24, June 2022 – Her Excellency Mariam bint Mohammed Almheiri, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, emphasized the utmost attention the wise UAE leadership pays to food safety as an integral part of the country’s food security ecosystem. Her remarks came during her participation in the Sixth Meeting of the GCC Ministerial Committee for Food Safety that took place in Riyadh.

Addressing the Committee, the Minister highlighted the importance of stepping up and accelerating cooperation at the GCC level to enhance the legislative and regulatory framework related to food safety while ensuring compliance with relevant standards throughout the supply chain as part of the efforts to position the GCC region as a global food trade hub. 

Her Excellency noted that the meeting provided an inclusive platform for discussing the latest developments within the GCC region in a vital area that is directly related to public health, as well as strengthening the resilience of local, regional, and global food supply chains.
The Minister commended the Committee’s agenda, which featured several crucial issues that directly impact food security and safety, especially in light of the current efforts of the region’s governments and the wider international community to improve food accessibility and availability. She added that the Committee's key decisions will advance joint regional efforts to achieve common goals.

Key topics of the meeting included updating the GCC Guide for Control on Imported Foods and the GCC Unified Food Law. The participants also discussed the Guide for Issuing Health Certificates for Food Products Traded Among GCC Nations, the implementation of the GCC Supreme Council’s decision on non-tariff barriers, passed at its 40th session, and the celebrations of World Food Safety Day in the region.

It is noteworthy that in line with the nation’s commitment to upholding food safety, the late Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, former UAE President, ratified Federal Law No. 10 of 2015 on food safety in January 2016. The law aims to ensure that all food products available in the country’s markets are safe for human consumption, monitor food safety throughout the supply chain, and eliminate or reduce all risks associated with food. It also seeks to protect consumers from harmful or adulterated food, maintain feed safety, and facilitate food trade.