Department of Agriculture (DA) Undersecretary for Administration and Finance Agnes Catherine Miranda was invited by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Ambassador to the Philippines His Excellency Mohamed Alqataam Alzaabi for a short meeting at the UAE Embassy in Taguig City, Philippines on April 27, 2023.

The officials discussed about close coordination and collaboration between the two countries as it relates to strengthening cooperation on agricultural and fisheries trade.

Undersecretary Miranda expressed the country’s interest to expand its exports of agriculture and fishery products particularly on the high value crops, which forms part of the priority of the agri-fisheries sector particularly the DA, and other initiatives that will further develop the Philippine’s agriculture sector.

For his part, the Ambassador highlighted the importance of increasing trade of agriculture and fishery products to UAE considering its large trade market and strategic location in the Middle East. He specifically cited pineapples, mangoes, avocados, mangosteen, durian, buko juice, and tuna. The Ambassador offered to connect to DA’s suppliers to big supermarket chains in UAE such as Lulu and Carrefour.

Moreover, Dubai will host COP 28 in late November-December 12, 2023, and the Ambassador hopes that President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. will get to attend the important event.

Joining the Ambassador and Undersecretary Miranda are UAE First Secretary Obaid Alshehi, DA-International Affairs Division Assistant Chief Leah Samson and DA-Agriculture and Fisheries Information Division Section Chief Jo Ann Grace Pera. ### (DA-AFID/IAD)