The UAE is convincing partner countries and its negotiable team to include food and agriculture systems as part of the solution in the final text of the COP28 summit, according to the UAE’s Minister of Climate Change and Environment, Mariam Al-Muhairi. Al-Muhairi told “Al Arabiya English” in a special media briefing on the sidelines of the ongoing climate conference in Dubai that the presidency team is “pressing” to highlight the importance of securing food systems as part of the climate crisis.
Dialogue and Knowledge Exchange
On Food, Agriculture, and Water Day, various agreements were announced, including the announcement by the Agricultural Innovation Mission for Climate (AIM4Climate) of an increase in funding of $3.4 billion for climate-smart food and agriculture systems; donors announced $389 million to support food producers and consumers; and the establishment of the Sharm El-Sheikh Agricultural Food Support Program, a three-year mission to facilitate dialogue and knowledge exchange among global and regional policymakers, among others.
The Necessity of Diversifying Food Sources
The UAE and the broader Middle East region face challenges in food security. These countries import up to 90 percent of their food needs, including economically strong countries like Saudi Arabia and the UAE. “Al Arabiya English” previously reported on the growing concerns surrounding food security and self-sufficiency in the Middle East – from adapting through harnessing new technologies to the potential meat shortages due to export bans.
Following the recent disruptions in the global supply chain responsible for transporting food to import-dependent countries due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine, Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries adopted an early warning system to accurately monitor consumption and availability. They sent notifications to traders to diversify their food sources while leaders affirmed that they are well-equipped to handle any repercussions from this dependency.
The poorer countries in the region face difficulties in the agricultural sector due to droughts, heatwaves, and in some places, wars. This is clearly evident in the ongoing war in Gaza, where people are forced to either flee or launch attacks on aid trucks as more individuals die of hunger, cold, and also from bombardment.
Climate challenges and securing food security are interconnected, and the final announcement of the COP28 summit could further affirm these interrelated realities.
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