Jordan's Minister of Agriculture praises the depth of the historic relations between the UAE and Jordan and the success of the Award in the development of the date palm growing sector, date production and agricultural innovation in the Arab region

His Excellency Dr. Saleh Al-Kharashi, In-Charge Minister of Agriculture, of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, praised the depth of historical bilateral relations between the two countries, and the close cooperation under the leadership of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, and his brother, His Majesty King Abdullah II of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, May God bless them. Referring to the success achieved by the Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation in organizing the Jordan International Date Palm Festival for the second year in a row and the preparation of the national strategy for the development of the date palm sector in Jordan and other programs under work, has contributed to the reputation of Jordanian dates and increased demand at the regional and international levels. Thanks to the support of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Presidential Affairs, and the continuous follow-up and attention of His Highness Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, Minister of Tolerance, President of the Award’s Board of Trustees. This came during the opening of the scientific symposium entitled "Dates are a Strategic National Product" organized on the evening of Wednesday, June 17, 2020 by the Jordanian Agricultural Engineers Union and the Jordanian Dates Association under the patronage of His Excellency Dr. Saleh Al-Kharashi, In-Charge Minister of Agriculture of Jordan.

For his part, Dr. Abdelouahhab Zaid, Secretary General of the Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation, noted during his participation in the symposium that it has become clear that the development of date palm is a special priority on the map of comprehensive agricultural and economic development, as the date palm in the UAE and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan represent the increasing economic importance of enhancing food security through the development and exploitation of our natural resources and achieving sustainable development.

He stressed in his intervention during the seminar that the Jordan International Date Palm Festival, organized by the General Secretariat of the Award was successful for the third year in a row in cooperation with the Jordanian Ministry of Agriculture and the Jordanian Dates Association with honor and support from His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Presidential Affairs, and follow-up of His Excellency Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, Minister of Tolerance, President of the Award’s of the Board of Trustees. One of the most successful minors of cooperation between the two countries is that the good leadership given to strengthen the bonds of organization and mutual cooperation.

It also came to emphasize the depth of historical bilateral relations and the close cooperation between these two countries.

For his part, H.E. Engineer Abdelhadi A. Al-Falahat, President, of Jordanian Agricultural Engineer Association, pointed out the constructive role played by the Award in the development of the date palm growing sector and dates producing and upgrading it not only in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, but also in the Arab and international levels.

H.E. Anwar Haddad, President of the Jordanian Dates Association, expressed his appreciation for the role of the General Secretariat of the Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation, in its achievement, praising the progress of cooperation and success in promoting sustainable development, between the UAE and Jordan, where it will not only stopped at the limits of the festival, but is a noble and prestigious relationship between these two moving forward together  to achieve its goals in cooperation with both the Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation and the Jordanian Ministry of Agriculture, where the plan was completed to develop the strategy for the date palm sectors in Jordan, and a number of recommendations made by the joint technical committees over the past years are also under way.

The Secretary General of the Award concluded his speech at the scientific symposium, stressing the international status achieved by the Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation and its constructive role in the development of date palm cultivation and date production and the need to upgrade it at the Arab and international levels, thanks to the great support of the Award's Patron Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE President "May God bless him", and the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, UAE Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, supported His Highness Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, Minister of Tolerance and President of the Award’s Board of Trustees. Having achieved significant success in organizing the Egyptian International Date Palm Festival for four years in a row, the  Sudan International Date Palm Festival for four consecutive years, and the Jordan International Date Palm Festival for three consecutive years, we are on the process of organizing the First  Mauritania International Date Palm Festival at the end of this year hopefully.

His Excellency also thanked the UAE Embassy in The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, which has spared an effort in providing all the necessary facilities to make the festival a success and achieve its noble goals.