food security sustainably.

Furthermore, the Egyptian Food Bank is participating in a panel discussion session titled "Reimagining the Future of Women in Green Sectors in North Africa" during COP28. The session addresses solutions at the university and school levels to impact the future of women in green sectors. It also discusses the role of national partners in empowering women to become strong leaders and prominent decision-makers, contributing to changing perceptions of dealing with climate change in a suitable context for all countries worldwide.

The Egyptian Food Bank is also involved in an interactive workshop titled "Future Opportunities for Women in Green Sectors." This workshop discusses the efforts of the UNDP's Accelerator Lab in Egypt and works on conducting a future literacy lab with stakeholders in the agriculture and energy sectors. The participants include non-governmental organizations, youth, and the private sector, aiming to explore and think about future opportunities for women's roles in the agriculture and energy sectors. Additionally, the workshop focuses on raising awareness about the importance of enhancing women's participation in green sectors.

About Egyptian Food Bank

The Egyptian Food Bank was established in 2004 as a non-governmental organization aimed at achieving food security in Egypt, and for 19 years, the Food Bank has continued to support the underprivileged families in Egypt who face difficulties and challenges in obtaining sufficient, safe and nutritious food, which directly contributed to alleviating the suffering from hunger at the national level.