Italy, Syracuse 11 October 2024
His Excellency Francesco Lollobrigida, the Italian Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, and Food Sovereignty, commended the support and interest of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister, and Presidential Court Minister. He lauded His Highness’s leadership role in achieving a significant transformation in Arabian horse racing tracks in Italy over recent years.
This commendation came during a joint meeting between the Italian minister and His Excellency Faisal Al Rahmani, President of the International Federation of Purebred Arabian Horse Racing (IFAHR), at the World Agriculture Exhibition and Conference. The event included participation from G7 agriculture ministers, the European Commissioner for Agriculture, the African Union Commissioner for Agriculture, and the heads of the three United Nations agencies in Rome (the Food and Agriculture Organization, the International Fund for Agricultural Development, and the World Food Programme), as well as the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development and the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research. The conference took place in Syracuse on the Italian island of Sicily.
His Excellency Lollobrigida also praised the outstanding efforts and continuous development initiatives led by IFAHR under the UAE’s leadership, emphasizing that the development of the racing system in Italy positively impacts the growth and progress of Arabian horses both in Europe and globally.
He noted that the joint cooperation between IFAHR, the Ministry of Agriculture, and the Italian Equestrian Federation has resulted in significant advancements in horse racing tracks across various cities in Italy. This collaboration has created more opportunities for success and support for Italian Arabian horse owners and stables.
At the end of the meeting, Faisal Al Rahmani presented the shield of the His Highness the President of the UAE Cup Series for Purebred Arabian Horses to His Excellency Francesco Lollobrigida, in recognition of his role and ongoing support for the cooperation between the UAE and Italy to achieve development goals.
The meeting was attended by Senator Patrizio Giacomo La Pietra, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty, and Forestry, and Mattia Cadrobbi, President of the Italian Arabian Horse Association.
His Excellency Faisal Al Rahmani also attended the European Union Agriculture and Food Sovereignty Ministers’ Conference, held at the official invitation of the Italian Ministry of Agriculture. During the conference, Senator Patrizio Giacomo La Pietra recommended the appointment of His Excellency Faisal Al Rahmani as the general advisor for infrastructure development of equestrian facilities in Italy and the improvement of horse racing fields. This recommendation is a testament to the competence and capabilities of UAE nationals in representing the country in international administrative positions. During the conference, Al Rahmani presented the key achievements of IFAHR and its support for the development of purebred Arabian horse racing worldwide, receiving significant praise from the EU agriculture ministers.
