H.E. Dr. Rashid Ahmed Bin Fahad, UAE Minister of Environment and Water, participated in the high-level conference titled ‘No More Food to Waste: Global Action to Stop Food Losses and Food Waste’ held from June 16 to 19, 2015 at The Hague in Netherlands. The meeting was attended by Ministers representing Environment, Labour, Economy and Industry Ministries; heads of a number of international organizations; and international personalities. The UAE participation complements its commitment to achieve the goals of sustainable development in various sectors, including contributions towards the strengthening of food security at the local and international levels.

H.E. Dr. Bin Fahad said that according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), about one third of global food production is lost or wasted annually, hence the urgent need to support international efforts to reduce global food loss. He added that the UAE’s participation in the conference demonstrates its desire to enhance food security as a priority in line with UAE Vision 2021 to be one of the world’s best countries by 2021.

Speaking further, H.E. Dr. Bin Fahad said that food waste and loss is considered a major waste of resources, including water, land, energy, labour and capital. Moreover, the resultant gases released  contribute to global warming, causing a rise in temperatures and climate change. He pointed out that the UAE operates within its national strategy to ensure the sustainable development of its environment and infrastructure.

‘No More Food to Waste’ is an international platform to discuss ways to reduce malnutrition through the exchange of best practices and experiences adopted to control food waste and reduce loss and the implementation of global laws and legislation in this area. The conference dealt with major topics such as financing and investment in food waste along with recycling and proper disposal, which adds to the creation of partnerships and international cooperation in this area.

The delegation from the UAE that attended the conference comprised senior officials from the UAE Ministry of Environment and Water, including H.E. Abdul Rahim Al Hammadi, Assistant Undersecretary for Environmental Affairs; Engineer Fatima Al Kalbani, Acting Director of health and agriculture Development Department; and Safiya Al Naqbi, Chemical Specialist at the Waste Management Department.