Israel inked its first agricultural cooperation agreements with the United Arab Emirates, extending the 2020 Abraham Accords, which normalised relations between the two countries.

In Tel Aviv, Agriculture Minister Oded Forer and UAE Minister of Food and Water Security Mariam Al-Muhairi inked an agreement to collaborate on research and innovation, including the development of desert-adapted produce strains and other breakthroughs in water management and irrigation.

At the ceremony, Al-Muhairi remarked, "The United Arab Emirates and Israel share many issues when it comes to food security, and we are partnering to develop new and realistic solutions to these challenges."

The deal, according to Forer, is "a fantastic chance for cooperation between the two countries, where agriculture is vital for delivering fresh food to the people." We've planted the seeds for a lot of future ventures here.”

The accord was signed about a year after Israel and the UAE said they would reestablish relations as part of the Abraham Accords, which were negotiated by the United States.

The UAE is set to open its embassy in Tel Aviv in the presence of its Ambassador to Israel Mohamed Al Khaja and Israeli President Isaac Herzog, completing the normalisation of diplomatic relations.

Israel's consulate in Dubai was officially opened by Foreign Minister Yair Lapid, who described it as a "hub of discussion and cooperation."

The day before, he had opened Israel's embassy in Abu Dhabi, celebrating the "historic event" as a time when "we chose peace over conflict."

In an interview, UAE Minister of State for Food and Water Security Mariam bint Mohammed Saeed Almheiri stated that the UAE's ambition is to become a world-leading hub of innovation-driven food security.

During a visit to Israel, she said, "The UAE is a hub for food trade and we have a large reach... thanks to infrastructure, aircraft, and seaports... with a reach of a $2 billion consumer market."