The Minister was accompanied by His Excellency Sultan Alwan, Acting Undersecretary at the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE), and Dr Ibrahim Al Jamali, Director for the Northern Emirates Region at MOCCAE. His Excellency Dr Al Nuaimi discussed with federal and local officials at the crossing the ability to accommodate a higher volume of inbound consignments, as well as to enhance the flexibility and speed of the animal testing and release services.

His Excellency Dr Al Nuaimi said: “Through turning the UAE into the most popular regional center for the import and re-export of goats, cattle, and camels, the Ministry aims to ensure food security in the country in line with highest international standards, as well as to improve the UAE’s competitiveness and the economic revenue from livestock imports.”

He noted that assessing the capacity of the UAE’s ports to accommodate an increase in the volume of inbound shipments and ascertain the readiness of its labs to expedite processes is the priority at this time.  

In H1 2020, the UAE’s ports received 461,228 units of livestock for local consumption from 24 countries.

Stopping over at the fishing harbor in RAK, the Minister also engaged in a conversation with local fishermen to receive their feedback on the port’s services.

As part of the tour, the Minister visited the RAK Municipality’s Food Control Lab, and met with His Excellency Munther bin Shukr Al-Zaabi, Director General of RAK Municipality. They discussed ways to enhance future cooperation in the area of food safety.

His Excellency Dr Al Nuaimi also toured the lab and was briefed on its processes to ensure the safety of food products traded in the local market.

The tour is part of a series of visits His Excellency Dr Al Nuaimi is conducting to boost work processes and ensure the flexibility of service provisions to achieve the Ministry’s strategic objectives of food security and safety.