Egypt Calls for Increasing Response to Food Security Challenges in Developing Countries

Egypt's Minister of International Cooperation, Rania al-Mashat, at the Investing in Net Zero: Leading the Way conference (Ministry of International Cooperation)
Egypt's Minister of International Cooperation, Rania al-Mashat, at the Investing in Net Zero: Leading the Way conference (Ministry of International Cooperation)
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Egypt Calls for Increasing Response to Food Security Challenges in Developing Countries

Egypt's Minister of International Cooperation, Rania al-Mashat, at the Investing in Net Zero: Leading the Way conference (Ministry of International Cooperation)
Egypt's Minister of International Cooperation, Rania al-Mashat, at the Investing in Net Zero: Leading the Way conference (Ministry of International Cooperation)

Egypt has called for boosting the response to the food security challenges in developing countries.

The Foreign Ministry said Egypt submitted a draft resolution to the World Trade Organization (WTO) on enhancing the organization's response to food security challenges in developing, net food-importing countries, and least developed countries.

The draft resolution will be discussed at WTO's 12th Ministerial Conference (M12), held in Geneva between June 12 and 15.

Egypt's Permanent Representative to the UN, Ahmed Ihab Gamaleddin, said Egypt submitted the resolution on behalf of the Arab and African groups and the least developed countries after intensive consultations with member states.

The draft resolution is part of the Egyptian government's efforts to deal with the global economic crisis and its impact on food security in developing countries, in general, and Egypt.

The resolution aims at securing practical solutions for farmers and food producers and boosting grain production in these countries during the crisis, following the relevant rules of the WTO.

It also calls for spreading awareness about the severe harm caused to developing countries' economies by the record rise in food and energy prices.

Gamaleddin said the current global food crisis is part of a more significant crisis the world economy has been facing since the COVID-19 pandemic caused a decline in economic growth, high inflation rates, disruption of global supply chains, and huge debts.

The diplomat said it requires enhancing international solidarity through the relevant international organizations, chief among which is the WTO.

He added that solidarity should grant the net food-importing developing countries and LDCs the flexibility to deal with exceptional circumstances that impact their food security.

Meanwhile, the Minister of International Cooperation, Rania al-Mashat, said that strengthening climate action, combating the negative repercussions of climate change, and reducing harmful emissions, will only come through constructive partnerships between relevant parties.

Mashat was speaking at a forum organized by the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the European University Institute (EUI) on Investing in Net Zero: Leading the Way to discuss investments needed to attain net zero emissions and the European Union's global leadership in mobilizing the necessary climate finance.

Mashat explained that, through its presidency of COP27, Egypt seeks to build on what has been achieved in Glasgow, reiterate the importance of achieving the principles of the Paris Climate Agreement and other climate agreements, and push global efforts aimed at reaching the transition to a green economy.



Saudi Arabia Makes History with Adoption of Riyadh Treaty on Design Law

Photo of the Riyadh Diplomatic Conference on the Design Law Treaty (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Photo of the Riyadh Diplomatic Conference on the Design Law Treaty (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Saudi Arabia Makes History with Adoption of Riyadh Treaty on Design Law

Photo of the Riyadh Diplomatic Conference on the Design Law Treaty (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Photo of the Riyadh Diplomatic Conference on the Design Law Treaty (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Saudi Arabia has made history by uniting the 193 member states of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) to adopt the Riyadh Treaty on Design Law. This landmark achievement, realized after two decades of deliberation, underscores the Kingdom’s leadership in enhancing the global intellectual property system.

The announcement came at the conclusion of the Riyadh Diplomatic Conference on the Design Law Treaty, a rare event for WIPO, which has not held a diplomatic conference outside Geneva for more than a decade. It was also the first such event hosted in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East, representing the final stage of negotiations to establish an agreement aimed at simplifying and standardizing design protection procedures across member states.

Over the past two weeks, intensive discussions and negotiations among member states culminated in the adoption of the Riyadh Treaty, which commits signatory nations to a unified set of requirements for registering designs, ensuring consistent and streamlined procedures worldwide. The agreement is expected to have a significant positive impact on designers, enabling them to protect their creations more effectively and uniformly across international markets.

At a press conference held on Friday to mark the event’s conclusion, CEO of the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property Abdulaziz Al-Suwailem highlighted the economic potential of the new protocol.

Responding to a question from Asharq Al-Awsat, Al-Suwailem noted the substantial contributions of young Saudi men and women in creative design. He explained that the agreement will enable their designs to be formally protected, allowing them to enter markets as valuable, tradable assets.

He also emphasized the symbolic importance of naming the convention the Riyadh Treaty, stating that it reflects Saudi Arabia’s growing influence as a bridge between cultures and a global center for innovative initiatives.

The treaty lays critical legal foundations to support designers and drive innovation worldwide, aligning with Saudi Arabia’s vision of promoting international collaboration in the creative industries and underscoring its leadership in building a sustainable future for innovators.

The agreement also advances global efforts to enhance creativity, protect intellectual property, and stimulate innovation on a broader scale.

This achievement further strengthens Saudi Arabia’s position as a global hub for groundbreaking initiatives, demonstrating its commitment to nurturing creativity, safeguarding designers’ rights, and driving the development of creative industries on an international scale.

The Riyadh Diplomatic Conference, held from November 11 to 22, was hosted by the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property and attracted high-ranking officials and decision-makers from WIPO member states.