UAE announces AED180bn industrial drive at Make it in the Emirates

The UAE announced AED180 billion in new industrial procurement opportunities as it opened the fifth edition of Make it in the Emirates, placing industry and technology at the centre of its economic strategy.

Dr Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, said the country has remained resilient amid regional and global challenges, guided by President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and supported by national unity.

Speaking at the forum, Dr Al Jaber said the initiative will support the localisation of more than 5,000 products across sectors linked to economic, food and healthcare security.

“History remembers the challenges nations face. But it also remembers how nations respond to them and what they build next”, he said.

“In the UAE, we do not simply endure hardships. We emerge from them stronger”.

He added, “We do not wait for transformation; we drive it. We do not simply adapt to the future; we help shape it”.

Dr Al Jaber also paid tribute to the UAE Armed Forces, marking 50 years since their unification, as well as frontline workers and national institutions for maintaining stability.

He said the UAE’s industrial sector contribution has reached AED200 billion, a 70 percent increase since 2021, while industrial exports rose to AED262 billion, including AED92 billion in advanced industrial exports.

“These figures are not merely growth”, he said.

“They are proof that our industrial economic model works, produces, and continues to accelerate”.

The value of industrial procurement opportunities will rise from AED168 billion to AED180 billion over the next decade, supported by the National In-Country Value program.

The forum follows the Make it with ADNOC event, which announced more than AED200 billion in procurement opportunities over two years. A new Local+ initiative will link contractors with 70 Emirati manufacturers.

Dr Al Jaber said industry is “a necessity” for strengthening resilience and protecting the economy from global volatility.

“Economic security cannot be imported, it must be built and protected”, he said.

He also stressed the importance of safeguarding global trade routes, warning that disruptions affect the wider global economy.

“Freedom of international navigation is non-negotiable and cannot be compromised”, he said.

On energy policy, Dr Al Jaber said the UAE is entering “a new chapter” and described its repositioning in global energy markets, including its exit from OPEC and OPEC+, as a strategic decision aligned with long-term national interests.

He said the move would allow greater flexibility to accelerate investment and create value, while maintaining the UAE’s role as a reliable partner in global energy markets.

Dr Al Jaber also highlighted a major shift towards artificial intelligence in the industrial sector.

“Artificial intelligence will no longer be just a tool in our factories”, he said.

“It will become an industrial brain and a partner in decision-making”.

He said the UAE is building an integrated model linking energy, technology and industry to drive future growth.

Addressing investors, he described the UAE as a global platform offering strong regulation, advanced infrastructure and access to international markets.

“Direct Domestic Investment is no longer an option, it is a priority”, he said.

He added that future economies will depend on energy, technology and industry working together, with the UAE already developing this model.

“Those who successfully combine energy, artificial intelligence, and industry will strengthen their ability to grow and compete globally”, he said.

Dr Al Jaber ended by calling on investors and businesses to expand in the country.

“From the UAE, opportunities begin. From the UAE, industries launch to the world”, he said.