The President of the General Libyan Union of Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture, Mohamed Al-Raied, participated in the Arab Food Security Conference in Marrakesh, Morocco on 3 October under the banner “The Role of Food Industries in Achieving Food Security”.
In an exclusive interview with Libya Herald, the President of the General Union of Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture, Mohamed Al-Raied, said that there is a great desire among the chambers of commerce in Libya and the business owners affiliated with them, in parallel with the governmental, for Libya to have a prominent and pivotal role in Arab food security.
Libya has food production capabilities
This is, he continued, because of Libya’s economic capabilities and large resources in various fields, including in the agricultural field and the manufacture of various foodstuffs, the production of which in Libya is currently in its early stages. However, the production of some foodstuffs, especially milk derivatives (various types of milk and yoghurts), as well as wheat derivatives (flour, pasta, biscuits), has reached the stage of self-sufficiency, in addition to dates and olive oil. He said several local food manufacturing companies have already begun exporting to some countries on the African continent.
Food security is important
Al-Raied pointed out the importance of local food industries, based partly or entirely on raw materials from inside and outside the country, in achieving food security within Libya and the Arab countries that have distinct, high-quality food industries that compete with food products in all countries of the world, considering joint Arab food security an issue of utmost importance.
In determining the policies of Arab economic cooperation and integration, he referred to the joint economic relations between Libya and Tunisia, which he sees as a successful experience in the field of preserving food security for the two brotherly countries.
Arab food security to avoid food poverty
The head of the Libyan General Union of Chambers of Commerce welcomed all the successful attempts and experiences in the Arab world, which are in partnership between the private sector and with great government encouragement through the development of legislation. This legislation guarantees the protection of joint Arab investments in the field of food industries to ensure the achievement of Arab food sufficiency, which makes the Arab economies able to confront the risks of food poverty.
Arab private sector investment partnerships
Al-Raied said, “We assured the participating Arab countries and businessmen from these countries of the readiness of the Libyan General Union of Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture, with government encouragement and sponsorship, to establish close investment partnerships in the field of food industries with Arab businessmen from various sisterly Arab countries to achieve economic integration in the field of food industries.”
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