Emirates Drug Establishment Explores Enhancing Pharmaceutical Cooperation with South Korea

H.E. Al Hajeri: Strengthening strategic pharmaceutical partnerships with leading nations, in line with the directives of the UAE’s wise leadership.

His Excellency Saeed Al Hajeri, Minister of State and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Emirates Drug Establishment, met with Her Excellency Dr. Oh Yu-Kyoung, Minister of Food and Drug Safety of the Republic of Korea, in the presence of His Excellency Dr. Thani Al Zeyoudi, Minister of State for Foreign Trade, and His Excellency Abdulla Al Nuaimi, UAE Ambassador to the Republic of Korea. The meeting focused on strengthening bilateral cooperation in the pharmaceutical sector, particularly in regulatory development, knowledge exchange, and joint research and industrial initiatives. The meeting took place during H.E. Al Hajeri’s visit to the Republic of Korea, aimed at expanding opportunities for collaboration across the pharmaceutical and medical fields.

Furthermore, the meeting reviewed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in September 2024 by the Emirates Drug Establishment and the Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. The MoU aims to establish a strategic partnership to enhance the efficiency of regulatory frameworks and drive innovation across the pharmaceutical sector, in line with the Establishment’s vision to build a life sciences sector that supports advanced technologies to achieve pharmaceutical security and the growth of the medical industries.

Joint Research Projects

H.E. Saeed Al Hajeri affirmed that the Emirates Drug Establishment has designated the Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety as a reference authority, following a comprehensive study of the regulatory frameworks adopted in the Republic of Korea that confirmed alignment with the highest international standards. His Excellency noted that this approach follows the wise leadership’s directives to strengthen strategic partnerships with leading countries in the pharmaceutical field and aligns with the Establishment’s strategy to develop an advanced national pharmaceutical sector that guarantees drug security and supports sustainable development.

H.E. Al Hajeri emphasized that this decision will contribute to attracting pharmaceutical innovation and facilitating trade between the two countries, in addition to supporting technology transfer and the implementation of joint research and industrial projects. These efforts will further reinforce the UAE’s position as a leading regional hub for advanced pharmaceutical industries.

Flexible Regulatory Environment

H.E. Al Hajeri said: “This partnership reflects the Emirates Drug Establishment’s strategic vision for building an advanced life sciences sector supported by modern technologies, enhancing pharmaceutical security and fostering the development of the national medical industries. These efforts align with the objectives of the ‘We the UAE 2031’ vision and the country’s commitment to health innovation and sustainability through the development of a flexible and effective regulatory environment that accelerates access to innovative treatments and reinforces the UAE’s position as a regional hub for high-quality pharmaceutical industries.”

Enhancing Prospects of Cooperation

Her Excellency Dr. Oh Yu-Kyoung, Minister of Food and Drug Safety of the Republic of Korea, expressed her appreciation for the Emirates Drug Establishment’s decision, which affirms the UAE’s confidence in Korean expertise and strengthens bilateral cooperation in the fields of pharmaceutical regulation, pharmacovigilance, and scientific research. Her Excellency reaffirmed her country’s commitment to expanding future areas of collaboration with the Emirates Drug Establishment. Furthermore, H.E. Dr. Oh commended the rapid development of the pharmaceutical and medical industries in the UAE, in addition to the efforts undertaken to develop the sector’s regulatory and legislative framework, thereby solidifying the UAE’s position as an important strategic partner in the region.

The cooperation with the Republic of Korea aligns with the Establishment’s strategic objectives to strengthen the national pharmaceutical security system, elevate the UAE pharmaceutical model to the highest international standards, and develop an integrated regulatory environment for medical products. These efforts support the UAE’s competitiveness and reinforce its leading position as a regional and global hub for pharmaceutical innovation.