Prof. Deng Xiuxin, President of HZAU gave the address
Representatives from Egypt gave the address
Signing Ceremony
Prof. Zhang Qifa, CAS member delivered the report
Opening Ceremony
December 13 saw the opening of the 2016 Sino-Egyptian Forum for Joint Research in Agricultural Science and Technology in HZAU. The opening ceremony was attended by Prof. Deng Xiuxin, President of HZAU and CAE member, Dr. Hussein Ibrahim, Counsellor and Director of the Cultural, Educational and Scientific Affairs of Egyptian Embassy and about 30 scholars from 7 Egyptian institutions of higher education including Prof. ELSayed ElKady, President of Benha University, Prof. Maha Tawfik, President of NWRC and Prof. Ahmed Ali, representative of DRC. Zhang Xianlong, Vice president of HZAU was the moderator.
In the opening remarks, President Deng extended warm welcome to representatives from Egyptian Embassy and the experts attending the forum. He said that the forum come right at a time when the 60th anniversary of the establishment of Sino-Egyptian diplomatic ties were celebrated and President Xi Jinping visited Egypt and proposed Belt and Road Initiative. Both China and Egypt are ancient civilizations with a time-honored history. Pragmatic cooperation in agriculture would be helpful in implementing the consensus reached by leaders of the two countries, drawing upon each other’s development strategy and addressing the problems in agricultural science and technology that confront both countries.
President Deng also briefed the participants on HZAU in terms of history, landscape, faculties, academic research, teaching and international communication. Reviewing the history of cooperation between HZAU and Egyptian institutions, he proposed to take the forum as an opportunity to further the cooperation in personnel training, research, academic exchanges and technological service.
Prof. ELSayed ElKady, Prof. Maha Tawfik and Prof. Ahmed Ali also gave their speeches. Professor ELSayed ElKady shared her feelings about the strong friendship and hoped that the two sides would build on current cooperation (e.g. Student Exchange Programs), strengthen collaboration in research and work together to bring out agricultural talents with international vision to serve agricultural development in both countries.
Prof. Maha Tawfik expressed the expectations about cooperation with HZAU and believed that new opportunities would be generated for Egyptian agricultural development. Prof. Ahmed Ali believed that China and Egypt have a lot in common and hoped to see this forum enhance Sino-Egyptian friendship and cooperation.
Dr. Hussein Ibrahim, official from Egyptian Embassy, spoke in Chinese about the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Egypt and the diversified exchange activities held in cultural and educational fields this year. The Belt and Road Initiative has been seen by leaders of both countries as a new opportunity for agricultural cooperation. He looked forward to seeing more efforts made by Chinese and Egyptian agricultural institutions to advance cooperation in agricultural research and education to achieve a win-win outcome.
Alongside the opening ceremony, cooperation agreements were signed by leaders of HZAU with their counterparts from Benha University, NWRC and DRC. According to the agreements, HZAU will push forward cooperation with its Egyptian partners in building Sino-Egyptian Research Base, applying for joint research programs, pushing forward student and staff exchanges, holding bilateral symposia etc.
After the opening ceremony, Prof. Zhang Qifa, CAS member delivered a speech on Green goals and green technologies of plant breeding for global food security. During the following 3-day forum, Prof. Jiang Daohong, Yan Jianbing, Tan Wenfeng of HZAU and Prof. Ali Zohiry made presentations respectively, while 5 symposium forums were held for in-depth exchanges in Plant Sciences, Animal Sciences & Fishery Sciences, Resources & Environment Sciences, Horticulture & Forestry Sciences and Agricultural Engineering.
(By Wang Ting)
