ABU DHABI: The National Committee of Biosecurity, chaired by Dr. Amna bint Abdullah Al Dahak Al Shamsi, Minister of Climate Change and the Environment, held its first meeting of 2024. The meeting reviewed the latest developments by the nation to promote sustainable biosecurity and the roles of the Committee.
Dr. Al Dahak recognised the efforts of the former Minister of Climate Change and the Environment, Mariam Almheiri, in ensuring the success of the National Biosecurity Committee. She thanked the Committee for its outstanding efforts to ensure an integrated and sustainable biosecurity and for its part in achieving the country’s ambition of becoming a regional and global biosecurity leader.
Dr. Al Dahak stated, “The UAE seeks to ensure sustainable biosecurity. Reducing the risk of biological factors is one of the most important pillars in achieving this goal, and in protecting the nation from the consequences and significant impacts of these hazards.”
She stressed that in the face of escalating global ris
ks and threats, collaborative efforts are crucial to minimising the potential consequences of biological agents.
Dr. Al Dahak added, “The next stage requires us to continue enhancing efforts to build and develop capabilities to ensure greater protection from biological risks and threats. This aligns with our commitment to preserving the UAE’s environment, ensuring the sustainability of its natural resources and promoting biodiversity for future generations.”
She emphasised the importance of collaboration in strengthening mechanisms for monitoring responses to biological risks and threats, including a national framework for biosecurity. She underlined the need for the UAE to adopt a One Health approach to make progress in the areas of prevention, detection, and control of diseases affecting humans and animals as well as continuing to work on forecasting programs and anticipating potential future diseases and epidemics.
The meeting discussed a range of important topics in the field of biosecurity, including
the implementation of the recommendations of the third meeting of the National Committee of Biosecurity in 2023 and the implementation of the National Biosecurity Framework 2023-2032.
The meeting, held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Abu Dhabi, was attended by Mohammed Saeed Sultan Al Nuaimi, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Climate Change and the Environment; Colonel Saeed Nasser Ahmed Al Kaabi, Deputy Commander of Chemical Defense at the General Command of the UAE Armed Forces; Othaibah Al Qiydi, Acting Assistant Under-Secretary for Sustainable Communities Sector at the MOCCAE; Rashid bin Rassas Al Mansouri, Executive Director of ADAFSA’s Animal Wealth sector; Alia Abdul Rahim Al Harmoudi, Acting Executive Director of the Environment, Health and Safety Foundation in Dubai Municipality; Dr. Marwan Ali Al Kaabi, Executive Director of Critical Infrastructure and Response at PureHealth; Hamad Saif Al Kaabi, Director of the Hazardous Materials Incidents Department at NCEMA; Badriya Al Marzouqi, Director
of the International Security Cooperation Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Khalfan Abdul Aziz Al Suwaidi, Director of the Natural Reserves and Enforcement Department at the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi; Mohammed Nasser Al Qubaisi, Director of the Hazardous Materials Department and Ibrahim Malallah Al Hammadi, Head of the Hazardous Materials Regulation and Development Department in the Weapons and Hazardous Materials Office; Saeed Al Mahrezi and Salem Al Neyadi from the Ministry of Interior; and Ibrahim Hassan Al-Dhanhani, Director of the Environmental Disasters Department at the Ministry of Climate Change and the Environment and Rapporteur of the National Biosecurity Committee.
Representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Climate Change and the Environment, Ministry of Health and Prevention, Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Ports Security, State Security Department, Dubai Municipality, Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (SEHA), a
nd Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi, also attended the meeting.
Source: Emirates News Agency