Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi affirmed on Saturday his country's support for the World Food Programme’s priorities to expand its activities in developing countries, especially in Africa and the Middle East, a statement by Egyptian Presidency spokesman Bassam Rady read.

His affirmation came during a meeting with the executive director of the World Food Programme, David Beasley.

"The president affirmed Egypt's support for the WFP’s priorities to expand its activities in developing countries, especially in Africa and the Middle East, by implementing projects that bear economic and developmental revenue, so as to support economic and social development efforts, maintain security and stability and eliminate hunger and poverty in the world," the statement read, highlighting Egypt's readiness to provide all possible facilitations to strengthen the role of the WFP regional bureau in Cairo.

The president welcomed Beasley’s first visit to Egypt since assuming his post and hailed the activities of the WFP in support of the government in implementing its developmental priorities in the context of Egypt’s Vision 2030.

El-Sisi confirmed the state’s commitment to enhance the partnership with the WFP, especially to realise food security and to support smallholder farmers.

This is in addition to supporting the National School Feeding Programme, which is considered one of the most successful projects implemented by UN agencies in Egypt.

Beasley lauded Egypt’s diligent efforts to realise food security in the country and confirmed that the WFP would continue to support these efforts by providing all facilitations and expertise to enhance cooperation with Egypt to realise sustainable development and to support the social solidarity programme adopted by the Egyptian government.