Exacerbated by the pursuit for higher profits, capital preservation and food security, the oil rich region has over the years witnessed increasing demand for agricultural investments
With massive areas of arable land and over 130 million heads of livestock, Sudan is receiving huge investments in its agriculture sector from Gulf states looking to address the food security problem
In January 2015, the Dutch embassy in Riyadh hosted a meeting with GCC investors and officials to discuss how to work together on land-based ag investments in Africa in order to achieve GCC food security.
Sudan declares its readiness for making more arrangements and efforts for creating an attractive environment for Arab investors to contribute to achievement of the Arab food security in the Sudan.
Secretary General of the Federation of GCC Chambers Abdulrahim Hasan Naqi has stressed the need to expand the role of sovereign funds to have investments in agriculture.
Arab countries are increasingly seeking to secure their food needs through an international strategy of land grabs which are often detrimental to local populations.
The GCC businessmen's body has called on the region's private sector to come together and jointly invest in agriculture, fishing and livestock breeding locally as well as overseas
The member countries also agreed to draft a unified strategy for cooperation with other Arab countries that have agricultural land, including Sudan, Morocco and Yemen, as well as with African countries.
Last week, hundreds of Sudanese protested in Eastern Khartoum demanding the government revoke the sale of farming lands to Gulf investors. There is no logical reason behind these demonstrations except ignorance of the reality of the GCC approach, says economist.
New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs says his country can be a logical partner for resource-rich Gulf countries as a producer of food in places like Africa, where experts say half of the potential agricultural land is under-utilised.
Wealthy Gulf Arab companies are boosting their investment in Africa's vast lands and untapped resources, marking a shift for investors who have traditionally directed their money towards assets in the United States and Europe.
