Egypt hosted the G20 Task Force on Food Security from September 1 to 3, marking the first time the group has met outside of a member state.
The meeting gave Egypt an opportunity to put the famine in Gaza and the fragility of the global food system at the center of the discussion.
For three days, diplomats, ministers, and experts gathered in the Egyptian capital. Ragui El-Etreby, Egypt’s presidential representative to the G20, called the event a “historic milestone” and stressed the importance of addressing the priorities of developing nations, especially in Africa.
From the start, Egypt focused on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where it claims a “systematic policy of hunger” is in place. Egyptian officials stated that over 5,400 trucks of food and medical aid are stuck in the Sinai Peninsula. The figures presented at the meeting revealed that at least 340 people, including children, have already died from malnutrition, and 600,000 are at risk of a catastrophic famine.
Beyond the humanitarian crisis, the meeting highlighted the weaknesses of the global food system, which has been strained by climate shocks, conflicts, and economic imbalances. El-Etreby called on the G20 to take responsibility and address these structural failures by reforming multilateral trade, improving water management, and increasing technology transfer.
Egyptian Finance Minister Ahmed Kouchouk explained how the crisis is disproportionately affecting African and developing countries. He noted that Egypt spends nearly 20% of its budget—around €4.8 billion—on food subsidies for over 60 million citizens. However, he stated that these national efforts are not enough and must be supported by international partnerships.
During the closed-door discussions, some nations pushed for a closer partnership with organizations like the FAO and the WTO, while others were concerned about a potential overlap of mandates. To maintain focus, the group decided to “focus the discussion on development priorities and avoid divisive issues,” according to Rania Abdel-Meguid of the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
MK/Sf/fss/abj/APA