Dubai Municipality Hosts Second Session Of Dubai Food Safety Forum To Raise Awareness

Dubai Food Safety Forum, organized by Dubai Municipality, holds its second session today on June 6, in observance of World Food Safety Day, which falls on June 7 every year. The second session of the Forum is being held at Taj Exotica Resort and Spa, the Palm, Jumeirah, under the theme ‘Food Safety: Preparing for the Unexpected.’

Dubai Food Safety Forum aims to raise public awareness of the critical impact that food safety has on protecting public health, promoting collaboration among partners, as well as highlighting the significance of proactive measures to avert and respond to food safety incidents. As a major hub for international trade and economic exchange, the UAE, and the Emirate of Dubai, play a critical role in protecting and preserving the resilience of the global food supply chain.  

H.E. Dawoud Al Hajri, Director General of Dubai Municipality, emphasized the numerous challenges that humanity faces today, with their effects impacting various vital sectors, such as food accessibility and safety. This underscores the need for concerted and persistent international action to identify solutions that support the maintenance of global supply chain, assurance of a safe and healthy food sector, and even the development of adequate plans for any global crisis. In keeping with this, the UAE's proactive and strategic approach has reinforced its focus on global indicators and helped to create an integrated and sustainable food system.

H.E. Al Hajri said: "In order to improve the Emirate of Dubai's readiness and capacity to handle potential challenges and crises, while also maintaining the highest standards of food safety and health, the Dubai Municipality is actively formulating comprehensive plans to build a sustainable food and health system. Moreover, this is intended to achieve the Emirate’s vision of becoming the world's leading city for living, working, sustainability, and quality of life by guaranteeing that communities have access to safe and quality food."

Dr. Kayan Akram Jaff, Adviser and Head of Mission of the Subregional Office of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations for the GCC states and Yemen emphasized the importance of renewing the commitment of all parties to ensuring food safety for all, underscoring the importance of preparedness in the face of the unexpected.

He added : ”The collaboration between FAO and the Dubai Municipality fortifies our joint efforts in promoting food safety regionally. Through collective action, we can harness our resources and expertise to effectively address food safety challenges and build a safer and healthier food supply for future generations.”

The Forum welcomes a significant number of government and private entities, as well as several international organizations, like the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology, Dubai Future Foundation, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), along with several experts and food safety activists at the local and international levels.

In light of the growing number of issues facing the world, such as the prevalence of food-borne illnesses and the effects of climate change on food, the Forum covers debates, opinions, and experiences that are centred on the importance of ensuring food safety for all segments of the society. Participants will also discuss crucial recommendations for the global food sector, such as implementing robust and enhanced surveillance systems, ensuring food safety through the creation of regional and international food safety contingency plans, and collaborating across all sectors to guarantee prompt and efficient response to potential threats. This is significant as the timely and accurate exchange of information among relevant partners, including the government sector, helps to control the outbreak of food-borne diseases, thereby strengthening risk management and assessment.

Likewise, Dubai Municipality conducted an induction on ‘DM Food Elite, ’aimed at educating audiences about the importance of the program. The session recognised the groups that made significant contributions to Dubai's robust food safety system and highlighted their accomplishments in a variety of fields, especially innovation and sustainability.

Dubai Municipality has celebrated the World Food Safety Day every year since its inception, with the participation of food establishments and agents in the UAE, key government sectors, as well as educational institutions and international organisations, most notably the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). This year’s event serves as more evidence of the Municipality's commitment to a safe and healthy future for its communities.