The National Committee of Biosecurity, chaired by HE Dr. Amna bint Abdullah Al Dahak, UAE Minister of Climate Change and Environment, held its first meeting of 2024. The meeting reviewed the latest developments by the nation to promote sustainable biosecurity and roles of the Committee.
HE Dr. Al Dahak recognized the efforts of the former Minister of Climate Change and Environment, HE Mariam Almheiri, in ensuring the success of the National Biosecurity Committee. She thanked the Committee for its outstanding efforts to ensure an integrated and sustainable biosecurity and for its part in achieving the country’s ambition of becoming a regional and global biosecurity leader.
HE Dr. Al Dahak stated, “The UAE seeks to ensure sustainable biosecurity. Reducing the risk of biological factors is one of the most important pillars in achieving this goal, and in protecting the nation from the consequences and significant impacts of these hazards.”
Her Excellency stressed that in the face of escalating global risks and threats, collaborative efforts are crucial to minimizing the potential consequences of biological agents.
She added, “The next stage requires us to continue enhancing efforts to build and develop capabilities to ensure greater protection from biological risks and threats. This aligns with our commitment to preserving the UAE’s environment, ensuring the sustainability of its natural resources and promoting biodiversity for future generations.”
HE Dr. Al Dahak emphasized the importance of collaboration in strengthening mechanisms to monitoring responses to biological risks and threats, including a national framework for biosecurity. She underlined the need for the UAE to adopt a One Health approach to make progress in the areas of prevention, detection, and control of diseases affecting humans and animals as well as continuing to work on forecasting programs and anticipating potential future diseases and epidemics.
The meeting, held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Abu Dhabi, was attended by HE Mohammed Saeed Sultan Al Nuaimi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment; HE Colonel Saeed Nasser Ahmed Al Kaabi, Deputy Commander of Chemical Defense at the General Command of the UAE Armed Forces; HE Engineer Othaibah Al Qiydi, Acting Assistant Undersecretary for Sustainable Communities Sector at the MOCCAE; HE Rashid bin Rassas Al Mansouri, Executive Director of ADAFSA’s Animal Wealth sector; HE Engineer Alia Abdul Rahim Al Harmoudi, Acting Executive Director of the Environment, Health and Safety Foundation in Dubai Municipality; HE Dr. Marwan Ali Al Kaabi, Executive Director of Critical Infrastructure and Response at PureHealth; HE Hamad Saif Al Kaabi, Director of the Hazardous Materials Incidents Department at NCEMA; Mrs. Badriya Al Marzouqi, Director of the International Security Cooperation Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Engineer Khalfan Abdul Aziz Al Suwaidi, Director of the Natural Reserves and Enforcement Department at the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi; Mr. Mohammed Nasser Al Qubaisi, Director of the Hazardous Materials Department and Mr. Ibrahim Malallah Al Hammadi, Head of the Hazardous Materials Regulation and Development Department in the Weapons and Hazardous Materials Office; Mr. Saeed Al Mahrezi and Mr. Salem Al Neyadi from the Ministry of Interior; and Mr. Ibrahim Hassan Al-Dhanhani, Director of the Environmental Disasters Department at the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment and Rapporteur of the National Biosecurity Committee.
Representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, Ministry of Health and Prevention, Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Ports Security, State Security Department, Dubai Municipality, Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (SEHA), and Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi attended the meeting.
The meeting discussed a range of important topics in the field of biosecurity, including the implementation of the recommendations of the third meeting of the National Committee of the Biosecurity in 2023 and the implementation of the National Biosecurity Framework 2023-2032.
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