The UAE strengthens its strategic partnership with "FAO" at "Expo 2020 Dubai"

The UAE has strengthened its strategic partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations “FAO” through two agreements on the “Hand in Hand Zimbabwe - Project for the Restoration and Integration of Agricultural Businesses for Smallholder Farmers”, and the renewal of the Trust Fund’s support for the Sub-Regional Office of the Organization for the Cooperation Council States. For the Arab Gulf states and Yemen «SNG».

This comes as part of the UAE's pioneering efforts to enhance global food security, improve nutrition systems and food production, and contribute to eradicating hunger in the world.

Her Excellency Maryam bint Mohammed Saeed Hareb Al Muhairi, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, witnessed the signing of the two agreements on the sidelines of the celebration of World Food Day, which was held today at Expo 2020 Dubai, in the presence of Sultan Mohammed Al Shamsi, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for International Development, and HE Abdul Hakim Al Waer, Assistant Director-General of the Organization The Food and Agriculture of the United Nations and the Regional Representative for the Near East and North Africa, HE Dino Francescotti Mutis, Assistant Director-General of the FAO in the Sub-Regional Office for the Gulf Cooperation Council States and Yemen in the Organization, and HE Lovemore Mazimo, Ambassador of the Republic of Zimbabwe to the country.

The two agreements aim to deepen the partnership between the UAE and "FAO" by actively contributing to the organization's projects, which in turn seek to secure sustainable food for many of the most needy regions around the world.

Her Excellency Maryam Al Muhairi said, “The UAE, under its wise leadership, is working to establish its strategic partnerships with various international parties in order to enhance its food security and contribute to the establishment of sustainable food systems that benefit the various peoples of the world and work to address the most important global challenges, including the spread of hunger, poverty and climate change. This is done by applying the highest standards of sustainability and environmentally friendly solutions within the support and assistance programs that are carried out through the international cooperation efforts of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

These efforts have been manifested through many partnerships that we celebrate renewing and documenting today with FAO, which is one of our most important strategic partners in the region and the world.”

Her Excellency added, "We are pleased with the renewed cooperation in order to enhance the efforts of the sub-regional office of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations for the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf and Yemen SNG, and to continue its ambitious projects and initiatives through which we aim to foresee a better future for the various sectors and fields related to food and achieve sustainable development in Emirates and the region.

His Excellency Sultan Mohammed Al Shamsi, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for International Development, said: “One of the most important mechanisms for implementing Emirati foreign aid is strengthening international partnerships and working with international partners, especially international organizations such as the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) for its leading role in implementing projects aimed at eliminating hunger. in developing countries. Today, we are pleased to cooperate with “FAO” in implementing a development project in one of the friendly African countries “Zimbabwe”, as the project aims to improve income levels for poor families in rural areas, and in line with the general policy of UAE foreign aid towards supporting the achievement of sustainable development goals in the countries the beneficiary”.

To this, Abdul Hakim Al-Waer, Assistant Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and Regional Representative for the Near East and North Africa, said: “The UAE represents one of our most important strategic partners in the region, which is evident in the many contributions made by the state to support the organization’s endeavors to provide Various urgent and immediate solutions and assistance to enhance sustainable food security for the most needy areas in the region and the world.