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04The Arab Authority for Agricultural Investment and Development organizes the largest Arabic Economic manifestation for the advancement of agricultural development.

08 AAAID Board of Shareholders Annual Meeting

03 Introduction

10AAAID as one of the main contributors in 50 million Dinar investment in fish farming by the Tunisia Fisheries Fund.

11The work of the Al-Bageir Red Meat Project started with a projected annual output of 500 thousand for religious slaughter during Hajj and export purposes

12 The Promising Investment Opportunities of Jordan

14 AAAID Investigates Investment Opportunities of member Arab countries in Africa.

13Honoring the Arab Authority for Agricultural Investment and Development in the Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation

16 AAAID Board of Directors meetings

18 A spotlight on some of AAAID’s affiliate companies

20 Serious actions to repair AAAID’s companies that are facing problems

24 The Arab Authority’s 2016 – 2017 Development Programs and Activities

25 AAAID as a Strategic Partner in the Global Forum for Innovations in Agriculture.

26 AAAID Signs a MOU with Faal Microfinancing Company

27The participation of H.E the President of AAAID in the Forum of the Role of the Private Sector in the Development of Agriculture in Irrigated Areas

28 AAAID as a knowledge Partner during AgraME Convention and Exhibition

29The Minister of Finance of the Republic of Sudan appreciates the role of the Arab Authority for Agricultural Investment and Development in sudan.

30The Minister of Agriculture and Forestry confirms his support for the Investments of the AAAID in Sudan

31Governor of Al Jazeerah in Sudan confirms his support for the Arab Agricultural Investment and Development projects

32His Excellency the President of the Arab Authority discusses the agreements signed between the Arab Authority and the Sudanese Government

33 AAAID’s Community Initiative Program

Content

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H.E MR. MOHAMMED BIN OBAID AL-MAZROOEI

PRESIDENT AND CHAIRMAN OF AAAID

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INTRODUCTION

The first half of 2017 witnessed great achievements from the Arab Authority in the field of investment and develop-ment activities. The most notable of these achievements is the organization of the Third Arab Conference for Agri-cultural Investment in Khartoum under the slogan of “Our Food, Our Responsibility”, which was held on 27-28 Feb-ruary 2017, under the patronage of His Excellency Field Marshal Omar Hassan Ahmed Al-Bashir, President of the Republic of Sudan.The conference resulted in the signing of a number of agreements and the announcement of the launch of new projects in addition to the huge and qualitative presence that many described as a major Arab economic event.Based on the vision of the Arab Authority for Agricul-tural Investment and Development to achieve food securi-ty, the investment operations program of the Arab Author-ity for 2017 was approved at 75 million US dollars, which is based on the specific criteria for selecting or contributing to new projects, as well as the technical and economic fea-sibility of future projects.In order to cover the gap caused by shortage of red meat in Arab countries, with world-class quality and specifications, AAAID decided to establish an integrated project for the production, fattening, slaughter and marketing, export of red meat. The project is estimat-ed to have an investment cost of about 119 million US dol-lars and an annual output of about 500 thousand sheep for religious slaughter for Pilgrimage purposes and live export.As well as the fattening of 150 thousand sheep, allocating 15 thousand heads of cattle for the manufacture of meat products and 45 thousand heads of cattle for processing for the local market and export. In April 2017, the initial stages of purchasing the herds reached about 1103 heads and is expected to reach a total of 6000 head by the end of the year. The Arab authority initiated financial, administra-tive and technical restructuring of some of AAAID’s affiliate companies. The first of these companies being the Arabian Company for Preserving and Manufacturing Agricultural crops, whereby a team of experts was commissioned to prepare a five-year operational plan for the company. The Arab Authority also prepared a study to restructure the Arab Poultry Production and Processing Company. The company,s total output was expanded from 4.5 thousand tons to 7.5 thousand tons with an increased production of table eggs from 15 million eggs per year to 30 million eggs. As for the Arab Sudanese Company for Agriculture in the Blue Nile State, a five-year plan was established for the purpose of developing and enhancing the company›s per-formance. This plan showed good financial indicators.The

severe shortage of animal feed that most Arab coun-tries suffer as a result of critical climatic conditions led to the implementation of an applied research pro-gram on the site of the Arab Company for Agricultur-al Production and Processing – Al Bageir Dairy Unit.The experiment involves cultivating fodder in saline lands, where it targeted the reclamation of about 227 acres of saline land.The Arab Authority has continued its efforts to rehabilitate and raise the capacity of Arab agricultur-al cadres through the Alumni Training Program initiated by the Arab Authority since 2004. Within the project is the utilization and processing of agricultural wastes and improving their nutritional value. The Arab Authority im-plemented the program in Sudan in cooperation with the Arab Center for the Studies of Arid Zones and Dry Lands (ACSAD). A specialized training program has been imple-mented in the field of optimal investment and processing of agricultural waste. The Arab Authority for Agricultur-al Investment and Development aims to strengthen its cooperation with the concerned parties in enhancing food security from the public and private sectors as well as international and Arab organizations. AAAID signed a Memorandum of Agreement with Faal Micro-financing Company, one of the subsidiaries of Al Jazeera Sudanese Jordanian Bank, at the AAAID headquarters in Khartoum, Sudan. It is considered one of the leading companies in the field of financing small farmers in Sudan.The Arab Au-thority is keen to participate in exhibitions, forums and events that support the march towards food security. AAAID also provides certain guidelines in investment, economic, development and technical in the agricultur-al field. The Arab Authority’s participation in the fourth Global Forum for Innovations in Agriculture as a “Strategic Partner” was aimed at mobilizing global efforts to provide enough food to the growing number of the world›s popu-lation through a strategic partnership with the Abu Dha-bi Food Control Authority. The Arab Authority also had a presence at the meetings of the Arab Leagues’ Economic and Social Council Summit at its twenty-eighth session, held in Amman, Jordan, on 26-29 March 2017. The sum-mit saw the attendance of a number of Arab leaders and representatives of regional and international organiza-tions. AAAID was also selected as “Knowledge Partner” at the AgraME Exhibition, which was held at Dubai Inter-national Exhibition Center during the period of 10-12 April 2017 as it is one of the leading institutions among its peers working in the field of agricultural investment.

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The Arab Authority for Agricultural Investment and Development organizes the largest Arabic Economic manifestation for the advancement of agricultural development.

and animal resources, electricity and water re-sources, industry, as well as representatives from the league of Arab states, FAO, different investment funds, and not to mention a big number of businessmen and companies from all over world . There was also valuable con-tribution from the Union of Arab Banks, trade rooms and national and international centers working on agricultural research in Arab coun-tries as well as any regions that may be linked to agricultural advancement and development.

