Today's Edition
NEW YORK (WAM)
As part of its participation in the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA81) in New York, the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) convened a High-Level Ministerial Majlis and Resilience Dialogue titled ‘From Shock to Resilience: Safeguarding Food Security and Critical Supply Chains Amid Regional Disruptions’.
The Majlis was chaired by Dr Amna bint Abdullah Al Dahak, Minister of Climate Change and Environment.
Held at the Permanent Mission of the United Arab Emirates to the United Nations, the Majlis brought together senior government officials and representatives of international organisations and development and financial institutions.
They examined the readiness of food and water systems and the continuity of critical supply chains, including the availability and flow of goods, energy, fertilisers and agricultural inputs through trade and transport routes.
The Majlis focused on moving from responding to disruptions after they occur to preparing proactively for risks and building resilience.
Dr Amna Al Dahak said: “Food security cannot be measured by production alone. It depends on the ability of the entire system to keep operating under pressure, from water, energy and agricultural inputs to trade, transport and supply chains. Building resilience before crises occur has therefore become a necessity.”
She explained that this requires data-driven planning, diversified supply sources and trade routes, and stronger links between risk assessment, technology, partnerships and finance, so that priorities can become actionable plans and projects.
She highlighted the UAE’s approach under the National Food Security Strategy 2051, including climate-smart agriculture, the use of artificial intelligence and advanced technologies, support for farmers, and more efficient and sustainable domestic production.
Dr Al Dahak emphasised that international cooperation is essential to this preparedness, adding: “Real resilience cannot be built in isolation. It requires practical cooperation among governments, international organisations, financial institutions and the private sector. Our goal is to move from managing crises after they occur to building more resilient and prepared food and water systems that help countries and communities protect their security and future.”
The Majlis was moderated by Dr Tarifa Ajeif Alzaabi, Director General at the International Center for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA). At the start of the discussion, Dr Alanoud Abdulla Alhaj, Assistant Undersecretary for Green Development and Climate Change at MOCCAE, presented the evidence and context that framed the dialogue.
The Majlis participants included Pedro Manuel Moreno, Acting Secretary-General and Deputy Secretary-General of UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD); Rania Dagash-Kamara, Assistant Executive Director for Partnerships and Innovation at the World Food Programme (WFP); Courtney Hood, Head of Office for IFAD’s American Liaison Office in New York City; Iffath Sharif, Director for Social Policy at the World Bank Group; Felipe Carazo, Head of Sustainable Commodities at the Tropical Forest Alliance, World Economic Forum; and Hussain Azhaan, Second Secretary at the Permanent Mission of the Maldives to the United Nations.
The discussions focused on identifying vulnerabilities across food and water systems and supply chains, and assessing how disruptions to energy and trade, or the availability of fertilisers and agricultural inputs, could affect production and prices. Participants also examined ways to diversify supply sources, markets and logistics routes, strengthen strategic stockpiles, and improve data sharing for planning and decision-making.
The dialogue further addressed the development of early-warning and decision-support tools, ways to connect national priorities with technical expertise and appropriate finance, and cooperation among governments, international organisations, financial institutions and the private sector. These approaches can help countries prepare for disruptions and reduce their effects on farmers, consumers and communities.
Beyond the Majlis, MOCCAE and HE Dr Al Dahak took part in other discussions during UNGA high-level week, connecting international climate action with the resilience of communities and economies.
On September 24, Dr Amna Al Dahak delivered the UAE’s statement at the ‘High-Level Meeting on Addressing the Existential Threats Posed by Sea Level Rise’, reaffirming the UAE’s solidarity with Small Island Developing States and coastal communities.
She called for accelerated implementation of the Paris Agreement and the UAE Consensus to keep 1.5°C within reach, highlighting the UAE’s target of reducing net greenhouse gas emissions by 47% by 2035 against 2019 levels, on the path to net zero by 2050. Her Excellency also called for greater access to grants and concessional adaptation finance without increasing debt burdens, noting the UAE’s pledge of US$100 million to the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage.
She emphasised the role of coastal ecosystem restoration, including mangroves, in adaptation efforts, and called for greater sharing of ocean data, stronger early-warning systems and the involvement of affected communities.
She also underscored the need for continued dialogue on sovereignty, statehood and the protection of affected populations. Linking these priorities to the 2026 UN Water Conference, co-hosted by the UAE and Senegal in Abu Dhabi from December 8 to 10, she called for action to protect freshwater from saltwater intrusion and strengthen coastal water and sanitation systems.
On the same day, Dr Al Dahak participated in the ‘High-Level Solutions Dialogue on Accelerating Green Industrialisation: From Ambition to Implementation’. She highlighted green industrialisation as a practical pathway linking climate action, economic growth and long-term competitiveness. She called for closer alignment of industrial policies, clean energy, finance and technology, alongside financing that lowers the cost of capital and supports markets for low-carbon products.
Such measures can help developing countries build sustainable value chains and advance their green industrial transformation in line with national priorities.
On September 25, she participated in a dialogue titled ‘Expanding the Finance Base: The Urgent Case for Scaling Up Loss and Damage Finance’, organised by the Government of the Philippines and the Secretariat of the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage (FRLD). She stressed the need to move swiftly from pledges to accessible, effective finance that provides tangible protection for communities most vulnerable to climate impacts.
Dr Al Dahak highlighted the UAE’s pledge to the Fund, the launch of the ALTÉRRA climate investment vehicle, and the UAE’s partnership with the Philippines through the ‘Clean Rivers’ initiative to restore the Pasig River.
Her Excellency called for a broader contributor base and stronger funding delivery channels to help vulnerable countries access resources and resilience-building solutions more quickly.
On September 26, she participated in ‘A Decade of Action: Youth Shaping the Future’, a discussion hosted in New York by Masdar’s Youth 4 Sustainability (Y4S) platform. She addressed the role of innovation and emerging technologies in turning climate ambitions into tangible results, and the importance of enabling young people to help design and implement climate solutions over the coming decade.
Together, these engagements reflect MOCCAE's role in advancing the UAE's participation in international discussions on climate action, water and food security, and sustainable development. They also reinforce an approach that links economic growth and innovation with preparedness and community resilience amid global change.
