A WAM report dated 27 September describes a high-level ministerial Majlis convened in New York by the UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) during the United Nations General Assembly’s 81st session. Held at the UAE’s Permanent Mission to the UN, the dialogue was titled “From Shock to Resilience: Safeguarding Food Security and Critical Supply Chains Amid Regional Disruptions” and chaired by Minister Amna bint Abdullah Al Dahak. Participants examined how prepared food and water systems are and how critical supply chains can keep operating, including the movement of goods, energy, fertilisers and agricultural inputs through trade and transport routes.

The discussion centred on shifting from responding after disruptions occur to preparing for risks in advance. Participants considered how interruptions to energy and trade, or constraints on fertiliser and other agricultural inputs, could affect production and prices. They also discussed diversifying suppliers, markets and logistics routes, strengthening strategic stockpiles and improving data-sharing for planning and decisions. The agenda treated resilience as a system-wide issue linking production with the routes and services needed to move food and water to consumers.

Al Dahak said food security cannot be measured by production alone: it also depends on water, energy, farm inputs, trade, transport and supply chains continuing to function under pressure. She called for data-driven planning that connects risk assessment with technology, partnerships and finance. As examples of the UAE’s approach under its National Food Security Strategy 2051, she cited climate-smart agriculture, artificial intelligence and advanced technologies, support for farmers and more efficient, sustainable domestic production.

The session was moderated by Tarifa Ajeif Alzaabi, Director General of the International Center for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA). MOCCAE Assistant Undersecretary Alanoud Abdulla Alhaj presented the evidence and context for the discussion. Participants included representatives of UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the World Food Programme, the International Fund for Agricultural Development, the World Bank Group, the World Economic Forum’s Tropical Forest Alliance and the Permanent Mission of the Maldives to the UN. Their participation brought trade, humanitarian response, development finance and sustainability perspectives into the conversation.

The dialogue also addressed early-warning and decision-support tools, matching national priorities with technical expertise and suitable finance, and cooperation among governments, international organisations, financial institutions and private companies. The WAM account reports a policy discussion and does not announce a fund, contract or infrastructure project. Its focus was how countries can prepare for disruptions and reduce their effects on farmers, consumers and communities. The agenda linked food security to water systems, energy, agricultural inputs, logistics and information-sharing, reflecting the interdependence of the supply chains that sustain food availability.