The Third Arab Conference for Agricultural In-vestment was organized by AAAID on 27-28 February 2017 at the Friendship Hall in Khartoum with the theme “Our Food. Our Responsibility”. Under the patronage of His Excellency President Field Marshall Omer Hassan Ahmed Al Bashir, the conference aimed at creating advancement opportunities in agricultural investment and de-velopment in Arab countries. The conference saw participation from various ministers such as agriculture, finance, investment, irrigation

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The Arab Authority for Agricultural Investment and Development organizes the largest Arabic Economic manifestation for the advancement of agricultural development.

In his speech during the opening ceremony, His Excellency President Field Marshall Omer Hassan Ahmed Al Bashir addressed the im-portance of the role carried out by the Arab Authority stating that 60% of the total invest-ment made by AAAID is in Sudan. Furthermore, His Excellency acknowledged the contribution of AAAID in the production of sugar and oil in addition to integrating modern agricultural technology in the country. His Excellency also confirmed the implementation of the processplans necessary to achieve food security in

the Arab world through development of infra-structure in agricultural regions and construc-tion of dams to increase the total production of electricity as well as simplifying the proce-dures regarding land to overcome barriers in investment On the other hand, His Excellency Mohamed Bin Obaid Al Mazrooei, AAAID Pres-ident, specified in his speech during the open-ing ceremony of the Third Arab Conference for Agricultural Investment. concentrated on His Excellency the President of Sudan’s initia-tive to gain food security in the Arab countries.

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His Excellency also reinforced the growing re-sponsibility of the Arab world to reduce the wid-ening gap in the lack of food security. His Ex-cellency Mohamed Bin Obaid Al Mazrooei also stressed the value of the involvement of the stra-tegic partners, led by the office of His Excellency, President of Sudan and the ministers of Finance and Economic Planning, Investment, Agriculture and Forestry, Industry and Animal Resources.There was five sessions to discuss at the con-ference, the first headed by His Excellency President Field Marshall Omer Hassan Ahmed Al Bashir on food security and the AAAID’s in-volvement and contribution towards reaching the goal of total food security. The second focal point was under the title of “Agricultural Invest-ment and Financial Policies in the Arab world” where research was presented regarding the challenges faced by investors in agricultural de-velopment in Arab countries. The third topic, under the title “Investment in Animal and Plant Production” discussed the reality of investing in grains and animal feed in Arab countries, as well as success stories of investment in grains and livestock sector. The fourth point on the agen-da focused on agricultural industrialization as well as discussing food processing in dairy prod-ucts, oils and sugar products. There was also dialog on investment in animal production and supporting industries. The last point of discus-sion was titled: “Innovation and Technology in

the agricultural Sector” and focused on the role of innovation in obtaining food security. Not to mention encouragement and financing of re-search and innovation in the agricultural field.It should also be noted that the conference fa-cilitated several meetings between financiers to study the investment opportunities as well as sign partnership agreements. The confer-ence was highlighted by an exhibition for some of the companies in which AAAID has had ma-jor contributions as well as companies that may benefit in the development of agricultural in-vestment in addition to some of the Arab orga-nizations and private sectors that are interested in, and aim to participate in agricultural invest-ment opportunities in their home countries. His Excellency Mohamed Bin Obaid Al Mazrooei, President of AAAID stressed the significance of achieving food security in the Arab world by uti-lizing agricultural resources available within Arab countries and implementing the resourcefulness of the leaders of Arab countries especially His Ex-cellency President Field Marshall Omer Hassan Ahmed Al Bashir’s initiative on food security. This is done by updating investment laws and regula-tions, as well as simplifying policies and econom-ic processes to attract further agricultural devel-opment opportunities from both the public and private sectors in the country; moreover, there should be bigger allocations of budgets target-ed at agricultural development in Arab countries.

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Recommendations of further involvement in research and development in the agricultural sector as well as deeper innovative advance-ment and hastening in the creation of a greater Arab trade zone are underway to create a plat-form where Arab economic trade in agricultural production and products can enhance relations between Arab countries. Furthermore, the flu-idity of capital and labor movement should be facilitated within Arab countries as well as car-ing for small and medium business owners and providing them with a platform where they can have access to companies, organizations, agri-cultural insurance agencies and a link between food security and knowledge security. It must be mentioned that the mission of organizing the conference was for AAAID to create a stage where partnership agreements are signed. That being said, AAAID is proud to announce that 21 partnership agreements and Memoranda of Un-derstanding were signed. These agreements involve : the Ministry of Agriculture and Forest-ry in Sudan, Al Itijahat Al Motaadida Company, Fidasi Al Helemab association for agricultural and livestock production, Wad Bilal company for investment and rural development, The nation-al Center for local farming, Arabic Snabil Group

and Delmon Poultry company.The launching of five projects were announced to be implement-ed during the year including the fishery project Tunisia Fun for Aquaculture. In addition, there will also be a project dealing with the storage and export of fruits and vegetables. Lastly, there will be the establishment of a research station in Mauritania. To conclude the conference, AAAID organized a number of field visits for the partic-ipants with the goal of providing them with a vi-sual representation of projects that reflect the promising role of investment in Sudan. The trips were organized to inspire companies, individuals and government bodies to have more involve-ment in agricultural investment. Some of the locations included the protected greenhouses at Dal Agricultural Company, where different species of flowers and vegetables are grown. The participants also got to visit the cowsheds where they witnessed how the automated milk-ing machines work. Another location visited was the engineering complex and digital arbo-retum at CTC Group in Khartoum, Sudan, which is considered the first of its kind in Sudan and Africa. The guests also managed to visit the Al Ahly Agricultural Project that may be a prime ex-ample of pioneering Arab investment in Sudan.

