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The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, MOCCAE, and the Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority, ADFCA, inked a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, to enhance biosecurity measures that prevent animal and animal-human shared diseases and agricultural pests, and also ensure the safety of food in Abu Dhabi.
Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al-Zeyoudi, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, and Dr. Mugheer Khamis Al Khaili, Board Member of ADFCA, signed the MoU, in the presence of Saeed Al Ameri, Director-General of ADFCA, and executive directors from the authority.
The two sides will cooperate, under the MoU, in proposing and devising legislation and policies for biosecurity, agriculture and food safety, as well as unify and improve standards, procedures and work mechanisms to enhance biosecurity measures to prevent an epidemic and contagious animal and shared diseases and ensure food safety.
Both entities will also cooperate to complete and facilitate the work of biosecurity projects, including reference laboratories. Agricultural and veterinary quarantine at Abu Dhabi Ports is another area of cooperation highlighted in the agreement.
Under the MoU, the ministry has agreed to carry out the audit processes that ensure the effective enforcement of relevant federal laws and legislation in coordination with the ADFCA. The MOCCAE will also notify the authority of frameworks pertaining to any epidemic and contagious diseases, plant pests, and food incidents, as well as transfer complaints lodged against agricultural and livestock enterprises in Abu Dhabi to the ADFCA.
ADFCA will enforce the federal and local legislation related to agriculture and food safety in Abu Dhabi, and assess the impact of enforcing the law. The assessment result should be communicated to the ministry. Furthermore, the ADFCA will respond to customer feedback and reports on agricultural, livestock and fishery facilities that are sent to the ministry. The authority will also inspect these facilities for licencing purposes and inform the ministry of the result of their inspection.
Commenting on the agreement, Dr. Al-Zeyoudi said, "The MoU with the ADFCA is a prime example of partnerships that we forge to enhance food diversity and biosecurity in the UAE, in line with the UAE Vision 2021 National Agenda and Abu Dhabi Environment Vision 2030."
Dr. Al Khaili said, "When we join the ADFCA’s wide experience in food safety and the MOCCAE’s experience in agricultural and livestock policies, we will considerably enhance the agricultural and animal production, in a bid to help achieve sustainable development and reinforce food security in the UAE."
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