ع
Al Bayan reported that the Federal National Council received the two draft federal laws from the government and completed parliamentary procedures to forward them for committee study and reporting. Council President Saqr Ghobash directed the plant genetic resources bill to the Health and Environmental Affairs Committee on an urgent basis while assigning the cultural heritage legislation to the Education, Culture, Youth, Sports and Media Committee. The moves form part of the council’s established procedures for legislative review ahead of any further action on the proposals.
The draft law on plant genetic resources carries particular weight because of its links to biodiversity protection, food security support and sustainable agricultural development. The proposed legislation would strengthen frameworks for managing agricultural and plant resources while aligning with national strategies that emphasise innovation and scientific research in food and agriculture. Such measures build directly on the UAE’s earlier international engagements in the field.
Research published in Cogent Social Sciences noted that the UAE acceded to the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture through Federal Decree No. 7 of 2004. The treaty promotes conservation and sustainable use of plant genetic resources alongside fair sharing of benefits arising from their application to support agriculture and food security. Facilities including a dedicated gene bank help maintain collections of plant species demonstrating tolerance to regional conditions such as drought, heat and salinity.
A sector update from the US-UAE Business Council showed that the National Food Security Strategy sets a target of lifting domestic food production to 50 percent by 2051. The Plant the Emirates initiative, introduced in October 2024, aims to increase the number of productive farms, expand organic methods, reduce waste and establish a national agriculture centre for agtech testing and public-private collaboration. These programs address climate effects on local output through advanced genetic resources and crop adaptation techniques.
The cultural heritage draft law focuses on enhancing safeguards for tangible and intangible heritage assets. It also targets preservation of national identity together with greater public appreciation of the UAE’s civilisational legacy. Committee members will now assess the text in detail before preparing recommendations for the full council.
The Federal National Council, which held its inaugural session on December 2, 1972, operates as one of the UAE’s five constitutional federal authorities. The UAE Embassy in Washington has explained on its website that the body holds a mandate to debate all proposed federal legislation and suggest amendments prior to cabinet consideration. This referral process enables specialised scrutiny that contributes to the development of laws addressing environmental, agricultural and cultural priorities across the federation.
