Dr. Ahmed Rustum, Egypt's Minister of Planning and Economic Development, highlighted the Egyptian state's efforts to achieve food security. He spoke during a high-level panel discussion titled 'Achieving Food Security and Providing Employment Opportunities in the Food and Agriculture Sector in the Middle East, North Africa, Pakistan, and Afghanistan,' as part of the 2026 Spring Meetings of the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund, held in Washington D.C., the American capital. The session saw participation from a distinguished group of representatives from international financial institutions, governments, and the private sector. These included: Ousmane Dione, World Bank Vice President for the Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan, and Pakistan; Ethiopis Tafara, Vice President of the International Finance Corporation; Mohamed Yassar, Syrian Minister of Finance; Samir Abdel Hafiz, Tunisian Minister of Economy and Planning; Dr. Zamir Iqbal, Vice President of the Islamic Development Bank; Marek Warzywoda, CEO of 'Baladna'; and Renaud Seligmann, World Bank Director of Strategy and Operations.
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