After Egypt’s government said last month that essential food reserves could cover six months, President Abdel Fattah El Sisi tasked a crisis authority with studying the creation of strategic reserves for emergencies.
A statement from the presidency late Saturday placed Gen. Mohammed Abdel Rahman Rabia in charge of the work. Rabia serves as the armed forces' chief of staff and also leads the country's crisis and emergency authority. The statement said the authority would coordinate with state institutions on a proposal for reserves intended for emergency use.
The National reported rising fears that renewed fighting between Iran and the United States could disrupt supply chains. Security sources told the newspaper last week that Egypt’s military had raised its readiness and strengthened air defenses along the Red Sea coast and at the Suez Canal.
The National also reported that state importer Future of Egypt bought five wheat cargoes around the time of the food-reserve announcement. The outlet described the purchase as among the importer’s largest in six months.
