Bridging the Gulf Episode 15 - Whither Self-Sufficiency? Unpacking the UAE’s Food Security Strategy

Concerns about food global food supplies have been exacerbated by the Russia-Ukraine crisis, compelling states across the Middle East and North Africa to revisit their food security policies. The UAE, for one, announced its “National Food Strategy 2051” in 2018, and has since acquired substantial agricultural and food production assets from Latin America to South Asia. It also aims to become a major player in the production and distribution of fertiliser, while combining this approach with sustainability policies (particularly renewable energy) and the acquisition of shares in global food commodity trading firms. Considering that the UAE imports 80 to 90 per cent of its food, how does it address the perennial debate between imports and self-sufficiency? Is value chain management a more appropriate strategy than farmland investments? How does Abu Dhabi manage food accessibility for vulnerable groups such as migrant workers? More broadly, what is the future of global security as several crises loom? On 30 August, The Middle East Institute hosted H.E. Dr. Abdulnasser Al Shaali, the UAE’s Assistant Minister for Economic and Trade Affairs, as he addressed these questions and more. For more information about this event, click here: https://mei.nus.edu.sg/event/bridging-the-gulf/