Cuba Establishes Alliance with UAE and Brazil for the Benefit of Food Security

The official site of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MINREX) and the account on the social platform X of the Cuban Foreign Ministry announced a joint initiative between Cuba, Brazil, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), aimed at improving food security.

This tripartite alliance was agreed upon during the 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), held from November 30 to December 12, 2023, in Dubai Expo City, United Arab Emirates.

Aiming to achieve improvements in nutritional support in Cuba, which has become a governmental priority according to the precepts established by the Law of Sovereignty and Food and Nutritional Security of 2022, the initiative starts from an agreement of financial support and distribution.

The UAE will provide the economic support to improve the adaptability of food systems and encourage increased investments in specialized projects related to production, distribution, and support of nutritious, healthy, and sustainable food systems.

This initiative will contribute to protecting the environment and limiting the impacts of climate change that affect food producers. It also reaffirms the mutual commitment to addressing critical global issues and supporting sustainable solutions in the field of food security.

Her Excellency Reem Bint Ebrahim Al Hashimy, Minister of State for International Cooperation

The Cuban ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, Norberto Escalona, also echoed the agreement in a governmental link, announcing it from his account on the social network X; in this context, the official information provided by MINREX states that the coalition aims to provide food aid worth 50 million dollars, which will be sent from Brazil.

The Minister of State for International Cooperation added that the initiative is part of the UAE’s responsibilities to face global challenges concerning climate change and food security.

In this regard, H.E. Al Hashimy affirmed that the collaboration “highlights the country’s commitment to sustainability and renewable energies, recognizing the importance of collective action on climate change and sustainability at both bilateral and multilateral levels.”

In this sense, the director of the Brazilian Cooperation Agency, Ambassador Ruy Pereira, noted that the agreement highlights the willingness for joint collaboration in support of the nutritional security of Cuban society, a fact that also reaffirms the strengthening of ties between Brazil and Cuba.

Brazil states that this initiative, based on solidarity and support, will contribute to promoting food sovereignty in the development of resilient food systems and sustainable agriculture.

In another detail, the United Arab Emirates Declaration on food systems, sustainable agriculture, and climate action of the 28th Conference of the Parties was approved by 150 countries. Correspondingly, the conference managed to secure more than 85 billion dollars in financing, and in this regard, launched a total of eleven declarations that received strong international support.

Although Cuba has faced significant challenges in terms of economy – as a result of the impact of the pandemic, climatic phenomena, high dependence on food imports, and limited access to food products – this tripartite alliance uses the strengthening of the local resilient and sustainable food system, amidst a complex economic scenario for the island.