During their participation in a meeting of major groups, the Arab Group for the Protection of Nature said that the strategic partnership between the UN and the World Economic Forum should not be at the expense of fair food systems. They fear giving transcontinental companies a space to influence food policies in a way that will disadvantage small local producers (30 March 2021).
The Arab Group for the Protection of Nature called for the need to adopt local production systems that consider small farmers and their needs by strengthening national reserves and giving civil society organizations the right to participate actively in setting policies and monitoring. It also called for building up regional agricultural integration.
It furthermore stressed the importance of stopping wars, inter-conflict, and occupation, building peace initiatives, and confronting the root causes of protracted crises. They warned against the politicization of aid and the use of food and water as a weapon or collective punishment.