New South Wales and UAE sign MoU on Agri-food Innovation and Manufacturing at Expo 2020 Dubai

The Australian state of New South Wales (NSW) has showcased its agri-food innovation and manufacturing capabilities to strengthen further its ties with the UAE at a dinner event held at the Australia Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai.

The event was led by the newly appointed Vish Padmanabhan, NSW Senior Trade Commissioner to India and the Middle East, and Moin Anwar, NSW Trade and Investment Commissioner for UAE. They highlighted NSW's prominent companies in agtech, food & beverages and prime investment opportunities.

The event marked the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between NSW and the UAE Food & Beverage Manufacturers Group (FBMG), further cementing NSW's commitment to the region and creating future sector opportunities between the two parties.

Chairman of the UAE FBMG, Saleh Lootah, said the MoU marks a significant and inspiring shift on how the UAE and NSW will work together.

"In a rapidly changing market landscape, the ways of working need to be different than before. We must become more agile, flexible and relevant to the new reality. We will proactively join hands to bring food and beverage manufacturers from UAE and NSW together to achieve mutually beneficial outcomes," he said.

Padmanabhan said,

"Between the effects of the pandemic and climate change, the need for innovation and collaboration in food security has never been more critical."

"NSW has a long-standing reputation for high-quality, safe, sustainable food and beverage products, established freight networks, and advanced research and manufacturing capabilities. There is no better time for NSW to go global," he added.

The event was attended by government and high-ranking officials from Australia and the Middle East, including Ian Halliday, Australian Consul-General in Dubai; Justin McGowan, Australian Commissioner-General for Expo 2020 Dubai; Ahmed Saeed Belyouha, Chairman of Emirates Macaroni Factory and UAE FMBG Board Member; Mohammed Al Ghurair, Vice-Chair of Essa Al Ghurair Investment; Khaleefa Al Romaithi, Director of Government Affairs for Silal Food and Technology; and Mohamed Hage, Vice-Chair of the Australia Arab Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

The event also saw six NSW companies pitched their businesses to the buyers, investors, distributors and retailers present in the audience. Selected via competitive qualifying events, the three agritech companies and three food and beverage companies were assisted by NSW Government to produce professional videos to support their pitch at the dinner event.

Along with increasing its export and commercial footprint in the Middle East, NSW is increasingly attracting overseas investment in dedicated agribusiness and freight precincts.

News Source: Emirates News Agency