Wednesday, 27 May 2026
Mina Rizk
Egypt elected to lead FAO council for first time in history
Rome, Italy – For the first time since its founding in 1945, Egypt will lead the executive council of the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), following a decisive election in Rome on Thursday.
Mr. Mina Rizk, Egypt’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the FAO, has been elected President of the organization’s governing council; he is also the youngest person to ever assume this position, at just 38 years old.
Ambassador Bassam Rady, Egypt’s Ambassador to Italy and Permanent Representative to the UN agencies in Rome, announced that Mr. Rizk was unanimously elected by the FAO’s General Conference to serve a four-year term. This marks the first time in FAO’s nearly 80-year history that an Egyptian has held this role.
The election saw strong competition among five candidates from diverse regions, including Africa, Asia, North and South America, and Europe, with contenders including current and former ministers and senior officials from the various member states. Mr. Rizk’s victory is seen as a significant achievement not only for Egypt but also for youth representation in high-level international posts.
Ambassador Rady emphasized that Egypt’s strategy of empowering young diplomats aligns with President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi’s vision of preparing and enabling youth leaders for strategic roles on the global stage. Egypt’s push for Mr. Rizk’s candidacy was also supported by diplomatic efforts in Rome to showcase Egypt’s commitment and competence in addressing global food security, water management, and agricultural issues—areas of crucial importance for both Egypt and the international community.
In addition to the council presidency, Egypt currently holds several other key FAO positions, including membership in the executive council, chairmanship of the FAO’s finance committee, and oversight roles in the organization’s legal and financial audit processes. The Egyptian Food Bank was also awarded the FAO’s annual recognition prize, highlighting Egypt’s contributions to food security and development.
The FAO executive council is responsible for setting the organization’s policies and direction, with only about a quarter of the FAO’s member states elected to it every three years. The organization also announced that its next annual international conference for regional and country offices will be held in Egypt’s new administrative capital later this year.
Egyptian leadership within the FAO comes at a pivotal moment as international focus grows on global challenges such as food security, sustainable agriculture, and water management. Egypt’s initiatives under national leadership in these sectors have been internationally recognized, further underlining the country’s growing influence within the organization.