The UAE is committed to collaborating with BRICS countries on joint food security initiatives and the expansion of food trade among member nations.

 

Dr Amna bint Abdullah Al Dahak, UAE Minister of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE), told the 14th Meeting of the BRICS Ministers of Agriculture and the 10th BRICS Environment Ministers Meeting, convened in Moscow, Russia, that the UAE will cooperate in environmental conservation efforts and the promotion of sustainable systems.

 

Dr Al Dahak said: "The UAE has a clear strategy to enhance national food security and achieve food self-sufficiency as part of our efforts to implement the goals of the National Food Security Strategy 2051. We recognise that mitigating the impacts of climate change and enhancing resilience are global challenges. Therefore, we are committed to developing sustainable food systems, both domestically and internationally."

 

Technical sessions

Dr Al Dahak was accompanied by Mohammed Saeed Al Nuaimi, Undersecretary of MOCCAE, along with several ministry officials. The delegation participated in several technical sessions and engaged in meetings with counterparts from BRICS member states.

 

The Minister stated the UAE's aspiration to develop a purposeful and effective multilateral framework. She highlighted the significance of nurturing constructive dialogue to propel food security, enhance trade, and establish sustainable food systems across all member states.

 

She added: "The UAE is actively working to enhance intra-trade to ensure the sustainability of supply chains, while adhering to international standards and scientific principles. We are proud to sign comprehensive economic partnership agreements that facilitate the smooth flow of trade and remove unjustified restrictions. We believe that promoting fair, inclusive, and equitable trade in the agricultural sector will significantly contribute to building sustainable food systems worldwide."

 

At the "Establishment of BRICS Grain Exchange as an Element of Mutual Trade Development" session, the Minister reiterated the importance of trade in enhancing food security, nutrition, and sustainable agriculture in both BRICS countries and globally. She highlighted that the UAE has prioritised food trade as a fundamental component of its food security strategy.

 

BRICS Grain Exchange

She said: "The UAE welcomes the establishment of the BRICS Grain Exchange, anticipating that the initiative will facilitate further discussions aimed at advancing our shared objectives in the trade of grains, one of the most critical strategic food commodities. We look forward to increased, substantive, and productive cooperation in agriculture and sustainable food security, which are fundamental to the growth and prosperity of any country."

 

Al Nuaimi, noted that climate change is one of the most significant challenges that humanity has ever faced, impacting all aspects of life, from the economy, energy, and food security to education, health, and daily living.

 

Al Nuaimi said: "The COP28, hosted by the UAE last year, marked a significant turning point through the historic UAE Consensus, which renewed hope in reducing global warming. We believe that a fair and equitable energy transition, coupled with international cooperation, is essential for achieving a sustainable future for current and future generations."

 

Al Nuaimi asserted the UAE's national efforts to achieve Net Zero by 2050, as well as its initiatives to enhance global climate action and preserve the planet.

 

Leveraging collective efforts

He concluded: "The collaboration among the environment ministries within the reconfigured BRICS group constitutes a significant enhancement to global climate efforts, leveraging our collective resources, technologies, solutions, expertise, and scientific research. Establishing additional cooperation platforms proposed during this meeting will further enable us to achieve our shared objectives."

 

A team from the Ministry, headed by Dr Mohamed Salman Al Hammadi, Assistant Undersecretary of the Biodiversity and Marine Life Sector at MOCCAE, also participated in the 2nd Meeting of The BRICS Agriculture Cooperation Working Group, where the BRICS priorities in the field of agriculture were discussed and a final statement was prepared on enhancing agricultural cooperation and food security among the member countries. In addition to this, the delegates prepared an action plan for the period 2024-2028, on agricultural cooperation among the BRICS countries.--TradeArabia News Service