Egypt Secures Historic Leadership Role at FAO

In a landmark moment for Egypt’s diplomatic engagement on the international stage, the country has, for the first time in the history of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), been elected to lead its Executive Council.

Egypt’s Ambassador to Italy and Permanent Representative to UN agencies in Rome, Ambassador Bassam Rady, announced that Mena Rizk, Deputy Permanent Representative of Egypt to the FAO, was elected Chair of the Executive Council for a four-year term during the FAO’s General Conference held in Rome. 

The decision was made by unanimous consensus, following a highly competitive election involving five candidates from across all major FAO regional groups—including Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, and South America.

Rizk's election marks a historic first: he is the first Egyptian—and the youngest ever—elected to the FAO Executive Council Chairmanship since the organization’s establishment in 1945. At just 38 years old, his appointment also reflects a strategic shift in Egypt’s foreign policy approach toward empowering younger generations in international forums.