CAIRO, January 13. /TASS/. Egypt is ready to cooperate with international partners to host a global center for the supply and storage of grain. Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said this in a statement sent on Friday to the organizing committee of the G20 summit, which is to be held in India this autumn. Egypt has been invited by the Indian leadership to the upcoming summit as a guest.

"Egypt is ready to host a global center for the supply and storage of grain in cooperation with the international community in a way that helps face the ongoing food crisis worldwide," Shoukry said.

The Egyptian Foreign Minister "stressed Egypt’s support for the goals of the G20 agricultural working group to draw a roadmap for food security and climate-smart agriculture."

The initiative to create an international grain supply center in Egypt was first put forward by Cairo at the end of September last year during the 77th session of the UN General Assembly. Speaking on behalf of his country Shoukry said that the establishment of such a center in Egypt, given its unique geographical position, will allow more effectively addressing the problems of food security in the world. At the same time, the Egyptian minister proposed to work out a "comprehensive strategy for overcoming crises" and called on developed countries "to carry out joint economic and investment projects in developing countries for the stable development of agricultural production there." Shoukry also pointed to the need to support importing developing countries, establish an early warning system for possible food shortages and create storage facilities for their use during difficult periods.