As part of its ongoing commitment to strengthen partnerships with international development stakeholders and empower Egyptian companies to access global markets, the General Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI) hosted the second meeting of the Committee on Enhancing Egyptian Participation in Tenders Issued by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
Chaired by Dr. Dalia El-Hawary, GAFI Deputy CEO, the meeting brought together representatives from FAO, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, Ministry of Planning and Economic Development, Ministry of International Cooperation, Industrial Development Authority, the Agreements and Foreign Trade Sector at the Ministry of Investment and Foreign Trade, the Federation of Egyptian Chambers of Commerce (FEDCOC), the Export Council for Food Industries, and the Egyptian Federation of Investors Associations (EFIA).
The committee reviewed outcomes from its inaugural session, focusing on identifying the key challenges faced by Egyptian firms when competing in international tenders, and emphasized the importance of pinpointing priority sectors within FAO’s procurement portfolio.​
Dr. El-Hawary underlined the vital role of deepening cooperation and synergy between the committee and the FAO to sharpen the global competitiveness of Egyptian enterprises. She described the meeting as another stride toward forging lasting partnerships with UN bodies, partnerships that open new doors for Egypt’s private sector. Both sides reaffirmed their mutual commitment to sustaining this constructive dialogue—driven by a shared goal of equipping Egyptian businesses to take part effectively in global procurement opportunities.
The meeting featured rich discussions with FAO officials, who outlined the organization's priority procurement sectors and shared insights into its tendering rules, technical and financial qualification criteria, and the process for joining FAO’s roster of approved suppliers. Participants also examined lessons learned from past participation—highlighting success stories of Egyptian firms that had previously secured FAO tenders.
In closing, attendees agreed on several key recommendations. Chief among them: the launch of joint awareness workshops with the FAO to prepare and guide Egyptian companies on navigating international tender processes and targeting relevant sectors. It was also agreed that these workshops would be held across various Egyptian governorates in collaboration with private-sector stakeholders.


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