The UAE’s MoCCAE has engaged IBM to develop AI-powered solutions for environmental challenges, including automating CITES certificate verification
Public-private partnerships are a vital mechanism for governments procuring cutting-edge technologies and delivering major infrastructural projects.
An agreement between the United Arab Emirates’ Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MoCCAE) and IBM shows this strategy in action, with IBM set to help the nation advance its environmental objectives.
The partnership was formalised at the GITEX Global 2025 event in Dubai. Dr Amna bint Abdullah Al Dahak, the UAE’s Minister of Climate Change and Environment, was in attendance to witness the agreement being signed.
On behalf of the ministry, the agreement was signed by Amal Abdulrahim, the UAE’s Assistant Undersecretary for Support Services and Chief AI and Innovation Officer at MoCCAE. Representing IBM was Shukri Eid, the General Manager for the Gulf, Levant and Pakistan.
Leveraging AI for environmental compliance
The collaboration will focus on developing AI-powered prototypes and case studies to address several environmental management areas.
One of the initial projects involves creating an intelligent system to automate the verification of CITES certificates. CITES, or the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, is a global agreement that ensures international trade does not threaten the survival of wild animals and plants.
By automating the data entry and validation for CITES and Phytosanitary certificates, the system could enhance compliance and data quality.
It is also designed to reduce the administrative workload in line with the UAE’s Zero Government Bureaucracy Programme. This automation could allow the UAE Government to act in accordance with global conservation standards at a much greater speed.
“Our goal is not just to adopt technology, but to use AI as a strategic tool to proactively address environmental challenges, enhance food and water security and achieve our Net Zero 2050 targets,” says Amal.
The partnership will also extend to monitoring the country’s fisheries using mobile applications and cameras at landing sites and fish markets. This is intended to track fish stocks and prevent overexploitation, supplying real-time sustainability data.
A new framework for ESG and quarantine systems
Another element of the project will see IBM develop an AI-powered quarantine system.
The system is intended to help the UAE inspect agricultural and veterinary consignments, potentially speeding up import approvals and helping officials to detect biological risks in the wildlife trade. Such a system could provide a more robust framework for managing supply chain and trade-related risks.
The agreement also involves a study to assess the requirements for a digital ESG reporting platform.
This platform could facilitate transparent, real-time national reporting to support the UAE’s climate policies and bolster government accountability, helping standardise how ESG data is reported and managed at a national level.
Strategic partnership focuses on capacity building
A key deliverable from IBM will be its contribution to building skills and capacity within the MoCCAE.
The plan includes training programmes focused on advanced technology and digital methods which will support the ministry’s wider digital transformation strategy.
This aspect of the partnership aligns with broader government initiatives such as the ‘UAE Centennial 2071’ and ‘We the UAE 2031’ visions. The planned relationship remains subject to the parties reaching definitive agreements.
The collaboration is one of several technology partnerships to emerge from GITEX Global 2025, where AI’s application in environmental management was a prominent theme.
For IBM, this involvement builds on its established presence in the Gulf region where it has been expanding its hybrid cloud and AI services.
“These scalable solutions will not only meet the UAE’s objectives but can also serve as a leading model for the region and the world,” explains Shukri.
The emphasis on creating replicable models suggests the solutions developed could have potential applications beyond the UAE, though specific timelines and investment figures have not been disclosed.
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