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.



Turkish Economy Grows 2.3% yr-on-yr in Q2, Below Forecast

24 August 2026, Türkiye, Istanbul: Pigeons take flight at sunset as people sit along the waterfront in Istanbul. (dpa)
24 August 2026, Türkiye, Istanbul: Pigeons take flight at sunset as people sit along the waterfront in Istanbul. (dpa)
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Turkish Economy Grows 2.3% yr-on-yr in Q2, Below Forecast

24 August 2026, Türkiye, Istanbul: Pigeons take flight at sunset as people sit along the waterfront in Istanbul. (dpa)
24 August 2026, Türkiye, Istanbul: Pigeons take flight at sunset as people sit along the waterfront in Istanbul. (dpa)

Türkiye's economy expanded 2.3% year-on-year in the second quarter, official data showed on Monday, less than forecast, with growth slowing for the fourth consecutive quarter.

Second-quarter gross domestic product (GDP) ‌grew 1.1% from the ‌previous quarter ‌on a ⁠seasonally and calendar-adjusted basis, ⁠Turkish Statistical Institute data showed.

In a Reuters poll, economic growth was estimated to have grown by 2.9% in the ⁠second quarter and was ‌forecast ‌to expand by 3.05% in 2026.

The ‌strongest growth by activity ‌was shown by agriculture, forestry and fishing, which expanded 13.3% , while information and communication grew 8.6%, ‌the data showed.

Growth in 2025 was revised ⁠to ⁠3.7% from 3.6%, while first quarter growth was revised to 2.6% from 2.5%, the data showed.

The government's current medium-term program projected growth of 3.8% in 2026. A new medium-term program will be announced on September 7.


Crude Prices Rise on US-Iran Strikes, Equities Mixed After Warsh Remarks

Oil platforms and pumpjacks at Lake Maracaibo, in Cabimas, Venezuela, January 26, 2026. (Reuters)
Oil platforms and pumpjacks at Lake Maracaibo, in Cabimas, Venezuela, January 26, 2026. (Reuters)
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Crude Prices Rise on US-Iran Strikes, Equities Mixed After Warsh Remarks

Oil platforms and pumpjacks at Lake Maracaibo, in Cabimas, Venezuela, January 26, 2026. (Reuters)
Oil platforms and pumpjacks at Lake Maracaibo, in Cabimas, Venezuela, January 26, 2026. (Reuters)

Oil prices spiked more than two percent Monday after a fresh flare-up in the US-Iran war, while stocks were mixed as hawkish comments from Federal Reserve boss Kevin Warsh saw investors ramp up bets on a US interest rate hike.

With inflation remaining stubbornly high -- largely on the back of elevated energy costs -- the US central bank has come under pressure to act, while Warsh's refusal to provide guidance has stoked uncertainty.

But in a highly anticipated speech at the Jackson Hole symposium of central bankers and economists in Wyoming, he left traders with few doubts that he was ready to increase borrowing costs.

Warsh said: "We must be confident that underlying inflation is moving to our objective, clearly and at sufficient speed. Otherwise, we have work to do."

He called the spike in inflation -- currently at 3.7 percent and nearly double the Fed's two-percent target -- "concerning", and said he would be "hard-pressed" to describe current financial conditions as "restrictive", a potential hint that rate hikes could be on the horizon.

However, he stopped short of saying he would support a hike, adding: "I stand here today committed to a discipline, not to a decision."

All three main indexes on Wall Street fell Friday. Yields on short-term US Treasury bonds -- which reflect monetary policy expectations -- jumped, and the dollar rallied against its peers. Gold, which benefits from lower interest rates, fell.

Asia struggled in the morning but some markets rallied as the day progressed, leaving some in positive territory and others just below Friday's close.

Tokyo, Hong Kong, Sydney, Taipei, Jakarta and Mumbai ended down but Seoul, Shanghai, Singapore, Bangkok and Wellington rose.

Paris rose but Frankfurt dipped.

London was closed for a holiday.

Focus will now turn to a string of crucial data releases over the next two weeks before the Fed makes its decision, with jobs up this week and the consumer price index next week.

"Should we get an inline payrolls print that does not give the Fed too much to work with, next week's core CPI report will become the major decider for the market's Fed belief system," wrote Chris Weston at Pepperstone.

"The volatility priced around that outcome across rates, forex and equities could therefore be significant."

Still, Invesco's David Chao added: "While Jackson Hole has increased the possibility of a rate hike, I don't think a September rate hike is in the books.

"Chair Warsh wants to reduce forward guidance and he stopped short of explicitly signaling a September move. The upcoming inflation and labor market reports will be critically important."

The Fed's battle against inflation has been hobbled by the Iran war, which has pushed oil prices higher.

And after a run lower for most of last week, they spiked again Monday, a day after the United States said it had attacked Iranian rocket launchers on a small island in the Strait of Hormuz, its first strikes on the country in a month.

