Industrial sector a priority for the UAE, stresses Khaled

His Highness Sheikh Khaled Bin Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, attended the 4th Make it in the Emirates Forum, taking place at ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi, on Monday.

The event is organised by ADNEC Group and hosted by the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology in partnership with the Ministry of Culture, Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) and ADNOC Group.

Sheikh Khaled toured the exhibition, and visited the pavilions of several international, national and local participating companies and entities showcasing advanced technology solutions tailored to accelerate growth in key industrial sectors and reinforce the UAE’s position as a regional and global hub for future-ready industries.

Sheikh Khaled Bin Mohamed underscored the UAE’s commitment to developing industrial sectors as a cornerstone of sustainable development and a central pillar of economic diversification.

He emphasised the importance of increasing the industrial sector’s contribution to GDP in line with the National Strategy for Industry and Advanced Technology - Operation 300bn, and the Abu Dhabi Industrial Strategy, aiming to further enhance the competitiveness of vital industries and build an innovative, knowledge based and transformative economy.

The 4th Make it in the Emirates Forum continues to position the UAE as a leading hub for industrial excellence and innovation by showcasing the investment opportunities within the UAE’s competitive industrial ecosystem and the incentives offered by the national economy to foster strategic partnerships across priority sectors.

During the visit, he was accompanied by Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology; Faisal Abdulaziz Al Bannai, Adviser to the UAE President for Strategic Research and Advanced Technology Affairs; Mariam Bint Mohammed Almheiri, Head of the International Affairs Office at the Presidential Court; Ahmed Jasim Al Zaabi, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development; Saif Saeed Ghobash, Secretary General of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council and Chairman of the Crown Prince’s Office at the Abu Dhabi Crown Prince’s Court; Humaid Matar Al Dhaheri, Managing Director and Group CEO of ADNEC; and Syed Basar Shueb, CEO and Managing Director of International Holding Company (IHC).

Abdulla Bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy, affirmed that the UAE has made significant strides in diversifying its national economy and strengthening its global and regional competitiveness, under the guidance of its wise leadership.

As a result, non-oil sectors now account for 74.6 per cent of the country’s real GDP.

He highlighted that the industrial sector is one of the key drivers of economic growth and diversification and that it plays a pivotal role in achieving the national goal to double the country’s GDP to Dhs 3 trillion by the next decade in line with the ‘We the UAE 2031’ vision.

In this context, he said: “The transformative industries sector contributed 11.3 per cent to the UAE’s real GDP during the first nine months of 2024, reaching Dhs 149.4 billion, marking an increase of 2.3 per cent compared to the same period in 2023.

Its contribution to the country’s non-oil GDP exceeded 15 per cent during this period.” He continued: “The sector is expected to contribute Dhs 193 billion to the national economy in 2024. By the end of 2022, it had attracted approximately Dhs 40 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI), accounting for seven per cent of the UAE’s total FDI.” He affirmed that the ‘Make it in the Emirates’ platform reinforces the industry’s role as a key pillar of national economic diversification and global competitiveness.

He further highlighted the significance of continued collaboration between public and private sector entities to accelerate digital transformation across industries, supporting the development of a knowledge-based, innovation-driven economy while also driving sustainable economic development.

The Minister of Economy noted that the Forum is a local and regional platform with growing influence in advancing global industrial growth.

WAM