Global Food Security Summit 2026 Launches Tanzania-UAE Green Silk Road Initiative
The inaugural Global Food Security Summit explores integrated agricultural value chains and cross-border collaboration, with the launch of a landmark partnership designed to strengthen food system resilience across regions.
Abu Dhabi has hosted the opening sessions of the Global Food Security Summit 2026, a significant international gathering examining the policies, partnerships and investments necessary to address contemporary food security challenges. The summit, organised under the theme “Global Collaboration for Food Security for All,” has drawn participants from more than 70 countries, including over 20 ministers and 80 speakers.
A principal announcement from the summit’s first day was the launch of the Tanzania-UAE Green Silk Road Initiative, a strategic partnership between Abu Dhabi National Investment and Development, the Tanzania Mercantile Exchange and Tanzanian partners. Rather than functioning as a conventional trade route, the initiative operates as an integrated value chain encompassing agriculture, technology, investment and market access, linking production, processing, storage, logistics and distribution between the two nations.
Shamsa Al Fahim, Chief Executive Officer of ADID, emphasised that contemporary food security extends beyond supply considerations to encompass the construction of resilient systems capable of producing, processing, storing and transporting food efficiently. Godfrey Malekano, CEO of the Tanzania Mercantile Exchange, highlighted his country’s substantial agricultural capacity and its aspiration to serve as a future food supplier to the Gulf region, framing the partnership as a mutual investment opportunity rather than a request for developmental assistance.
The summit’s opening day featured keynote addresses and high-level panel discussions addressing international cooperation, food system resilience, agricultural innovation and investment mobilisation. Dr AbdulHakim Elwaer, Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for the Near East and North Africa at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, advocated for water-efficient farming practices, enhanced local production systems, improved cold-chain infrastructure and the reduction of food loss through technological innovation.
Saleh Abdullah Lootah, Chairman of the UAE Food and Beverage Manufacturers Group, argued that food security should be assessed not merely by production capacity but by the reliability, sustainability and cost-effectiveness of entire food systems. Panel discussions explored equitable food systems development, camel milk commercialisation, and innovative financing mechanisms. Diane Menville of the International Fund for Agricultural Development noted that smallholder farmers currently receive only 0.8 per cent of climate finance, advocating for blended finance approaches to mobilise private capital.
The summit continues to address pressing challenges including climate shocks, conflicts and market disruptions affecting global food security, positioning itself as a platform for identifying practical solutions and accelerating sustainable agricultural development.
Source: WAM