“IFPA Forum. An open platform for OIC trade and investment” was held at the Foodtech Summit of Gulfood Manufacturing on November 10, 2022. The Forum was organized with the collaboration of F&B Manufacturing Group and FoodTech Valley. The Forum agenda included an opening speech by H.E. Eng. Mohammed Mousa Alameeri, Assistant Undersecretary, Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, and a keynote address by H.E. Prof. Yerlan A. Baidaulet, DG of IOFS, with the most important point being the announcement of the relocation of the IFPA office in Dubai. H.E. Mrs. Latifa El Bouabdelaoui's presentation provided data on OIC trade in the agri-food sector, which served as the foundation for a panel session discussion on the development of intra-OIC agri-food trade and investment, as well as how effectively IFPA could facilitate trade and promote investment through its new geolocation in Dubai. H.E. Saleh Lootah, Chairman of F&B Manufacturing Group, moderated the panel discussion. He had a fruitful discussion on the topic with speakers H.E. Prof. Yerlan A. Baidaulet, DG of IOFS, H.E. Latifa El Bouabdelaoui, DG of ICDT, Mr. Mubarak Rashid Al-Sahuti, VP of Commercial Affairs of Hassad Food Qatar, and H.E. Mr. Rauan Zhumabek, General Counsel of Kazakhstan in Dubai and Northern Emirates.

An MoU on cooperation in developing sustainable, innovative, and common solutions for the industry was signed immediately following the session between the IFPA-subsidiary of the Islamic Organization for Food Security (IOFS) and Food Tech Valley, a UAE-government-led initiative designed to address food security locally, regionally and globally.     

H.E. Yerlan A. Baidaulet, DG of IOFS held several important meetings on Food security issues with H.E. Eng. Mohammed Mousa Alameeri, Assistant Undersecretary, Ministry of Climate change and environment, Mr. Liaquat Ali Warraich, Permanent mission of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to OIC, H.E. Mrs. Latifa El Bouabdelaoui, DG of ICDT, H.E. Mr, Saleh Lootah, Chairman F&B Manufacturing Group, and Mr. Mubarak Rashid Al – Sahuti, Hassad Food.        

IFPA Forum brought together members and partners from Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Tatarstan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates. Kazakhstan Oil and Fat Association, Kazakhstan Sugar and Food Processing Association, Amar Holding Group, Optograd Kazakhstan, and others held fruitful business matching meetings with ICD (IsDB Group), Hassad Food Qatar, and Al-Islami for the purpose of business collaboration.