UAE, New Zealand Sign MoA on Food Security

The United Arab Emirates flag flies in front of the Jumeirah Beach Residence in Dubai. (Reuters file photo)
The United Arab Emirates flag flies in front of the Jumeirah Beach Residence in Dubai. (Reuters file photo)
TT

UAE, New Zealand Sign MoA on Food Security

The United Arab Emirates flag flies in front of the Jumeirah Beach Residence in Dubai. (Reuters file photo)
The United Arab Emirates flag flies in front of the Jumeirah Beach Residence in Dubai. (Reuters file photo)

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.



Kuwait Seeks to Offer Flexible Incentives to Attract Foreign Investments

Kuwait City (Asharq Al-Awsat file photo)
Kuwait City (Asharq Al-Awsat file photo)
TT

Kuwait Seeks to Offer Flexible Incentives to Attract Foreign Investments

Kuwait City (Asharq Al-Awsat file photo)
Kuwait City (Asharq Al-Awsat file photo)

Mohammad Yaqoub, Assistant Director General for Business Development at Kuwait’s Direct Investment Promotion Authority (KDIPA), announced that Kuwait is actively working to boost investments in emerging sectors such as the management of government facilities, hospitals, and ports, including Mubarak Al-Kabeer Port.

He added that his country is collaborating with Saudi Arabia on joint projects, notably the development of a railway linking the two nations.

Speaking at the 28th Annual Global Investment Conference in Riyadh, Yaqoub highlighted the 650-kilometer railway project, which is expected to cut travel time between Saudi Arabia and Kuwait to under three hours. He clarified that this initiative is separate from the broader GCC railway network under development.

The official further emphasized Kuwait’s commitment to offering streamlined processes and incentives to attract foreign investment in critical sectors such as oil and gas, healthcare, education, and technology.

Since January 2015, the Gulf country has attracted cumulative foreign investments valued at approximately 1.7 billion Kuwaiti dinars ($5.8 billion). During the 2023–2024 fiscal year, KDIPA reported foreign investment inflows amounting to 206.9 million Kuwaiti dinars ($672 million).

Yaqoub stressed that KDIPA is focused on creating an investor-friendly environment by offering flexible incentives to attract international companies. He noted Saudi Arabia’s achievements in this area and highlighted his country’s efforts to provide comparable benefits to foreign investors.

He also expressed optimism about the potential for growth in foreign investments in Kuwait, emphasizing their role in advancing economic development in line with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Yaqoub also underscored the strong synergy between the Kuwaiti and Saudi markets, which he said will help accelerate economic progress across the region.