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AAAID Board of Shareholders annual Meeting

The 41st annual Board of Shareholders of AAAID meeting was held in Rabat, Morocco on 18-19 April 2017. Mediated by H.E Dr. Badr El Din Mahmoud Abbas, Minister of Finance and National Economy of Sudan, the meetings included par-ticipation from The Arab Fund for Economic Development, The Arab Investament and Export Credit Guarantee, the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA), Arab Monetary Fund and not failing to mention the Arab Authority for Agricultural Investment and Development. The representative of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, H. E Mohammed Bou Saeed, the Minister of Economy and Finance of Morocco headed the meetings. He pointed out the great role played by the fi-nancial bodies in funding investment projects and urged for more efforts to com-plete the financing of infrastructure development plans in order to improve the living standards and provide prosperity for the locals of the region. The meeting was attended by key figures from financial and banking sectors in the Arab world, led by ministers, central bank governors and heads of Arab financial institutions. H.E Mr. Mohamed Bin Obaid Al Mazrooei, President of AAAID, in his speech ex-pressed his thanks and appreciation to His Majesty King Mohammed VI of the Kingdom of Morocco for his generous patronage of the annual meetings of the Arab financial institutions. He also thanked the government and people of Morocco for their hospitality and generosity, as well as congratulating H.E Dr. Badr El Din Mahmoud Abbas on his election as Chairman of the 41st AAAID Board of Shareholders meetings. Mr. Al Mazrooei further expressed his grat-itude to H.E Mr. Obaid Humaid Al Tayar, Minister of State for Financial Affairs of UAE for his positive role during his leadership of the previous session of the Board of Shareholders meeting. Finally, he thanked the Republic of Sudan and the United Arab Emirates for hosting the headquarters in Khartoum and the regional offices in Dubai, and for the support and facilities that they pro-vided for the Arab Authority for Agricultural Investment and Development.

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The President of AAAID stated in summary of the 2016 financial reports that the shareholders’ equity reached approximately USD 801 million compared to last year’s USD 743 million. He further specified that the total value of AAAID’s invest-ments in companies reached about USD 517million, representing 94% of the Arab Authority’s paid-up capital of USD 605million. On the topic of agricultural proj-ects, H.E Mr. Mohamed Bin Obaid Al Mazrooei expressed his delight about the six new companies established in 2016, under AAAID through collaboration with the private sector in the fields of meats, fish and dairy products. This is in addition to manufacturing and marketing of horticultural crops. The Arab Authority for Agri-cultural Investment and Development has about 40 affiliate companies distributed in 12 Arab countries .His Excellency further mentioned that in the field of agricul-tural research and development programs, the Arab Authority implemented 20 development projects benefiting about 18 thousand farmers. In addition to con-firming the approval of financing of five development projects to support the Pal-estinian people with a total cost of USD 8.1 million. H.E Mr. Mohamed Bin Obaid Al Mazrooei explained in his speech to the council that this year has witnessed AAA-ID’s organization of the Third Arab Conference for Agricultural Investment under the theme “Our Food….Our Responsibility” held in Sudan where the Headquarters of AAAID is located. The conference saw great support from different sectors, most important being the patronage of His Excellency Omar Hassan Al Bashir, President of Sudan, who was not only present, but also initiated the launch of the conference. There was about 1014 participants from all over the world with differ-ent backgrounds in government, international and local institutions concerned with agricultural investment, as well as a large number of companies, investors and businesspersons. The conference resulted in the launching of new agricultur-al projects and the signing of 27 Memorandums of Understanding in the field of agricultural development between the AAAID and various Arab and International investment institutions. To conclude the meetings, the Board issued a number of resolutions that included the approval of the annual report for 2016. The budget for AAAID was ratified as of 31/12/2016, in addition to the reserves and final ac-counts. The Board also certified the allocation of 10 % of the net profits of 2016 to the statutory reserve as well as 10 % for the Al Aqsa and Jerusalem Fund as support to the people of Palestine. The Board further approved AAAID’s 2017 op-erational budget for investment projects amounting to KWD 22.96 million (twen-ty-two million nine hundred and sixty thousand Kuwaiti Dinars), which is equivalent to USD 75 million It was agreed to authorize the Board of Directors to carry out all the necessary executive procedures, taking into consideration that the criteria for choosing or contributing to a new project include the appropriate investment at-mosphere and proving the technical and economic feasibility of the project. Lastly, the representative of the Republic of Iraq was appointed as Chairman of the Board for the 42nd annual meetings whereby the representative of the State of Qatar in the Board of Shareholders was appointed Vice Chairman of the Board, both of whom are to start exercising their powers from the next scheduled meeting.

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AAAID as one of the main contributors in 50 million Dinar investment in fish farming by the Tunisia Fisheries Fund.

The celebration of the inauguration of the Tuni-sian Fund for fish farming, which, in its first stage, saw involvement from the Arab Authority for Agricultural Investment and Development, the Tunisian Bank Society and the Tunisian Deposits and Consignment Fund. It is targeted towards the increase of investment in the field of fish farming in Tunisia. His Excellency Mohamed Bin Obaid Al Mazrooei, president of AAAID, was one of the participants in the signing ceremony of the “Tunisia Fisheries Fund”, under the organization and supervision of Mr. Fadhil Abdul Kafi, Minister for Development, Investment and Internation-al Cooperation held on Thursday 16th of March 2017. The Tunisian Fisheries Fund is said to pro-vide over 50 million Tunisian Dinars in funding for organizations and business owners interested

in creating and developing projects concerning fish farming. This provides a surge in job op-portunities and is estimated to increase the na-tional output of fish products to reach 20 thou-sand tons by 2020. Additionally, His Excellency Mohamed Bin Obaid Al Mazrooei, president of AAAID, met with several businesspersons and heads of financial institutions and banks to in-troduce them to the works of the Arab Authori-ty for Agricultural Investment and Development and to discuss with them future partnerships in regards to agricultural growth. Furthermore, the conditions and developments of invest-ments made in Tunisia were discussed, includ-ing Agro-Zitex Company and Al Marga for Cattle and Agricultural Development Company as well as the future production of potato seeds project

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The work of the Al-Bageir Red Meat Project started with a projected annual output of 500 thousand for religious slaughter during Hajj and export purposes

lished a company to collect fertilize and export cattle in Sudan, 99.9% of which will be owned by the Arab Authority for agricultural Invest-ment and Development and implemented as a first stage at a cost of about 50 million Sudanese pounds. The Arab Authority also encourages in-vestors to enter into this vital and important proj-ect A founding committee of experts of the Arab Authority was formed to supervise the steps of implementation of the project, which began to perform its duties in March 2016. This was done by following up the rehabilitation of the barns in the dairy unit and recording the work name under Al Bageir Red Meat as well as appointing the technical management and auxiliary crews according to the requirements of the stage. In 2017, there was 1103 cattle head, and the num-ber is expected to complete to reach up to 6000 head during the year. The company buys the si-lage from the research experiment to cultivate the silage produced by the Arab Authority with the goal of using it as feed for fattening calves.