The attack prompted Tehran to retaliate by firing at Jordan. Both main crude contracts rose more than two percent Monday.

The exchange came shortly after the US-Iran war hit the six-month mark, and at a time when hostilities had been subsiding.

The news revived concerns about the conflict, with attempts and peace talks appearing to be going nowhere and the strait -- through which a fifth of global crude and gas passes -- largely closed.

US officials this month vowed the "economic asphyxiation" of Iran to make it open the waterway.

"Hormuz is once again threatening to put a floor under oil just as Warsh is putting a ceiling on how much inflation patience markets should assume from the Fed," said Quintex Intel's Stephen Innes.

"For oil traders, (the) move is another reminder of how quickly the geopolitical premium can return.

"Physical flows through Hormuz have improved materially from their worst levels, which is precisely why crude had started giving back some of the fear premium, but the latest exchange shows how fragile that progress remains and how quickly the shipping story can be pushed back onto the trading desk."


Riyadh Brings Tech Giants Together at LEAP 2026, with Major Deals and Investments Expected

Minister of Communications and Information Technology Abdullah Alswaha addresses attendees at a government press conference. (Ministry of Media) 
Minister of Communications and Information Technology Abdullah Alswaha addresses attendees at a government press conference. (Ministry of Media) 
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Riyadh Brings Tech Giants Together at LEAP 2026, with Major Deals and Investments Expected

Minister of Communications and Information Technology Abdullah Alswaha addresses attendees at a government press conference. (Ministry of Media) 
Minister of Communications and Information Technology Abdullah Alswaha addresses attendees at a government press conference. (Ministry of Media) 

Riyadh is gearing up for major deals and partnerships with global technology giants during the fifth edition of LEAP 2026, which opens Monday with more than 200,000 attendees, 1,900 investors and 1,000 speakers from around the world, as Saudi Arabia continues to expand its role as a global hub for technology and artificial intelligence.

Saudi Minister of Communications and Information Technology Abdullah Alswaha said on the eve of the event that major deals were expected with global companies including Amazon and Nvidia, alongside the launch of Microsoft’s Azure cloud services. He described LEAP as “the largest technology movement of the 21st century.”

Alswaha said Saudi Arabia’s digital economy had grown by more than 75 percent, from about SAR 300 billion ($80 billion) to SAR 522 billion ($139.2 billion), reflecting the sector’s expanding contribution to the national economy.

Speaking at a government press conference, the minister said LEAP 2026 would bring together more than 250,000 creators and innovators, as well as global technology leaders and investors, while showcasing the Kingdom’s achievements and success stories.

Global Technology Indicators

Alswaha highlighted Saudi Arabia’s progress in the technology sector, noting that it now has nine unicorn companies and ranks first globally in digital readiness while placing among advanced countries on global technology indicators.

Employment across the technology ecosystem has risen from 150,000 to 410,000 jobs, he said, adding that Saudi Arabia had become an exporter rather than an importer of technology. The Kingdom now has more than 80 specialized schools, while universities have adopted artificial intelligence programs aimed at training about 30,000 talented students.

Fiber-optic penetration stands at 32 percent, Alswaha underlined. By 2028, 5G coverage in Al-Baha, in southern Saudi Arabia, is expected to reach 64 percent, while 50,000 homes will be connected to fiber-optic networks.

The minister also highlighted the National Technology Development Program, which has supported more than 1,500 entrepreneurs and helped drive activity among 5,000 companies, including nine unicorns. About 60 percent of technology investments are being directed toward data centers.

Over four years, LEAP has evolved beyond a technology conference into a global gathering of technology and AI leaders, investors, innovators and entrepreneurs, as well as a platform for launching investments, partnerships and major projects. Announced launches and investments across its first four Riyadh editions exceeded $44.2 billion.

LEAP’s rapid growth reflects government support for the communications, technology and AI sectors, which has helped create a competitive digital environment, attract investment and advanced technologies, and strengthen Saudi Arabia’s position as a global center for innovation and the digital economy.

Expanding Beyond Riyadh

LEAP expanded into Asia in July 2026 with LEAP East in Hong Kong, its first international edition since launching in Riyadh. The expansion marked its transformation from an annual Riyadh event into a Saudi-born global platform connecting technology and investment ecosystems across the Middle East and Asia.

LEAP began in 2022, when its inaugural edition drew more than 100,000 visitors, over 500 speakers, 700 exhibitors, 403 startups and more than 330 investors.

Now in its fifth edition, the four-day event again brings together leading technology and AI executives, investors, innovators and entrepreneurs from around the world for discussions, announcements, partnerships and experiences exploring the future of the digital economy in the intelligent age.

This year’s edition is being held under the theme “Into New Worlds,” building on LEAP’s evolution from a global technology event in Riyadh into an international movement extending into Asia.