UAE, UK to enhance bilateral food trade and investments

Business Bureau, Gulf Today

UAE and UK to explore bilateral cooperation in the areas of food trade, investment and scientific research. Mariam Almheiri, UAE Minister of State for Food Security, has undertaken an official two-day visit to the United Kingdom, where she held a number of meetings with government ministers, officials and representatives of prominent food research centres, universities and companies to explore bilateral cooperation in the areas of food trade, investment and scientific research.

Speaking about her trip, she explained that it was aimed at identifying ways to enhance bilateral food trade between the two countries and to further collaboration in the field of food security by reviewing the latest research and projects underway in the sector. She was accompanied by Mansoor Belhoul, UAE ambassador to the UK.

“This visit formed part of our efforts to upscale our global partnerships and establish a framework based on cooperation in the field of food security to achieve mutual benefits.”

The UAE and UK share strong historical ties and have strategic partnerships in several areas, with food security being one. The UK is ranked third in the Global Food Security Index and as such, has comprehensive experience in the field. This presents us with a great opportunity to study best practices and leading projects, to work together to develop mechanisms to enhance bilateral food trade, to develop more food security projects in the UAE and to attract further investments to our food sector,” said Mariam Almheiri.

“The UK boasts an inspiring track-record in the fields of research and development and in sustainable food production. We, in turn, strive to employ the best expertise and experiences, taking into consideration the UAE’s unique climactic conditions and to leverage all possible means to achieve the targets of the UAE’s National Food Security Strategy.” “We are working towards securing a top 10 position on the Global Food Security Index by 2021 and to carve out a pivotal role in international efforts to achieve global food security,” Almheiri explained.

She affirmed that her visit to the UK was extremely successful, following the fruitful and productive talks held with different ministers, officials and experts, and in light of the UK’s assertion that it was committed to fully cooperating with joint efforts to enhance food security in both countries.

The first day of the visit saw a high-level meeting attended by Almheiri, Rt. Hon. Conor Burns, UK Minister of State for International Trade, as well as senior officials from the ministry, representatives from the UK’s most prominent food companies and a group of high-profile investors. The conversation with the minister centred on an exploration of trade opportunities, while the latest practices in the food security sector and existing science and research in the field of agriculture and the potential for partnership in areas of relevance to the UAE were discussed with the other representatives.

During the meeting, Almheiri asserted that collaboration can be enhanced by expanding bilateral food trade and encouraging further investment in the UAE’s food sector, as well as outlined the National Food Security Strategy and the leading food and agricultural initiatives and projects currently underway in the UAE.

“We must work to expand the circle of cooperation to serve the interests of both countries at the local and international levels. We also need to put in place a joint action plan that ensures the thorough implementation of future collaboration plans in the areas of food trade and food security,” she added.

Rt. Hon. Conor Burns reaffirmed that the UAE and UK share close ties across an array of sectors. He underlined the importance of sustaining such strong relations and of working on common issues, citing the UK’s participation in Expo 2020 Dubai and the efforts to increase food trade between the two countries.

The UK minister also highlighted the UK’s commitment to inviting the largest British investors to attend and examine the promising investment opportunities offered across all sectors in the UAE, particularly in relation to food production. He discussed his visit to the UAE, which aims to enhance cooperation in the sphere of food security, explore investment opportunities, and deepen existing ties between the two countries.

Almheiri also met with George Eustice, UK’s Minister of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, along with a number of senior officials from the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS) - an executive agency of Britain’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs - most notably Prof. Gideon Henderson, Head of the Scientific Team at CEFAS, in addition to a number of representatives from Fera Science, which specialises in agri-food science.