The UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) signed a memorandum of arrangement (MoA) with New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade to enhance collaboration in food security.
Mariam bint Mohammed Almheiri, UAE Minister of Climate Change and Environment, and Honorable Damien O’Connor, New Zealand’s Minister of Trade and Export Growth and Minister of Agriculture, signed the MoA at the New Zealand Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai, state news agency WAM reported.
Speaking on the new partnership, Almheiri said: "The UAE and New Zealand enjoy robust and long-standing trade relations, with bilateral trade seeing an average annual growth of 11 percent in the past decade."
"Building on our strong ties, we are pleased to join forces with New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade to boost food security and streamline supply chains. Under the MoA, we will share best practices and expertise based on high-tech and innovative solutions."
For his part, Honorable Damien O’Connor said: "I’m pleased to be here in the UAE and to sign an MoA on a food security partnership with Mariam bint Mohammed Almheiri. As an agricultural and innovative trading nation, this partnership recognizes our role in supplying high-quality, safe food and beverages to the UAE."
The MoA covers three areas of cooperation, including exchanging knowledge between government agencies, increasing mutual food trade, and sharing policies and best practices in the sectors.