In 2015, the Arab authority for Agricultural In-vestment and Development established an in-tegrated project for the production, fattening, slaughter, marketing and export of red meat in order to cover the food gap of red meat in the Arab countries with the quality and specifica-tions of the world standards.The investment cost of the project is about 119 million US dollars with an annual output of 500 thousand heads of sheep for religious slaughter during Hajj and ex-port purposes, 150 thousand heads of sheep, 45 thousand heads of cattle. All to be processed for the local market and exportation, while allocat-ing 15 thousand heads of cows for the manufac-ture of meat products. The project consists of six units for the collection of animals in the regions, one unit for the fertilization of sheep, one unit for the fattening of cows in Khartoum state as well as a world-class slaughterhouse in addition to a meat processing plant and meat inspection laboratory besides other auxiliary service units As an initial stage, the Arab Authority has estab

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The Promising Investment Opportunities of Jordan

The Economic and Social Council for the Arab Sum-mit held its 28th annual meeting in Amman, Jordan on 26-29 March 2017 in the presence of representatives of Arab leaders and the participation of represen-tatives of regional and international organizations.

Health Square Project, fish farming project as well as other service companies.Further-more, H.E visited the headquarters of Hijazi and Ghosheh Group to meet with the Chairman and the Director General of the company. It was es-tablished that a collaboration and coordination would be set up with the Arab Authority for ag-ricultural Development, to develop a red meat production project in Algeria, as well as the possi-bility of contributing to the red meat production project in Mauritania. There was also a dialogue in order to consider the possibility of contribut-ing to the Future Emirates Project, which is con-cerned with the genetic improvement of cattle breeds for meat production on behalf of AAAID. Lastly, His Excellency met with a number of in-vestors and producers of dates in Jordan to dis-cuss the likelihood of establishing a project to manufacture, process, package and store dates.

H.E Mr. Mohamed Bin Obaid Al Mazrooei, the President of AAAID met with H.E Dr. Mokhtar Ould Aghay, Mauritanian Minister of Economy and Finance. The meeting discussed the current activities and expected future visit of the AAAID to Mauritania with the purpose of preparing for a promotional convention during 2017.His Excel-lency also met with Dr. Khalid Hanifat, Jordani-an Minister of Agriculture, where he briefed the Minister on the different activities the Arab Au-thority has in Jordan. Additionally, H.E Mr. Mo-hamed Bin Obaid Al Mazrooei requested for the preparation of a cohesive feasibility study for the establishment of a marketing company for various agricultural crops in Jordan. It was also suggested that the AAAID, in collaboration with Jordan’s private sector companies, should car-ry out studies regarding investment opportuni-ties in a potato seeds company, the Jordanian

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Honoring the Arab Authority for Agricultural Investment and Development in the Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation

H.E Mr. Mohammed Bin Obaid Al Mazrooei, Pres-ident of the Arab Authority for Agricultural In-vestment and Development, was awarded at the Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation in its 9th session at the Emirates Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi on 15 May 2017. This recognition reflects the gratitude, ap-preciation and thankfulness towards the fruitful efforts made by the Arab Authority in the devel-opment of date palms by encouraging the culti-vation of internationally desired varieties such as Al-Barahi and Al-Khulas and utilizing their ad-aptation to different environmental conditions.It is worth noting that the Arab Authority has given particular importance to this sector, espe-cially in the field of production, processing and marketing. The Arab Authority has included this sector in a development program aimed at over

coming the obstacles of investment in the fields of manufacturing and marketing with an Arab perspective aiming to establish leading invest-ment projects in Arab countries. The UAE was one of the countries that gave the Palm Tree special attention thanks to the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Na-hyan, President of the UAE and the support of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Dep-uty Supreme Commander to the UAE armed forces. The UAE has developed a prestigious international position and contributed con-structively to the development of this sector and the conservation and development of re-sources aimed at enhancing global food se-curity through many dedicated initiatives and activities that have achieved great success at both the local, Arab and international levels.

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AAAID Investigates InvestmentOpportunities of member Arab countries in Africa.

The Arab Authority for Agricultural Investment and Develop-ment seeks to promote the development of agriculture in all member countries, in addition to the transfer of technologies and localization and the development of rural communities. These activities aim to reach an advanced stage of self-suf-ficiency and increase food security in those countries and to explore more investment opportunities in agriculture. H.E Mr. Mohammed Bin Obaid Al Mazrooei, President of AAAID, accom-panied by a delegation from the Arab Authority, had a visit to the Kingdom of Morocco, The Islamic Republic of Mauritania and the Republic of Algeria during the period of 16-28 April 2017.

While visiting Morocco, H.E Mr. Mohammed Bin Obaid Al Maz-rooei and his accompanying del-egation met with H.E Mr. Mo-hamed Ali Saleh, Minister of Finance and Economy of the Re-public of the Comoros and gave a presentation on research and development activities of the Arab Authority in the field of agri-culture and fishing in the Repub-lic of the Comoros. Both parties also agreed on the importance of developing a poultry project in Comoros. His Excellency the President of AAAID also met with Dr. Sufian Sultan, Minister of Ag-riculture in the State of Pales-tine to discuss the possibility of extending the financing line for small-scale farmers in the state of Palestine. In addition to meet-ing with Mr. Ould Aziz Akhnoush, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Rural Development in the Kingdom of Morocco, where he was introduced to the different activities of AAAID in general and in Morocco specifically.Mr. Akh-noush expressed his delight with the meeting and his readiness to cooperate with the Arab Authori-ty in the field of meat production, agro-processing, acid production and the project of planting palm seedlings for date production. His Excellency also presented a pro-posal for holding a promotional seminar with the Agency for the Advancement of Investments. AAAID shall be provided with feasibility studies owned by the Agricultural Bank Group for the proposed projects in Morocco.

