The Ministry of Climate Change and the Environment has introduced a comprehensive plan for the Eid Al Adha sacrificial season.
This includes providing all essential supplies, diagnostic tools, and a team of specialists to inspect animals intended for sacrifice to ensure they are healthy and disease-free. The Ministry will also follow all protocols and rules regarding the issuance of permits for the import of animals and sacrifices through various entry points in the UAE.
In a statement released on Thursday, Mohammed Mousa Al Ameeri, Assistant Undersecretary for the Food Diversity Sector at the Ministry of Climate Change and the Environment, stressed the Ministry’s ongoing commitment to enhance the national veterinary quarantine system by enforcing strict regulatory and inspection procedures.
“Through its precautionary measures, the Ministry conducts periodic follow-ups on the epidemiological health status developments of countries around the world through its integrated digital systems for monitoring epidemics. It also undertakes preventive measures to ban the import of live animals and their products from affected countries, only allowing imports when declared free of infectious and epidemic diseases,” Al Ameeri said.
“Work is ongoing in the main previously approved exporting countries to supply live animals to the country to prevent any shortage in the number of live animals during the blessed Eid Al Adha season,” he added.
The Ministry of Climate Change and the Environment announced that from the start of 2023 until mid-June, they have received and approved the entry of 366,035 animals, including sheep, goats, cows, and camels, through the various border ports of the state. This number signifies an increase of 12 percent from the same period last year when 326,913 animals were received.
Meanwhile, Shaikha Ahmed Al Ali, Acting Assistant UnderSecretary for the Regions Sector at the Ministry of Climate Change and the Environment, affirmed the Ministry’s vital role in working in synergy with partners like port authorities, customs, and various regulatory bodies.
“The Ministry gives importers a high priority and continually works to develop all service delivery channels. It has provided import services as automatic digital services issued by the system without human intervention within a time frame that does not exceed 5 minutes. It has put in place mechanisms to analyse data on demand for import services and proactively respond to it according to a flexible operating system that meets their needs in veterinary quarantine centres, such as extending working hours, enhancing them with quarantine veterinarians and laboratory technicians, providing laboratory examination requirements, and establishing alternative procedures,” Al Ali stated.
“All this aims to accomplish the services in the shortest possible time, maintain the highest quality standards, accommodate any expected increase in the number of shipments to ensure the smooth operation of the services provided to importers, and enhance their satisfaction,” she added.
Further, the Ministry has arranged all necessary supplies, technical and diagnostic resources, and specialised personnel to inspect the incoming shipments, ensuring the health and disease-free status of the animals during the Eid Al Adha season.
