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Workshop held in collaboration with the International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD)
Abu Dhabi - The Ministry of Finance (MoF), in collaboration with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), organised a workshop titled “Investing in Agriculture and Rural Development – Growing a Better Future”. The workshop, held between 02-06 October in Sofitel Abu Dhabi Corniche Hotel, aimed to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing investment in the agricultural sector, and ways to achieve sustainable agricultural and rural development.
The workshop was held in the presence of HE Younis Haji Al Khoori, Undersecretary of MoF, Dr. Khalida Bouzar, Director of the Near East, North Africa, Europe and Central Asia at IFAD; HE Ahmed Belhaif, Director of Abu Dhabi region at the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE); Adel Al Hosani, Director of Operations Department at the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD); along with a number of specialists from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MOFA) and officials from MoF.
HE Younis Haji Al Khoori praised the partnership between UAE and IFAD, and highlighted the country’s role as one of the founding members of the Fund. The Fund was established in 1977 as a partnership between state members of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in the economic field, the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and other developed countries. There are currently 176 member states in the Fund. IFAD has 176 member states.
HE Al Khoori also stressed that the UAE has a contributed a total of $54.2 million US dollars to the Fund and has helped in funding all renovations of the Fund’s resources; including the ninth replenishment of IFAD 2013-2015.
HE Al Khoori highlighted the country’s commitment to ensure sustainable development while preserving the environment and to achieve a balance between economic and social development. This falls under the UAE’s National Innovation Strategy which strives to make the UAE one of the world’s most innovative countries in seven years by focusing on seven major sectors including renewable energy, technology and water. HE said: “We remember the founder of the UAE and late leader Sheikh Zayed who represented generosity and instilled the love of giving in the hearts of his people. We are proud that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has maintained, for the third time in a row, its ranking as one of the 10 largest donor states in the Official Development Aid (ODA) in 2015.”
HE highlighted the challenges facing the international community and particularly for the UAE and the Gulf countries in terms of high agricultural price volatility, increasing threats to global food security, and high rates of rural poverty.HE Al Khoori said: “The Gulf region has experienced an increase in import dependency due to growths in the population coupled with land and water constraints. IFAD in collaboration with the Arab Authority for Agricultural Investment and Development (AAAID) organised an important forum in Abu Dhabi that discussed means of enhancing food security through small and medium scale farming and environmentally sustainable food production particularly in the Gulf countries.”
The workshop discussed a number of topics including, challenges and prospects for rural development in a turbulent and unpredictable context, decentralisation plan IFAD 10&11 and implications for staff, updates on the social, environmental and climate assessment procedures (SECAP) and GEF Portfolio, and Abu Dhabi’s action plan to achieve rural development. The workshop also highlighted the best innovative agricultural and rural development practices in UAE, particularly during the field visit to the Agricultural Innovation Centre in Al Dhaid, during which participants were exposed to the UAE’s ongoing research about greenhouses and hydroponic systems development.
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© Press Release 2016
