Sharjah: A powerful exchange between Finland and Sharjah at the International Government Communication Forum (IGCF 2025) positioned comprehensive security at the centre of global conversations on sustainable governance and the well-being of societies.
According to Emirates News Agency, the session 'Finland's Perspective on Comprehensive Security - Food Security and Its Connection to Water and Climate' held on Day 1 of IGCF 2025 at the Sharjah Expo Centre, featured Sheikh Fahim Al Qasimi, Chairman of Sharjah's Department of Government Relations (DGR), and Tula Yrj¶l¤, Ambassador of Finland to the UAE, with Sally Mousa of Forbes Middle East as the panel moderator.
Sheikh Fahim Al Qasimi offered a Sharjah perspective, where security is understood through the lens of community well-being and quality of life. He highlighted Sharjah's integrated efforts, which include the Mleiha Wheat Farm, a pioneering initiative for local wheat cultivation in desert conditions, livestock projects that strengthen local food supply chains, adaptive environmental legislation that embeds sustainability into governance, and strong educational and cultural institutions that link resilience to social cohesion.
He also reflected on the role of government communication in building trust and mobilising communities, emphasizing transparency and the importance of incorporating feedback from international partners into policy.
Ambassador Tuula Yrj¶l¤ opened her remarks by sharing Finland's approach to comprehensive security, explaining how it unites state institutions, private enterprises, civil society, and citizens into one coordinated system of preparedness. She emphasized that resilience involves actively preparing, innovating, and connecting local systems to global knowledge, with a focus on food-tech, circular economy innovations, and energy resilience.
The speakers agreed that food, water, and climate security are deeply interconnected, with Ambassador Yrj¶l¤ highlighting water as a defining security challenge. She noted the importance of the UAE's leadership in convening the 2026 United Nations Water Conference.
Sheikh Fahim added that the UAE's diplomatic culture of dialogue and invitation makes it uniquely positioned to host such global events. Both speakers articulated a call to action for policymakers worldwide, emphasizing shared responsibility, cross-sectoral cooperation, and investing in education and awareness.
The panel concluded with a joint call for greater cooperation, knowledge exchange, and innovation to confront climate change, desertification, and resource scarcity.
In another session titled 'Food Security: The Fundamental Pillar of Societal Sustainability,' Majid Sultan Al Zaabi, Partnerships Specialist at the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA), highlighted the entity's responsibility for food security initiatives in the UAE. Al Zaabi pointed out the authority's strategy for sustainable food security and safety, which includes 74 local and national initiatives and partnerships with institutions like KidZania and Spacetoon.
He added that the authority's initiatives include the His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Award for Agricultural Excellence and World Food Week, aiming to support the agricultural sector and promote awareness among society, especially children.