Monday, 25 May 2026
In a first, Egypt to host official G20 meeting on food security
Cairo, Egypt — Egypt will host an official G20 meeting on food security in early September, marking the first time the North African nation has ever organized such a gathering, officials announced today.
The agreement was reached after intensive consultations between Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdel-Aty and his South African counterpart Ronald Lamola. Ambassador Ragy El-Etreby, Egypt’s G20 Sherpa and Assistant Foreign Minister, confirmed that the decision was finalized during talks on the sidelines of a recent G20 representatives’ meeting in South Africa.
“This is a historic first for Egypt since the G20’s founding in 1999,” said El-Etreby, noting that it’s extremely rare for a non-G20 member to host an official event. Egypt’s active participation and valued contributions to G20 discussions in recent years paved the way for this exceptional move, he added.
The gathering will focus on regional and global food security—an urgent priority for Egypt, Africa, and the wider developing world. Topics will include sustainable agriculture, localizing industry, trade, infrastructure, technology transfer, and development finance.
The upcoming event is also seen as a reflection of South Africa’s commitment, as this year’s G20 chair, to ensure African interests are well represented on the global stage.