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Meanwhile, during the visit to Mauritania, HE the President of AAAID and the accompanying delegation met with Dr. Fatem Bint Esweina, the Minister of Veterinary Medicine of Maurita-nia, and discussed the red meat project, which is being collaborated on by both the Arab Au-thority and the Turkish company. They also dis-cussed holding a promotional day in October 2017 in Mauritania with the aim of attracting investors to the projects of AAAID in addition to highlight the investment opportunities in animal resources in Mauritania. H. E Mr. Mo-hammed Al Mazrooei also had a meeting with Mrs. Lamina Bint Al Kotb, where they discussed the possibility of benefiting from agricultur-al utilization of the Kondi channel, as well as a number of investors in the fields of dairy prod-ucts and the cultivation of trefoil and palms. At the end of the visit, H.E the President of AAAID and a number of investors paid a vis-it to the farm of the Agricultural Services Company where they viewed the experimen-tal agricultural techniques of growing po-tatoes, onions, tomatoes, melons, and wa-termelon. They finally visited the integrated

poultry project and the vo cational training cen-ter for animal production. In Algeria, H.E Mr. Mohammed Bin Obaid Al Mazrooei and his ac-companying delegation met with Mr. Boualam Jabbar, Director of the Rural Bank and Rural De-velopment, Mr. Karim Mohammed, the Director of the Local Development Bank, he also met the secretary of the Algerian Ministry of Agriculture and a number of investors. It was agreed to pro-vide the Arab Authority with detailed studies on their projects to decide the possibility of con-tributing to them. The delegation also met with the governors of the state of Medea, the state of Ain Dafla and the state of Tearat, where an elaborate presentation was made by Al Rawa-bi’s General Manager of the proposed project for the production of dairy products and AAA-ID’s interest in setting up a similar project in Al-geria. They also visited the poultry farm proj-ect and a model farm in the state of Dafla. The delegation further discussed the availability of investment opportunities in Algeria as well as the effort put in by AAAID in the project of dairy production and processing, in addition to grain production and the processing of red meats.

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AAAID Board of Directors meetings

The Board of Directors of the Arab Authority for Agricultural Investment and Develop-ment held the first of several meetings of the year on 21 March 2017 at the headquarters in Khartoum. The meeting agenda, headed by the President of AAAID, His Excellency Mr Mohamed Bin Obaid Al Mazrooei and the distinguished Board of Directors, included a number of important topics including the different investment projects of the Arab Au-thority. The Board also made a number of decisions, including a resolution encouraging the Board of Shareholders to approve AAAID’s investment projects program for 2017 in the amount 75 million USD. The meeting also facilitated the preliminary decision for AAA-ID to contribute in the project of promoting red meat in the Islamic Republic of Mauritania.

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Similarly, The Board of Directors of AAAID held its second meeting for 2017 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on 1 June 2017. The meeting, headed by H.E Mr Mohamed Bin Obaid Al Mazrooei, Chairman of the Board and President of AAAID, included a number of important topics related to the different investment projects of the Arab author-ity. The Board took a number of decisions, among them a decision approving the in-crease of the capital of the Mauritanian fish production and processing company in the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, the Arab Company for Crop Production in Sudan, the Arabian Company for preserving and manufacturing of agricultural crops in Egypt. In addition to the decision to approve the contribution of the Arab Authority in the poul-try meat production project in Kuwait as well as a decision to approve the capital in-crease of the Sudanese Arab Company for Agriculture in the Blue Nile State in Sudan.

AAAID Board of Directors meetingsdubai

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A spotlight on some of AAAID’s affiliate companies

Kenana Sugar Company

Kenana Sugar Company was established in 1975, where the Arab Authority con-tributed to the company since 1980 with a contribution of 5.59 %. This is in addi-tion to the contribution of the Government of the Republic of the Sudan by 35.33 %, Kuwait 30.64 %, Saudi Arabia 10.97 % and 17.47 % contribution from some banks and financial institutions. The project is located near the city of Rabak on the east bank of the White Nile, 250 km south of Khartoum, and has an area of 168,000 feddans (73,000 hectares) assigned for the cultivation of sugar cane.

The company aims to produce and market refined sugar, provide technical and engineering services, as well as animal production. Since its foundation in 1984, the company earned profits on a regular basis and has continued to dis-tribute a percentage of its profits to shareholders.The company’s project con-sists of the reed plant, the sugar plant with a capacity of 400 thousand tons per year, the feed plant with a capacity of 44.2 thousand tons, the ethanol fac-tory with a capacity of 60 million liters per year, and a poultry project of 4 mil-lion kilos.The average sugar production of the company (2006-2016) is about 350 thousand tons, while the production of molasses comes at about 90 thou-sand tons, the average feed production is about 31 thousand tons and last-ly, the average production of ethanol reaches up to about 25 million liters.The company has implemented a plan to expand and diversify its sources of income. It has established a number of specialized companies, the most important of which are Kenana Engineering and Technical Services, Kenana for Integrated Agricul-tural Solutions, Kenana Friesland Dairy, Kenana Plant for Exporting of Agricultural Products. It is also the main shareholder in the White Nile Sugar Company by 30 %

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A spotlight on some of AAAID’s affiliate companies

Arab Iraqi Dairy Production Company

The Arab Iraqi dairy Production Company was established in 1986, with a 50/50 share capital of a total of USD46.8 million. The company is located in the region of Kassiba, Wasit province, 75 km southeast of Baghdad.

The company aims to produce milk as a major activity with a 2000 Friesian cow station and a 50 ton per day dairy plant, as well as the growing and breeding of calves, cows and bulls. This is in addition to a farm for the production

of green fodder and strategic field crops with a total area of about 2250 hect-ares. The main activities of the company were affected in March 2003 (because of the events of the war in Iraq).The company resumed its agricultural activity in 2011/2012 through the establishment of a pumping station and conveyor pipe directly from the Tigris River. The project was fully executed at a total cost of about 2.8 billion Iraqi dinars, equivalent to about USD 2.4 million. In March 2010, the agricultural investment activities were gradually started in the agricultural season of 2011/ 2012 and in line with the security aspects of applying the pol-icy of gradually to reach the main objective of the company.It is worth noting that the company maintains investment deposits with local and foreign banks in the amount of USD 19.847 million which comes from net profits from its invest-ment deposits and agricultural activities (starting from the agricultural season of 2011/2012. All technical and financial indicators show the company’s great eco-nomic feasibility, which opens the horizons for the expansion of agricultural in-vestment activity in the event of availability of the necessary components such as reclaimed agricultural land and a permanent source of water and other things.

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Serious actions to repair AAAID’s companies that are facing problems

As part of the Arab Authority›s efforts to address and support the situation of troubled companies, finan-cial, administrative and technical restructuring studies were carried out for some companies, including the Arabian Company for Preserving and manufacturing of Agricultural Crops in Egypt, the Arab Poultry Pro-duction and Processing Company and Sudanese Arab company for agriculture in the Blue Nile State (Agadi).

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Arabian Company for Preserving and Manufacturing Agricultural Crops (APMAC)

The company was established in 1999 and AAAID holds 25.84 % of the shares in addition to the banks and other investment establishments. APMAC uses modern German technology in the production lines, and has obtained sev-en international certificates of quality and accreditation over the years.

