Director-General makes a one-day working visit to the United Arab Emirates ahead of COP28 in November

13 June 2023 - The Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), QU Dongyu, successfully concluded a one-day working visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), as part of preparations for the 2023 UN Climate Change Conference (#COP28UAE) to be convened in Dubai in November this year, and to intensify cooperation in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to agriculture, food security, and renewable energy

The Director-General had a bilateral meeting with H.E. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology of the UAE and President-Designate of COP28. The discussions focused on aligning FAO's efforts with the UAE's vision for advancing technology and sustainable development in the context of COP28.

The COP28 UAE Presidency reiterated its commitment to supporting FAO in the transformation of global agrifood systems to be more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable. The two sides agreed to further strengthen the link between food security and climate change on the global agenda to ensure a clearer and better understanding of the interlinkage for the future, highlighting that concrete actions were needed for tangible impacts on the ground.
The COP28 UAE presidency is committed to inclusivity and achieving ambitious outcomes through a joint response to the first Global Stocktake to assess the collective progress under the Paris Agreement, which will be delivered at the conference. COP28 will focus on concrete and ambitious solutions to close the gap by 2030 and will engage all stakeholders to drive an inclusive action plan that moves everyone in the right direction to achieve climate goals.

The two sides also discussed strategies to boost rural development with renewable energy to promote sustainable agricultural practices and strengthen the resilience of farming communities in the face of climate change.

The UAE is taking ground-breaking steps in agricultural technology, vertical farming, and the use of digital technologies to reduce energy and water consumption and raise the productivity of agricultural crops in harsh climatic environments. The UAE and US lead the Agriculture Innovation Mission (AIM) for Climate, which is a coalition of 50 nations, seeking to utilise technology in reducing emissions and increasing food availability for all the world's population.
The Director-General also met with H.E. Mohammed Saeed Al Nuaimi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment of the UAE, during which they discussed how to better support food supply and value chains under country specific contexts, as well as potential areas for collaboration based on countries’ comparative advantages.

During the visit to the UAE, Qu met with Francesco La Camera, Director-General of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) based in Masdar City. The meeting provided a further opportunity for the two organizations to explore synergies and promote renewable energy solutions for sustainable agrifood systems. The discussions emphasized the importance of integrating renewable energy sources into agricultural practices to ensure resilience and mitigate the environmental impact of farming activities.

The Director-General also visited the International Center for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA), where he met with Tarifa Al Zaabi, Director-General of ICBA. The pair discussed the opportunity for NUS (neglected underutilized species) such as drought- and- saline- resistant crops, in combating climate shocks and achieving food security and food diversity. The FAO Director-General also visited the Desert Life Laboratory and the gene bank.

FAO in the UAE:
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) joined FAO in 1973. The inauguration of the FAO Representation in 2005 was followed in 2010 with the opening of the FAO Subregional Office for the Gulf Cooperation Council States and Yemen in Abu Dhabi, thanks to UAE funding. The Subregional Office is at the forefront of FAO’s support of the country’s pioneering initiatives in technological innovation applied to the management of food, agriculture, and natural resources for sustainable growth. Promoting knowledge exchange and fostering partnerships are key features of current cooperation.

FAO at COP28:
Global food security and priority areas relevant to FAO’s mandate are high on the agenda. FAO will lead and co-lead events, and support member countries with technical advice both within and outside the climate negotiations. FAO Programs and projects across the globe aim at developing countries’ capacities for climate action and scaling up climate action on the ground is central to achieving climate-resilient and low-emission agrifood systems and eradicating hunger and malnutrition.