UAE and Serbia deepen food partnership

UAE and Serbia have moved to expand cooperation on sustainable food security after Dr Amna bint Abdullah Al Dahak, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, met Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić at the Serbia Palace in Belgrade, placing agriculture, agri-tech and resilient supply chains at the centre of a widening bilateral economic agenda.

The meeting formed part of a UAE state and business delegation visit to Serbia, held alongside the International Agricultural Fair in Novi Sad, one of the region’s major agricultural trade platforms. Discussions focused on ways to strengthen food production, investment, technology exchange and logistics links at a time when governments are reassessing the security of food supply chains amid climate stress, geopolitical disruptions and shifting commodity markets.

Al Dahak’s talks with Vučić underscored the growing strategic value of Serbia in the UAE’s food security planning. Serbia’s agricultural base, location between Central and South-East Europe, and access to regional markets give it a role beyond bilateral trade. For the UAE, which has long relied on diversified import routes and overseas agribusiness investments to reduce exposure to supply shocks, Serbia offers a combination of farmland, processing capacity and logistics connectivity.

The visit also included engagement with Serbia’s agriculture and economy leadership. Al Dahak met Prof Dr Dragan Glamočić, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management, to examine cooperation in agricultural innovation, livestock development, food security and the sustainable use of water resources. The agenda reflected both countries’ focus on climate-smart agriculture, a field gaining urgency as water scarcity, heat stress and extreme weather alter production patterns across several regions.

At the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia, Al Dahak held talks with its president Marko Čadež on opportunities in agribusiness, food processing, agri-tech, food-tech and supply-chain development. Čadež said Serbia could serve UAE companies as a hub for the European market, while Serbian companies could use the UAE as a gateway to Gulf and wider Middle Eastern markets. The chamber also highlighted scope for cooperation among scientific institutions, private companies and logistics operators.

Bilateral trade has gained momentum since the UAE-Serbia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement was signed on 5 October 2024 and entered into force on 1 June 2025. The agreement eliminates or reduces tariffs across the vast majority of product lines, with more than 96 per cent of UAE imports from Serbia benefiting from immediate tariff removal and more than 95 per cent of Serbian imports from the UAE receiving similar treatment. It is expected to strengthen trade, investment, supply-chain integration and private-sector partnerships.

Food security has been a recurring priority in UAE-Serbia engagement. Agriculture, logistics, renewable energy and technology featured prominently in earlier leadership-level talks between President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Vučić in Belgrade. The partnership has since broadened from political and investment ties into a more structured economic framework shaped by the CEPA and by increasing private-sector participation.

UAE-linked agribusinesses already have exposure to Serbia’s agricultural sector. The delegation’s visit to Zobnatica and Agro Sava offered a closer look at Serbia’s production systems and the role of UAE investment in farming and food supply infrastructure. Such assets are significant for the UAE’s broader approach of combining domestic innovation with overseas partnerships, rather than relying on a single model of food resilience.

The UAE has been pursuing a parallel domestic strategy to raise local production through controlled-environment agriculture, food technology and strategic reserves. Initiatives such as Food Tech Valley in Dubai and partnerships signed during the Emirates Agriculture Conference and Exhibition 2026 are intended to strengthen production efficiency, diversify supply chains and expand the use of advanced farming systems. Silal Group signed 14 strategic partnerships in April with food-sector companies covering supply, processing and reserves, aligning with the National Food Security Strategy 2051.

Serbia’s appeal lies not only in crop and livestock production, but also in its ability to connect production zones with European, Balkan and Gulf-facing trade corridors. For Serbian businesses, closer UAE ties offer access to capital, ports, retail networks and high-growth consumer markets. For the UAE, Serbian agriculture can support diversification away from vulnerable routes and contribute to a more distributed food security network.