The company is engaged in drying, preserving and packaging agricultur-al crops of paper vegetables, medicinal plants, agricultural crops, as well as manufacturing, mixing, blending, processing and packing tea with a strate-gic capacity of about 4250 tons per year.A team of experts was commissioned to prepare a five-year operational plan for the company to benefit from the productive capacities available at the company. The study showed good fi-nancial indicators and identified the financial needs required to implement the plan at 20 million Egyptian pounds. The study requested an administra-tive restructuring of the company, meanwhile, the company held an extraor-dinary meeting in which the operational plan was approved. The sharehold-ers agreed to increase the company›s capital by 20 million Egyptian pounds to provide the required financing to implement the company›s operational plan.

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Arab Poultry Production and Processing Company (APPPC) – Sudan

The company was established in 2004 after being separated from the Arab Com-pany for Agricultural Production and Processing. The Arab Authority holds 42.5 % of the shares, the government of Sudan holds 20 % while the governments of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Iraq have 12.5 % each.

The company is engaged in the production of poultry meat, table eggs, fodder and chicks. It is one of the leading companies in the poultry industry in Sudan. It has gained a good reputation in previous years. The company’s products enjoy a high reputation and high acceptance of consumers, enabling the company to sell its products at the highest prices in the local market. In the long run, the company has achieved a significant percentage of the volume of sales of poultry meat in the local market with a capacity of 4.5 thousand tons of poultry meat per year and 15 million table eggs per year as well as production auxiliary units such as hatch-ery, feed mill and slaughterhouse. The company has access to 5000 feddans of agricultural land, which is located in a strategic zone that boarders the high con-sumption areas.The Arab authority prepared a study to restructure the company and expand its main activity from 4.5 thousand tons to 7.5 thousand tons, and increase the production of table eggs from 15 million eggs annually to 30 million eggs annually and diversifying the company›s activity through the manufac-ture of poultry meat and the introduction of agricultural activity in greenhouses.

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Sudanese Arab Company for Agriculture in the Blue Nile state, Agadi Sudan

This company was established in 1982 in the Agadi area, in the Blue Nile State, 570 km to the South of Khartoum, with a total farm area of 219,000 feddans (84,000 hectare) of which160,000 is arable land. The Arab Authority contributes 51% of the capital while the Government of the Sudan holds 49 %.

The company’s production includes cultivating cotton, sorghum, sunflower, maize, sesame, millet and benefiting from the availability of rain for irrigation. In coordination with the second partner, the Ministry of Finance and Economic Plan-ning prepared a study for the financial, administrative and technical restructur-ing of the company and the development of a five-year plan to develop and up-grade the company›s performance. The plan showed good financial indicators.

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The Arab Authority’s 2016 – 2017 Development Programs and Activities

The Arab authority started implementing an applied research program on the site of the Arab Company for Agricultural Production and Processing - Dairy Unit in Al-Bageir, which is the experiment of growing fod-der in the saline lands, through which it aimed to reclaim some 227 acres of the company›s saline land. The experiment involved adding specific proportions of poultry residues and DAP fertilizer as well as Gyp-sum to the land. The whole area was grown with maize crop during the winter season 2016/2017 to be used for silage production. The Arab Authority provided a number of silage cultivation and processing machines from Turkey, in addition to ensuring that the engineers were trained to operate and maintain these ma-chines. The program has achieved an average production of about 12 tons of silage per feddan. The exper-iment also confirmed the possibility of growing maize crop in the saline lands in Sudan as long as the soil is properly treated, this is in addition to the fact that the soil was previously reclaimed at the project site.

It should be noted that the plan for this program is to expand the cultivation of maize to include areas of the Arab Agricultural Production and Processing Company (Al Bageir) with the aim of producing large-scale silage for local calves feeding, in addition to training a number of young graduates on the installation and operation of silage manufacturing machines.In continuation of AAAID’s approach to adopt the rehabilitation and upgrading of the capacities of Arab agricultural cadres, the Arab Authority in Sudan in cooperation with the Arab Center for the Studies of Arid Zones and Lands (ACSAD), work within the framework of the project of utilization of agricultural waste and its nutritional value. This is in addition to the processing implemented through the grad-uates training program initiated by the Arab Authority since 2004.

The specialized training program has been implemented in the field of: The optimal investment and processing of agricultural waste under the supervision of Dr. Mohammed Ali Garjouly, Head of Feed Resources Develop-ment during the period of 13/12/2017 - 27/12/2016, at the site of the Arab Agricultural Production and Process-ing Company in Al Bageir. The program targeted 12 trainees of graduates of colleges and agricultural institutes in Sudan in several agricultural disciplines including; agricultural engineering, Soil, Mechanics, Biotechnology and many more. Eng. Bashir Mohamed Hassan Ahmed (mechanical engineer) was nominated by the members of association of Fedasi to join the training program. This is in order to qualify and equip him to be the super-visor of the project and improve the nutritional value of food waste and processing planned in the next phase of the project in the Fedasi area of the Al Jazeera Agricultural Project located close to Khartoum city. This is in cooperation with the trust fund of the Arab Authority. The training program included the installation, opera-tion and maintenance of the agricultural waste processing machines as well as the waste of the food industry, that were purchased from ACSAD. This is with the main objective of using the machines in grinding of grain, dry agricultural waste disposal, green agricultural waste shredding, product improvement using urea, silage manufacturing, manufacturing and processing of fodder cubes. A plan for the implementation of the project «Improving the nutritional value of agricultural waste» in the Fadasi area of Al Jazeera Project (in cooperation with the Secretariat Fund) was prepared to benefit from the large amount of agricultural waste available in the region, especially waste gained from peanuts and sorghum. This in addition to the expansion of the implemen-tation of the project in the areas of small farmers in Sudan and the rest of the Arab countries.

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AAAID as a Strategic Partner in the Global Forum for Innovations in Agriculture.

The Arab Authority for Agricultural Investment and Development is guaranteed to participate in different conferences, forums and events that support the mission towards obtaining food security. AAAID pro-vides economic, financial, technological, and innovative guidance in the field of agricultural investment. The Arab Authority for Agricultural Investment and Development provided its contributions as a strategic partner in the fourth Global Forum for Innovations in Agriculture, held in Abu Dhabi on 20-21 st of March 2017. The event was under the sponsorship of His Highness Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan; Dep-uty Prime Minister of UAE, Minister of Presidential Affairs and chairman of the Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority. The event took place at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center.

The forum, in a strategic collaboration with Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority, aims to mobilize global efforts to provide enough food supply for the ever-growing world population. There are discussions and presentations of the most effective methods and innovative ways to apply responsible agricultural ac-tivities with the goal of reducing costs, increasing output, and maximizing profit, while also preserving natural resources and tackling climate change challenges.

