Abu Dhabi - UAE, January 18, 2017:  The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MoCCAE) signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Food Security Centre - Abu Dhabi on the promotion of food security in the United Arab Emirates. His Excellency Dr Thani Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, and HE Mohammed Ahmed Al Bawardi, Chairman of Food Security Center, Abu Dhabi, signed the agreement at the ministry’s pavilion on the sidelines of the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week. 

The agreement is based on the Federal Government's Strategy and Abu Dhabi Government Vision 2030 and the keenness of both parties to strengthen strategic partnership and unification of joint efforts to activate the food security strategy. It also aims to support food supplies to the country, in order to enable all citizens and residents to get healthy and safe food with nutritional values in all circumstances.

Both parties agreed to nominate one or more of its staff under as 'Main Coordinator' to implement the provisions of this memorandum and coordinate all correspondence and communications between the parties. A joint working group will be formed for the implementation of the memorandum if necessary.

HE Dr Thani Ahmed Al Zeyoudi said: 'Out of the vision and directives of our wise leadership, the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment undertakes many tasks related to food security, development of policies, strategies and legislation to enhance food security and diversity and support the national economy. The ministry is keen on activating the strategic partnerships between federal and local government bodies to improve the services provided to the public and to achieve human well-being.'

For his part, H.E Mohammed Ahmed Al Bawardi said: 'In the framework of our commitment to enhance the efforts of the Food Security Center to enable all citizens and residents to get the healthy and safe food at all time, especially during crises and emergency situation. We hope that the MoU signed with MoCCAE will help us achieve our strategic objectives.”

The MOU will outline the administrative and technical cooperation between the ministry and food security centre and identify the possibilities to strengthen strategic partnership, application of food security strategies at national level. It will also determine the communication points with each other in order to facilitate coordination and follow-up, defining roles and tasks to ensure the effectiveness of the MoU. 

The MoU, which lasts for one year and is renewable, will contribute to the development of joint programs for the training and development of human and technical capacity and knowledge transfer between the two parties to raise awareness of food security, strengthen the role of UAE's agricultural products to contribute to food security and diversity. The Center can benefit from the infrastructure and logistics available with the ministry and use it in times of crisis.