The UAE's Risks Associated with Land Acquisitions in Latin America for Food Security Purposes

Abstract

This thesis intends to identify and evaluate the UAE's risks associated with land acquisitions practices in Latin America. Latin American countries have been through many phases of political change in recent decades; successive governements have enacted waves of economic, societal and environmental reform. Against this backdrop, the UAE's interest in the region as a source of food has grown steadily. In particular, the UAE has signed an increasing number of land acquisition contracts with a range of Latin American countires in order to enhance the country's food security. This study attempts a comprehensive survey of the challenges associated with land acquisition deals in order to capture the risks to the UAE. Using a grounded theory process, this thesis seeks to understand the risks associated with land acquisition in broad sense, comparing previous cases in which other countries have invested and faced challenges in Latin America and elsewhere. It then seeks to compare and contrast these general findings with the UAE's experience of its land acquisition practices overseas and in Latin America in particular. The findings of this research will then be utilized to propose recommendations that can help to mitigate some the risk the UAE is exposed to in Latin America in order to enhance the country's food security.

Date of Award	Apr 2017
Original language	American English
Supervisor	Ashley Rossiter (Supervisor)