The participation of the Arab Authority for agricultural investment and Development in such an event embodies the work done by AAAID in terms of investment opportunities. Likewise, the forum and exhi-bition provides a selection of companies involved with the subject of innovative technological advance-ment, continuous modernization in the field of agricultural production and all its associated tools. AAAID, additionally benefits from discovering new opportunities through the exhibition, as well as create con-nections, exchange ideas and cultivate solutions for issues currently faced by agricultural production companies. Lastly, one of the main benefits of participation in the forum is the new regional and interna-tional investment prospects.

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AAAID Signs a MOU with Faal Microfinancing Company

The Arab Authority for Agricultural In-vestment and Development aims at so-lidifying its partnerships with all affiliat-ed establishments to gain food security from both private and public sectors as well as national and international or-ganizations. This goal is to be achieved through developing and promoting ag-ricultural investment in Sudan under the support of His Excellency, the President of Sudan. In this context, His Excellen-cy Mr. Mohamed Obaid Al Mazrooie the President of AAAID signed a Memoran-dum of Understanding with Faal Micro Financing Company at the headquarters in Khartoum on 22/03/2017 . Faal is one of the companies under Al Jazeera Su-danese Jordanian Bank, one of the top enterprises in financing small business farmers in Sudan, especially through so-cial banking, and promoting production in addition to involvement in socially bene-ficial projects in collaboration with orga-nizations working in the same field. The memo was directed at strengthening the correlation between the Arab Authority

and Faal to develop a general frame-work for coordination and cooperation for future projects concerning both par-ties. Through the implementation of de-velopment programs to support the rural sector to enrich the country’s economy in general, as well as the agricultural sector, in accordance with the terms and conditions of simple financing based on the terms agreed upon by both sides. His Excellen-cy, Mohammed Obaid Al Mazrooie, repre-sented AAAID and Dr. Amer Abdul Wahab Al Alawi, Chairman of the Board of direc-tors, represented Faal Company during the signing ceremony. It is worth mention-ing that AAAID established a fund in 2005 to highlight its role in various development projects especially in rural agricultural ar-eas to eliminate poverty. This fund is tar-geted towards creating financial channels accessible to remote rural communities and supporting basic services, as well as providing a suitable and encouraging en-vironment for the rural population, which included different developmental means and mechanisms focusing on the more vul-nerable groups including; small farmers, pastoralists, female farmers and retirees.

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The participation of H.E the President of AAAID in the Forum of the Role of the Private Sector in the Development of Agriculture in Irrigated Areas

H.E Mr. Mohammed Bin Obaid Al Mazrooei, President of AAAID, accompanied by a num-ber of department heads and some of the Arab authority’s experts, participated in the Forum of the Role of the Private Sector in the Development of Agriculture in Irrigated Areas, which was organized by the CTC Group on 19 January 2017 in Damer, Nile Riv-er State, Sudan. As part of the activities of the forum, the delegation visited the Al-Bashaer Jordanian project, where the components of the project and the existing crops were reviewed

The group also discussed with the Executive Director of the project the aspects of joint cooperation between the Arab Authority and the company and the activation process. The delegation visited the site of the Arab Company for the Production of Agricultural Crops (Atbara), where the stages of the impletmentation of the expansion and reha-bilitation of the project were reviewed. There was a field visit to observe the process of growing crops of maize, alfalfa and rhodes, where the group were given a detailed explanation of the preliminary preparation for the current winter season current as well as preparations for the next season.

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AAAID as a knowledge Partner during AgraME Convention and Exhibition

The Arab Authority for Agricultural Investment and Development is a leading destina-tion for parties interested in being acquainted with the organizations ability to analyze the agricultural market with high levels of skill and professionalism. With over forty years of experience in the agricultural sector, national and international conventions, forums and exhibitions are keen to include the Arab Authority. This year, AAAID was given the title of knowledge partner during AgraME held at the Dubai International Ex-hibition and Convention Center from 10-12 April 2017.

The importance of AAAID’s participation during AgraME is imperative as a channel to provide effective material in the related field of agricultural investment and obtaining food security. The AAAID pavilion provided during the exhibition formed a meeting point between the Authority and all companies, investors and individuals participating in the event who wish to gain more information regarding the existing work of AAAID or participants who are interested in future investment projects.

It is worth mentioning that AgraME is one of the largest events in the Middle East spe-cializing in the agricultural industry including veterinary medicine, aquaculture, and livestock. Thousands of products, services and commodities are presented during the exhibition including; irrigation products, pesticides, chemicals, agricultural machinery, nurseries, flowers and many more. The conference also provides a platform for orga-nizations and companies to present and showcase their most advanced technologies and innovations in the field of agricultural development, as well as the challenges faced and how to solve these challenges.

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The Minister of Finance of the Republic of Sudan appreciates the role of the Arab Authority for Agricultural Investment and Development in the Republic of Sudan

H.E the President of AAAID congratulated the Minister on his assumption of the duties of the Ministry as well as the Holy month of Ramadan. He also expressed his thanks and appreciation to the Minister for providing the opportunity for this meeting, which comes in order to acquaint the Minister with AAAID and its vision, mission, goals and different investments. This is in addition to the diverse sectors in which the Arab Au-thority operates, which are the industrial sector, plant and crop production and live-stock production, as well as the services sector.H.E Mr Mohammed also briefed the Minister on the efforts exerted by AAAID to achieve food security by organizing the Third Arab Conference for Agricultural Investment in Sudan, under the patronage of His Excellency the President of the Republic, which was a great success. He also up-dated him on the investments of the Arab Authority in the fields of sugar and oils and the difficulties facing this sector, as well the interest received by AAAID from the Gov-ernment of the Sudan for its various activities in the Republic of the Sudan.For his part, the Minister welcomed the President of the Arab Authority and the accompa-nying delegation and wished AAAID success in its serious efforts to increase invest-ments in Sudan, appreciating the role of the Arab Authority in the Republic of Sudan and its contribution to the Sudanese economy. He pointed out that the Arab Authority can play a greater role for its position and experience in the field of food security. He further backed his point by mentioning the abundance of the expertise and potential existing in Sudan, pointing out the importance of establishing a fund to serve develop-ment in Sudan in cooperation with the Arab funding facilities to support small farmers in the Arab world. He also expressed the importance of raising production and pro-ductivity for the Arab citizen, stressing the support that the Arab Authority will find from the Ministry of Finance to serve its objectives. He also promised to provide all assistance to AAAID and its companies in the headquarters host country to carry out its activities aimed at enhancing Arab food security and accomplishing the initiative of His Excellency the President of the Republic for utilizing agricultural resources in Su-dan so that the Arab Authority can continue its efforts to promote Arab food security.

