NEW YORK (WAM)
Mariam bint Mohammed Almheiri, Head of the International Affairs Office at the Presidential Court, participated in a range of highly impactful engagements at the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA79) in New York City, as part of the UAE delegation led by H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs.
The delegation focused on the UAE's growing role as a responsible global citizen, with particular emphasis on dialogue, cooperation, and building bridges to address urgent global challenges, including climate change.
Mariam Almheiri’s extensive engagements during the UNGA reflect the UAE’s keenness to use all available resources and expertise to enhance cooperation and integration with partners and global organisations, to help devise shared solutions, reach consensus, and promote scientific and technological progress for all.
During her engagements, Almheiri took part in the launch of the UAE FoodTech Challenge 3.0, which underscores the UAE's commitment to spearheading global food system innovation and tackling the interconnected challenges of food security, climate change, and water scarcity.
Mariam Almheiri, Co-Chair of the FoodTech Challenge, said, “After the historic COP28 Declaration on Sustainable Agriculture, Resilient Food Systems, and Climate Action, and the announcement of the partnership between the UAE and the Gates Foundation on agriculture innovation, the critical role of agriculture and food production in the wider climate crisis is increasingly coming into focus. With the rising demands for food, water, and energy in the face of climate change, we need bold action, innovative thinking, and a transformative approach to our food systems.”
She added, “Through the FoodTech Challenge, we are ensuring that every country and region has the opportunity to participate in the exchange of ideas and investments on the critical issue of food security.”
Leadership from the United States, United Arab Emirates, United Nations Foundation, and Bezos Earth Fund participated in an event hosted by the Council on Foreign Relations, emphasising the need for innovative action at the intersection of climate change and food security.
The event also marked the official launch of the AIM for Climate Report titled "Cultivating Transformative Investments in Climate-Smart Agriculture and Food Systems Innovation". Developed in partnership with the United Nations Foundation, the report encourages partners to continue advocating for increased public and private investment in and support for climate-smart agriculture and food systems innovation.
During the event, Mariam Almheiri provided important updates on AIM for Scale, a new initiative emerging as one of the key legacies of AIM for Climate, introduced at COP28. Designed to foster collaboration between public and private sectors, AIM for Scale directly supports the AIM for Climate Report recommendations by accelerating and expanding climate-smart agriculture and food systems innovations. This initiative reflects Recommendation 3 of the report, which calls for building and scaling innovative global partnerships as a key lever for driving impactful, long-lasting change in the global climate-smart agriculture and food systems sector.
Mariam Almheiri met with Tom Vilsack, United States Secretary of Agriculture, to discuss further collaboration on AIM for Scale and other shared priorities in food security and climate action. Speaking after her meeting with Secretary Vilsack, Almheiri said, “The climate crisis demands collective action and innovative solutions. With AIM for Scale, we're building a global coalition to empower farmers, strengthen food systems, and create a more sustainable future for all.”
Almheiri and Rodger Voorhies, President of the Gates Foundation, discussed the ongoing partnership between the UAE and the Gates Foundation, focusing on the recently announced $200 million joint initiative to advance agriculture innovation and food system transformation. This collaboration underscores the UAE's commitment to leveraging innovation and technology to address pressing global challenges. Almheiri remarked, "Climate change waits for no one, and neither can we. The UAE-Gates partnership is about turning commitments into action, investing in tangible solutions that will empower communities and build a more sustainable future for generations to come."
Speaking about the aspirations of the partnership, she continued, “This partnership is about hope. Hope for a future where everyone has enough to eat, and where our planet thrives.” The meeting emphasised the shared vision of both parties to empower smallholder farmers, enhance climate resilience in agriculture, and build a more sustainable and equitable food system.
Almheiri also participated in a panel with Dr. Ismahane Elouafi, Executive Managing Director of CGIAR, and Rodger Voorhies, reaffirming the UAE's dedication to the commitments made in the COP28 UAE Declaration on Food Systems, Agriculture, and Climate Action. Almheiri highlighted the UAE’s commitment and support for CGIAR and its appreciation for the Gates Foundation partnership to drive agricultural innovation. She said, "We are proud to be the first country from our region to join the CGIAR System Council as a donor. In that capacity, we will seek to support the CGIAR in ways that draw upon the unique experiences and capabilities of the UAE."
Reflecting on the UAE’s development approach, she added, “Agricultural innovation is a key pillar of the UAE’s own development path.”