The U.A.E. has called on delegates to the International Summit on Economic Cooperation between the Russian Federation and Countries of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to unite and harness available natural resources in the fight against hunger and poverty, and voiced its support to efforts to enhance global food security using innovative approaches relying on state-of-the-art tools of scientific research in agriculture, animal resources and development. According to WAM, Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansouri, Minister of Economy, who led U.A.E. delegation of representatives of government agencies and the private sector to Kazan Summit 2014, stressed on the importance of strengthening food security, food production integration between Muslim countries, and investments in halal food industry and facilitating their access into international markets. Al Mansouri added that it is wise to work on strengthening cooperation between Muslim countries and the Russian Federation, and to invest in research, development and agriculture in order to ensure food security for future generations. Minister Al Mansouri also said that U.A.E.'s regular participation in the annual summit shows how serious it takes the issue of enhancing the economic and political cooperation with Russia. U.A.E. delegation was a guest of honour at the two-day summit at which decision makers and senior officials discussed the prospects of cooperation between Russia and OIC members on food security issues in particular, and sought to strengthen the foundations of cooperation between the two sides. Al Mansouri added that U.A.E.-Russian relations are constantly evolving and gaining more strength thanks to constant efforts of the leaderships of both countries. He also pointed out that the latest visit of His Highness General Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of U.A.E. Armed Forces, to Moscow last September, contributed strongly to the strengthening U.A.E.-Russian partnerships and economic relations. He further pointed out that their economic relations reflect their political and friendly relations, and that this has a significant effect on driving growth of joint economic projects between the two countries. President of Tatarstan, Rustam Minnikhanov, in his opening speech of the summit, welcomed the delegation of U.A.E. which he hailed as a model Muslim state which knew how to make economic and political progress, advance to a prominent stature among the world's nations and become a role model for many developing countries.