HE Mr. Mohammed bin Obaid Al Mazrooei, President of the Arab Authority for Agricultural Investment and Development, and his accompanying delegation, met with Dr. Mohamed Osman Soliman Al-Ri-kabi, Minister of Finance and Economic Planning of the Republic of Sudan, at his office in the Ministry premises on Tuesday, 13/6/2017. The meeting was organized so the Arab Authority can continue its efforts aimed at enhancing Arab food security.

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The Minister of Agriculture and Forestry confirms his support for the Investments of the AAAID in Sudan

The Arab Authority started its activities in the field of agricultural investment from the Repub-lic of Sudan because it is a country rich in natu-ral resources of vast, fertile agricultural lands, livestock and various, natural water resources. There are 12 companies, in Sudan, that are affil-iated with AAAID, in addition to many ground-breaking development projects. AAAID’s Presi-dent orchestrated follow-up visits to a number of sites of the Arab Authorities’ projects and activities in the headquarters host country of Sudan. One of these visits was to H.E Dr. Ibra-him Adam Ahmed El Dekheiry, Minister of Ag-riculture and Forestry at his office, on Monday 10 April 2017. H.E the President of AAAID ex-pressed his gratitude towards the Minister and all the officials for welcoming them and their continuous support that the Arab Authority receives in regards to its various activities and projects at the headquarters in Sudan. He fur-ther indicated that the goal behind the visits is to inform the Minister about some of the prob-lems facing the companies under the Arab Au-thority in Sudan urging the Minister’s support in overcoming said issues. Alternatively, the Min-ister welcomed the President of AAAID and the

delegation accompanying him and thanked him for the continuous contact with officials of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry as well as the Government of Sudan. The Minis-ter also stressed the importance of the role of the Arab Authority in reaching food security in Arab nations by utilizing the natural resourc-es available in Sudan as per H.E the President of Sudan’s initiative. H.E Dr. El Dekheiry dis-cussed the Wadi Kaya Sugar Factory Project in the Add Al Forsan district located in South Dar-fur in Western Sudan. He pointed out that the feasibility study of the project, which indicates that the project’s capacity to produce about 450 tons of sugar per day has been completed. He further advised the Arab Authority to study the possibility of participating in this project in relation to the accumulated experience of the AAAID in the field of the sugar industry and its byproducts. From his end, AAAID’s President praised the idea of implementing such a project indicating that they usually lead to the economic and social development and growth of the re-gions. He also promised that the Arab Author-ity is to review the studies and research to de-termine the possibility of a future collaboration.

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Governor of Al Jazeerah in Sudan confirms his support for the Arab Agricultural Investment and Development projects

H.E Mr. Mohammed Bin Obaid Al Mazrooei, President of AAAID, accompanied by the Direc-tors of related departments at AAAID, paid a visit to H.E Dr. Mohammed Taher Alaa, gover-nor of Al Jazeera State at his office on 12 April 2017. Their meeting was in the presence of His Excellency the Minister of Agriculture and the Director of land as well as the State legal advisor. The visit is part of the efforts of the senior management at the Arab Authority for Agricultural Investment and Development to continue its efforts aimed at achieving food security in Arab nations.

Primarily, H.E President of AAAID gave thanks to the Governor and all the officials of the Re-public of Sudan for the warm welcome and continuous support that the Arab Authority has received in regards to all its activities at the headquarters located in Sudan. He also stated that the main objective of the visit is to inform the Minister of various barriers and obstacles that hinder the work of the companies of AAAID in the State of Al Jazeera. Some of these obstacles include land expropriation in the Bageir region. Furthermore, H.E Mr. Mohammed Al Mazrooei requested assistance from the Governor in eliminating the barriers discussed during the meeting.

On the other hand, the Governor welcomed the AAAID President as well as his accompany-ing delegation. He expressed his gratitude for the visit, stressing the importance of the role of the Arab Authority in achieving food security in the Arab world by utilizing the natural ag-ricultural resources available in Sudan, with the goal further implementing the initiative of H.E the President of Sudan in reaching food security. The Governor also affirmed his State’s support for the projects of AAAID, in addition to welcoming the cooperation with AAAID to overcome all territorial obstacles. He further promised to work on recovering any land that belongs to the Arab Authority, and supporting concerned authorities in the mandate to stand with the Arab Authority.

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His Excellency the President of the Arab Authority discusses the agreements signed between the Arab

Authority and the Sudanese Government

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HE Mr. Mohammed Bin Obaid Al Mazrooei, President of AAAID, accompanied by a delegation of experts from the Arab Author-ity, visited HE Mr. Abdullah Al-Musaed, Secretary-General of the Tax Authority at his office in Khartoum on 11/5/2017. H.E Mr. Mazrooei presented a brief about the Arab Authority and its investments in Sudan as the host country and one of the five founders of the Arab Authority. He also discussed the agree-ments signed between AAAID and the Sudanese government and the privileges and exemptions it has provided for the Arab Authority and its companies in Sudan.He also stressed the need to join hands, provide all necessary facilities, and support for the success of these investments and to create an environ-ment conducive to effective investment in accordance with the initiative of President Al Bashir in promoting Arab food secu-rity. For his part, the Secretary-General expressed his thanks and gratitude for the generous visit and summarized the most important procedural steps for the public and private taxes and the mechanisms used to obtain them through tax centers in the different states of the country. He also referred to the full commitment of the Tax Authority to implement all internation-al agreements signed with the Government of Sudan, as well as implement the articles in the signed agreements between AAAID and the Government of Sudan.At the end of the meet-ing, the President thanked the Secretary General for the warm reception and hospitality and for the deep and objective under-standing of the tax position of the Arab Authority’s investments in Sudan. He also agreed to continue efforts as well as establish channels of communication and activate direct cooperation between the Arab Authority and the Tax Authority in the future.

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AAAID’s Community Initiative Program

In continuation of the efforts made by the Commu-nity Initiatives Team in the Arab Authority, a number of internal and external community initiatives have been implemented for AAAID’s associates in Sudan. The most significant of these is the cooperation with Al-Saqya Charity Organization in Khartoum in dig-ging and improving a number of underground wells in the North Kordofan areas, which lack availabili-ty of drinking water for both humans and animals. Additionally, the initiatives program team, on the occasion of the holy month of Ramadan, prepared and equipped a number of Ramadan bags contain-ing the requirements of the holy month and was dis-tributed to families in need as well as orphanages.

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