The UAE warns of the repercussions of Iranian attacks on global health, the environment and food

The UAE issued a clear warning about the long-term repercussions of illegal, unjustified and provocative regional attacks on global health, the environment and food systems, during its address to international leaders at the One Health Global Summit, currently being held in the French city of Lyon, which was held at the invitation of the French President, Emmanuel Macron, with the participation of heads of state and more than 30 ministers.

On behalf of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the State, may God protect him, the Minister of Health and Community Protection, Ahmed Ali Al Sayegh, participated in the One Health World Summit, which constituted one of the main outcomes of the presidency of the French Government of the G7, and represented the first time that heads of state and government met within the framework of “One Health.”

The summit brought together a quadripartite partnership: the World Health Organization, the World Organization for Animal Health, the United Nations Environment Programme, and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), along with governments from more than 20 countries at the ministerial level, hundreds of international organizations, in addition to representatives of the scientific community, the private sector and civil society.

During his intervention, Ahmed Al Sayegh condemned, in the strongest terms, the attacks that targeted the UAE, the Arab Gulf states, and the region, noting that the illegal, unjustified, and provocative attacks by Iran, which included more than 2,800 drones and missiles, are still causing losses to lives, livelihoods, vital civilian infrastructure, and the environment at the same time.

He stressed that human, animal and environmental health are inseparably interconnected, and that these risks are inherently intertwined, as pressures in one of these systems directly and quickly affect the other systems.

He added: “These developments confirm the close interconnection between human health, critical infrastructure, the environment and global supply chains, and the need to adopt a more integrated approach, based on prevention, to enhance health security.”

He said: “This is a war on the health of every country, every consumer, and every family that depends on the availability of energy and food at affordable prices, on the ecosystems that are exposed to damage, and on the vital resources that we all share.”

Al-Sayegh pointed out the importance of expanding the scope of the “One Health” approach to include environmental risks, such as air pollution, as they are among the most prominent factors causing chronic diseases and long-term health burdens worldwide.

He reaffirmed the UAE’s commitment to promoting an integrated, prevention-based approach to health security, based on science, effective governance, and close international cooperation.

Al-Sayegh participated – along with the heads of delegations, including the President of the Republic of Ghana, Dramani Mahama, the President of the Republic of Botswana, Duma Gedeon Boko, the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia, Samdech Thepady Hun Manit, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Kingdom of Morocco, Rachid Talbi Alami, along with ministers and leaders of global health and development financing organizations – in an official luncheon hosted by President Emmanuel Macron, to discuss ways to enhance cooperation in advancing common health priorities. He expressed his appreciation to President Macron for his leadership and solidarity with the UAE during these circumstances.

Al Sayegh stressed the UAE’s support for the “One Health and Beyond” Declaration, and its cooperation with the global network of centers of excellence in this field, reiterating the country’s commitment to developing practical, implementation-based solutions that integrate health, environment and climate priorities.