Post by : Badri Ariffin

The Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA) recently hosted a high-level workshop focused on easing the temporary movement of camels across Gulf borders while ensuring adherence to stringent animal health, biosecurity, and welfare standards.

Jointly organized with the Camel Middle East Network (CAMENET), the UAE Camel Racing Federation, and the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), the event is part of broader regional efforts to modernize and harmonize procedures for camel involvement in competitions, festivals, and cultural events.

Key officials and experts from various organizations, including the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE), ADAFSA, CAMENET Steering Committee, and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), were present, alongside representatives from national and international camel racing federations and clubs in the region.

The workshop presented innovative initiatives designed to facilitate camel movement while ensuring animal health safety. A notable proposal was the Smart Gateway initiative by M42 Environmental Sciences, which includes a digital platform and tracking system aimed at reducing processing time, resource utilization, and enabling sustainable data sharing among authorities.

MOCCAE introduced a Green Route initiative, suggesting a designated pathway for camels involved in regional events to expedite procedures and improve coordination among relevant agencies, ensuring more efficient transportation. Additionally, WOAH proposed unified regional health certificates to accelerate cross-border travel while upholding robust veterinary and biosecurity controls within a standardized framework.

Participants hailed these initiatives for their significant role in supporting camel sports and cultural events while enhancing regional health protections.

In conjunction with the workshop, the 8th Technical and Steering Committee Meeting of CAMENET occurred during Global Food Week 2025, reviewing the network’s Five-Year Work Plan (2026–2030), focused on five key areas: animal welfare, camel health diagnostics, risk assessment, research and studies, as well as the One Health approach.

Member nations provided comprehensive updates on their camel sectors, discussing herd demographics, industry challenges, and potential collaborations to improve veterinary health and knowledge sharing.

At the end of the meetings, participants reiterated CAMENET’s crucial role in promoting the camel industry in the Middle East, bridging knowledge gaps concerning camel health and husbandry, and bolstering regional biosecurity frameworks.

Asma Abdi Mohamed, Director of Biosecurity Affairs at ADAFSA, highlighted that Abu Dhabi's hosting of these meetings underscores its status as a regional hub for animal health and biosecurity. She affirmed ADAFSA’s dedication to translating these discussions into actionable programs that enhance veterinary systems, increase preparedness against transboundary animal diseases, and support sustainable camel sector growth, integral to the region's cultural and economic identity.

#Global News