Mariam Almheiri Highlights UAE's Commitment To Sustainable Food Systems At World Economic Forum In Davos

Mariam Almheiri, Head of International Affairs at the Presidential Court and Group CEO of 2pointZero, highlighted the UAE's dedication to global cooperation and innovative solutions for transforming food systems. Her participation in the 55th World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, underscored this commitment. Almheiri engaged in two significant panel discussions, offering valuable insights and showcasing the UAE's proactive role in tackling critical global challenges.

During a panel titled 'Breaking Down Food', Almheiri stressed the importance of integrating nutrition within food, climate, and agriculture ecosystems. She shared the stage with Johan Westman from AAK, Ana Luísa Virgínia from Jerónimo Martins, and David John Haines from Flora Food Group. Almheiri stated, "Food systems transformation is one of the critical challenges of our age", but if successfully implemented could "unlock shared economic growth and prosperity, increase the resilience and food security for hundreds of millions of people, reduce negative impacts of climate change and improve the nutrition, health and well-being of everyone."

Almheiri highlighted the COP28 UAE Declaration on Sustainable Agriculture as a landmark achievement that has elevated nutrition as a central component of global climate action. She emphasised the power of partnerships and innovation in driving progress. The successful UAE-Gates Foundation Partnership was specifically mentioned for its AIM for Scale joint venture aimed at mobilising finance and scaling up action in developing nations.

In another panel discussion titled 'Leaders for a Sustainable MENA: Climate, AI, and Finance', Almheiri explored innovative partnership models for collaboration between international and regional stakeholders. She discussed government-led frameworks, dynamic value networks, green finance mobilisation, capacity-building programmes, and technology adoption as crucial elements empowering businesses to participate actively in implementing Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).

Almheiri spoke alongside Noor Ali Alkhulaif from Bahrain and Adel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir from Saudi Arabia. She added that "Governments play a vital role in creating the policy clarity necessary to mobilise the private sector in support of NDCs." Almheiri cited 2PointZero as an example of how private companies can align investments with NDC objectives to catalyse private-sector solutions that align with national climate targets.

This alignment between national strategies and private-sector action drives real progress toward emissions reductions. Businesses can directly contribute to achieving national climate goals by demonstrating measurable progress toward reducing emissions across sectors.

Mariam Almheiri expressed her conviction that partnerships are essential for leveraging innovation in global food systems projects. She noted that "What one partner lacks, the other contributes. When working in tandem towards a shared vision, this approach is extremely powerful." This collaborative approach is seen as key to addressing global challenges effectively.

With inputs from WAM