The workshop came in line with the Ministry's strategic plan to promote food safety in the country and is part of its main tasks to provide safe food and protect consumers from harmful, contaminated, adulterated or non-conforming food products.

Majd Alherbawi, Director of Food Safety Department at MOCCAE, affirmed that the ministry is keen on organizing activities to highlight UAE’s requirements and legislation regarding imported food in line with the National Agenda for UAE Vision 2021 in implementing a health system based on the highest international standards, aiming at developing a healthy society in a healthy environment in the country. She noted that these activities also aim at providing consumers with maximum confidence and assurance in the safety of food products in the UAE, in addition to strengthening the country’s position in the global food trading industry.

"The workshop aimed at raising the awareness of the specialists and training them on legislation, laws and mechanisms to enhance food security and the rapid response to any emergency in the UAE and the region, to better manage and organize information related to food and to control incidents detected at any stage of the food chain through effective and comprehensive responses. We also aim at providing a rapid mechanism for the exchange of information during food-related incidents among relevant and concerned authorities with food safety in the UAE and the stakeholders, as well as unifying and coordinating actions taken by all relevant authorities and stakeholders in a timely and effective manner when a food-related incident is detected, both inside and outside the country, and to establish effective links with relevant local, federal, gulf, regional and international networks."

Alherbawi pointed out that the workshop highlighted MOCCAE’s organizational structure, the federal laws and legislation related to food safety, the requirements for accreditation of slaughterhouses outside the UAE and acquiring such accreditation online, and control procedures for imported food through Abu Dhabi and Dubai entry ports.

A visit to Jebel Ali Port and the Flower Center at Dubai Airports was organized to educate the trainees on the mechanisms of applying control procedures on imported food through the country's ports.

The workshop was also attended by representatives from the Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority (ADFCA) and Dubai Municipality, who went over control procedures in each emirate to organize food products in line with the MOCCAE’s legislative procedures.