Date: 29 Sep, 2026
Location: New York - USA
The Arab Authority for Agricultural Investment and Development (AAAID) participated in the first annual meeting of members of the Global Flagship Initiative for Food Security, held in New York on the margins of the 81st United Nations General Assembly, bringing together participation of officials, financial and development institutions, experts and private-sector representatives.
Discussions focused on advancing food security through science, innovation and investment, strengthening international coordination, developing innovative financing mechanisms capable of mobilising capital and scaling practical solutions, and deepening collaboration among stakeholders across food systems.
H.E. Dr. Obaid Saif Hamad Al Zaabi, Chairman of the Board of AAAID, participated in two high-level sessions. The first focused on the strategic direction and priorities of the Global Flagship Initiative for Food Security, while the second examined aligning public and private investment for food security.
During the Strategic Discussion with the Flagship Steering Committee, which examined the Initiative’s priorities and future direction, as well as the role of science, innovation and partnerships in building more sustainable and resilient food systems, H.E. Dr. Al Zaabi highlighted the importance of strengthening the alignment between scientific, investment and development expertise and directing innovation towards scalable solutions that respond to the practical needs of food systems. He also underscored the importance of moving from individual initiatives towards partnerships and investments capable of delivering sustained impact.
H.E. Dr. Al Zaabi also contributed to the session on “Aligning Public and Private Investment for Food Security”, which explored the role of public-private partnerships in mobilising capital, expertise and technology, while balancing commercial viability with development impact and sustainability.
He emphasised that achieving sustainable food security requires complementary roles for governments, development institutions, investors, the private sector and farmers. The success of such partnerships, he noted, should not be measured solely by the amount of capital mobilised, but by their ability to translate capital and expertise into sustainable investments that increase productivity, improve water and resource efficiency, strengthen value chains and enhance resilience to climate and economic shocks.
Drawing on the Authority’s nearly five decades of experience, H.E. Dr. Al Zaabi highlighted AAAID’s work in mobilising capital and investment and developing partnerships with the private sector and financial and development institutions to support agricultural investment and food security across Arab countries. He underscored the importance of expanding co-investment platforms, blended finance, guarantees and financing lines to catalyse greater private capital towards food security-related investments.
He also stressed the importance of ensuring that smallholder farmers, women and youth are integrated into the economic opportunities created through such partnerships, including by improving access to finance, technology, markets and value chains. Such approaches can contribute to sustainable economic opportunities while strengthening the resilience of food systems.
The sessions brought together a wide range of officials and experts, including Professor Michael Kremer, Nobel Laureate in Economic Sciences; Dr. Yasmine Fouad, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD); Dr. Nasser Al-Kahtani and Dr. Stefan Schmitz, Co-Chairs of the Flagship Steering Committee; and H.E. Dr. Sidi Ould Tah, President of the African Development Bank Group.
The public-private investment session also featured H.E. Tim Dooley, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine of Ireland; Diene Keita, Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA); and senior representatives from Bayer and OCP Group.
AAAID’s participation in the first annual meeting of the Global Flagship Initiative for Food Security forms part of its efforts to strengthen its engagement in international platforms focused on investment, food security and sustainable finance, exchange knowledge and experience, and build partnerships that can scale investment and deliver sustainable economic and development impact across the Arab region.
