SIWA, 15th October, 2026 (WAM) -- Dr. Amgad El Kadi, Executive Director of the Food and Agro-Industries Technology Center (FAITC) under Egypt’s Ministry of Industry, and Chairman of the Organising Committee of the Ninth Egyptian International Dates Festival, affirmed that cooperation with the UAE, represented by the Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation, has brought about a qualitative transformation in Egypt’s date palm and dates sector since 2015.
This has been achieved through the development of cultivation, processing, packaging and export methods, as well as the preparation of the first national strategy for the sector’s development in cooperation with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).
In a statement to the Emirates News Agency (WAM) on the sidelines of the festival in Siwa Oasis, El Kady explained that Egypt accounts for approximately 20% of global date production and successfully exported dates worth US$160 million in 2025 to more than 60 international markets.
He said UAE support has included upgrading the government-owned dates factory in Siwa and the Dates Complex in New Valley Governorate, establishing refrigerated date storage facilities in the Bahariya Oasis, supporting the participation of Egyptian producers in international exhibitions, organising study tours, and helping farms and factories obtain international quality certifications.
He emphasised that these initiatives have enhanced the competitiveness of Egyptian dates, opened up new export markets and increased the added value of date products, reflecting the success of the UAE-Egypt partnership in supporting sustainable agricultural and industrial development.
Held in the Siwa Oasis until 16 October, the festival is co-organised by Egypt’s Ministry of Industry, Marsa Matrouh Governorate, and the UAE’s Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation.