Oman chairs 34th meeting of GCC Agricultural Cooperation and Food Security Committee

Muscat: The Sultanate of Oman, represented by the Ministry of Agricultural Wealth, Fisheries and Water Resources, chaired today the thirty-fourth ministerial meeting of the Agricultural Cooperation and Food Security Committee for the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, at the headquarters of the Advisory Body of the Supreme Council of the Arab Gulf States.

H.E. Dr. Saoud Hamoud Ahmed Al-Habsi, Minister of Agricultural Wealth, Fisheries and Water Resources, Chairman of the meeting, stressed in his speech the support of  the leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries to make achieving food security a consistent goal through developing a joint strategy for food security.

It takes innovation and technology as a basis for joint work, in addition to forming alliances to enhance sustainable and diversified supply chains for the region.

His Excellency added that the extent of the tireless and successful efforts made by the Agricultural Cooperation and Food Security Committee through its agricultural, animal, fishery and food security technical committees in following up on the decisions issued and proposing joint cooperation projects; It has borne fruit by issuing a number of laws, regulations and administrative legislation, implementing research and studies, and unifying positions in national, regional and international conferences over the past years, and has contributed to the growth and development of sectors related to food security in the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council.

His Excellency pointed out that a series of successive crises have descended on the world, negatively affecting supply chains. This resulted in a rise in the prices of strategic commodities, and some exporting countries imposed restrictions on their food products. This demonstrated the importance of joint solidarity work and strengthening the food security system in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries through investment in projects related to food security, pointing to the need to urge financing bodies to support and facilitate procedures in the banking sector.

The meeting discussed a number of topics, including: the Fertilizers and Agricultural Soil Improvers Law and its executive regulations for the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, the organic inputs and products system and its executive regulations. It also discussed the unified purchase of veterinary medicines and vaccines, the veterinary quarantine law, and the executive regulations for the Law on the Practice of Veterinary Medical Professions for the Gulf Cooperation Council countries. The Gulf indicative plan to address the phenomenon of bacterial resistance to antibiotics in the veterinary field, in addition to preparing a unified strategy for food security for the GCC countries (2025-2030).