UNDP working on designing insurance policies for broad protection for farmers in Arab region: UN official

Dr. Abdallah Al Dardari, Assistant Secretary-General and Director of the Regional Bureau for Arab States (RBAS), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), has unveiled a new project targeting 100 million farmers in the Arab region.

The initiative aims to design insurance policies based on climate risks specific to each area, providing broader protection for farmers, who are responsible for producing 70% of the region’s food supply.

Speaking to the Emirates News Agency (WAM) on the sidelines of the first day of the World Government Summit (WGS) 2025 in Dubai, Dr. Al Dardari stated that the first insurance policy for farmers is expected to be issued before the end of 2025, with the project set to be officially announced during the International Conference on Financing for Development in Seville, Spain, in July.

He explained that the project is a coalition comprising dozens of governmental and private entities as well as global insurance companies, allowing the insurance coverage to expand as more organisations join the alliance.

Dr. Dardari highlighted that the UNDP allocates approximately $900 million annually in aid and grants to Arab countries for climate change, economic management, and human development, making it a key development partner in the region.

Regarding artificial intelligence (AI), Dardari emphasised that it has become an essential tool for achieving high growth rates. He pointed out that AI contributes to nearly 70% of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

On UNDP’s participation in the summit, Al Dardari affirmed that the organisation regularly takes part in the World Government Summit and expressed his pride in representing the UN Secretary-General this year.

He noted that the UNDP has extensive partnerships with various summit participants, including governments and the private sector. Among these partnerships is a strong collaboration with e& to enhance the region’s digital infrastructure, as well as cooperation with the UAE’s Ministry of Artificial Intelligence to build an AI knowledge base. Additionally, there is an agreement with the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence to develop advanced AI models tailored to the Arab region.

Al Dardari further highlighted one of UNDP’s key projects in the UAE—the Global Knowledge Index, which helps shape technology and knowledge economy policies worldwide, including in Arab countries.

He also revealed plans to sign two additional agreements with UAE government institutions to further strengthen developmental cooperation in the region.

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