The agreement was signed by Mr Khalifa Abdulla Al-Sowaidi, Vice-Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Qatar Fertiliser Company, and Professor Pascal Leory, the Dean of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in Liege University.

The signing was attended by HE Paul Magnette, President Belgian Walloon Government, apart from officials from both sides.

The agreement aims at cooperation between QAFCO, and University of Liege in research related to the use of urea as an essential component of healthy poultry feed to prevent the use of antibiotics in agriculture and livestock.

The research will also look at the use of urea to improve nutrient capacities of cassava root – one of the largest food carbohydrates source in Africa and Asia.

Following the signing of the agreement, HE Paul Magnette, President Belgian Walloon Government highlighted the great importance of this cooperation between QAFCO and the University of Liege for the development of natural solutions to daily diet-especially for baby food-free from residue of food additives or antibiotics that weaken their resistance to diseases.

HE the President also pointed out to the depth and unique relationship between Belgium and Qatar and noted the role of the State of Qatar in various international areas and said that Belgium is the second State in the field of chemical industry in Europe, and is seeking even stronger partnership with Qatar where Belgium plays a major role and to be the gateway for developing stronger economical relations with the Europe.

Meanwhile, Mr Khalifa Al-Sowaidi, Vice-Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of QAFCO thanked the President for the warm hospitality received and expressed his delight with the signing of this agreement, which comes from the desire of QAFCO to build bridges of cooperation with universities and scientific research institutions.

He said: “This agreement is part of our global role as a supporter of efforts at alleviation of global hunger and to provide an alternative to the harmful yet prevalent global food production processes.”

Speaking on the cooperation of industry and academia, he continued: “We have always believed that the future of business lies in research labs, as the ideas of today are the industries of tomorrow.”

Mr Al-Sowaidi, remarked that this partnership would contribute to providing a research environment that supports getting the best output from scientific and industrial research and the signing of this agreement opens the door for future series of agreements to establish a strategy for the development and diversification of products derived from urea paving for factories and production units serving the economy of Qatar and countries like Belgium who share knowledge and openness with us to the service the humanity.

Mr Al Sowaidi also expressed deep gratitude to His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Emir of the State of Qatar for his continued support and encouragement to the development of our relations with the European countries and that this agreement is a practical translation of this.

Professor Pascal Leroy praised this achievement and talked about global dilemmas in agricultural and livestock production and said: “The cooperation between researchers of the faculty of Veterinary Medicine in Liege University and Qatar Fertilizers Company aims to use urea as a feedstock through bacterial fermentation district will produce natural ingredients added to foods that promote animal health.”

The research in the production of animal feed using urea as a protein to boost the protein in some food crops that are poor in its content of protein, such as cassava, sweet potato will be complementary to the soya and for feed free of pesticides and antibiotics that are used to configure the protein in these crops for food production.

Professor Pascal added that this fact will lead to a bright future for joint ventures with industry where Qatar plays a leading role in the production of high quality specialised animal feed and as a complementary to its chemical industries.