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On Friday, March 7, 2025, Kenya’s Court of Appeal put a hold on the trade and cultivation of genetically engineered (GE) products until an appeal filed by the Kenya Peasants League is fully heard.

The UAE promotes biotechnology through a research ecosystem focused on innovation. Notable advances center on plant biotechnology such as quinoa and salicornia, in addition to the date palm.

Tunisia is continuing to postpone non-urgent matters in front of major political and economic reforms. As a result, Tunisia’s biosafety framework, which was drafted in 2014, remains on hold with no timeframe for a review and parliamentary vote.

Morocco continues to import agricultural products derived from genetically engineered (GE) technologies for use in animal feed products. No GE products have been developed or commercialized for local production in Morocco. GE products are not allowed for human consumption.

The planting of genetically engineered (GE) crops is currently not authorized and there is no biosafety legal framework in place in Egypt. The absence of a biosafety framework contributes directly to a lack of public awareness, funding, and trust in agricultural biotechnology.

Israel does not have a policy restricting the use of imported genetically engineered (GE) commodities or derivative products. There are no changes in Israel’s policy towards plant, animal biotechnology, and microbial biotechnology since 2023.

On March 8, 2020, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan’s cabinet of ministers approved the regulation, “Instructions for Handling Food and Food Products Originating from Genetically Modified Substances Produced by Modern Biotechnology for 2018,” which was published in Jordan’s Official Gazette on April 3, 2020.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s (KSA) regulations allow the importation of biotech plant products, but they are required to be labeled if they contain more than one percent genetically engineered (GE) plant ingredients. As a result, many retail packaged food importers do not import biotech foods due to concerns that biotech labeling could jeopardize their image.

Algeria does not develop, commercialize or import genetically engineered products. The Ministry of Agriculture’s decree of December 24, 2000, prohibits all imports, production, distribution, and commercialization of genetically engineered plant materials.

With the notable exception of Bt. cotton, biotech products are not allowed to be produced, imported, or marketed in Kenya. On October 30, 2024, Kenya’s High Court is expected to make a ruling on the biotechnology case challenging the production and trade in genetically engineered (GE) agricultural products.

On March 8, 2020, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan’s cabinet of ministers approved the regulation, “Instructions for Handling Food and Food Products Originating from Genetically Modified Substances Produced by Modern Biotechnology for 2018,” which was...

Israel has no policy restricting the use of imported genetically engineered (GE) commodities or derivative products. There have been no changes in Israel’s policy towards plant, animal biotechnology, and microbial biotechnology since 2022.