The General Secretariat of Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation signed an MOU with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of the United Mexican States, for the organization of the Third Mexico International Date Palm Festival, during the period 19th -22nd of October 2024, where the signing ceremony took place (remotely) on Tuesday, 30th of April, 2024, at the headquarters of the Ministry of Agriculture in Mexico and the Award’s General Secretariat Head Office in Abu Dhabi, in the presence of H.E. Luis Alfonso de Alba Góngora, Ambassador of  the United Mexican States to the United Arab Emirates, H.E.  Sultan Al-Taie, Representative of the United Arab Emirates Embassy to the United Mexican States, Eng. Santiago José Arguello Campos, General Coordinator of Agriculture of the Secretariat of Agriculture and Rural Development of the United Mexican States, and Dr. Abdelouahhab Zaid, Secretary General of Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation.

H.E. Luis Alfonso de Alba Góngora, Ambassador of the United Mexican States to the United Arab Emirates, also welcomed the pioneering position that the UAE has achieved in the development of the date palm cultivation and date production sector at the national, regional and international levels, because of its importance in building bridges of cooperation between the two countries to enhance food security and to achieve sustainable development.

From his side, Dr. Abdelouahhab Zaid, Award’s Secretary General, explained that this MOU comes to confirm the international credibility achieved by the Award, thanks to the guidance and support of H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister, and Chairman of the Presidential Court, and the continuous follow-up of H.E. Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, Minister Tolerance and Coexistence, Chairman of the Award's Board of Trustees, as the most significant international platform for building partnerships related to the development of the date palm cultivation and date production sector at the national, regional and international levels.

Eng. Santiago José Arguello Campos, welcomed the attendees, praising the efforts of the United Arab Emirates and the support of H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister, and Chairman of the Presidential Court, in developing the date palm sector and the production, processing, and marketing of dates at the national, regional and international levels.