Hassan Al Nowais, undersecretary at the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology, described the forum as a national mechanism that turns industrial opportunities into concrete investments, projects and measurable outcomes. The undersecretary noted that the platform functions as an execution vehicle connecting investment with manufacturing, financing and technology providers. This integrated approach seeks to move beyond mere promotion by generating actual agreements, contracts and production facilities that raise local output. The gathering assembles investors, producers, technology firms, financiers and major purchasers in one setting to accelerate expansion.
Al Nowais pointed to the combined effect of the National Strategy for Industry and Advanced Technology, the Make it in the Emirates programme and the National In-Country Value Programme in driving the redirection of funds. These initiatives have already channelled more than AED473 billion, or $128.8 billion, back into the national economy while opening procurement routes to localise 5,000 priority products. Manufacturers now reach markets encompassing nearly 3 billion consumers through 36 Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements, a state news agency assessment found.
Industrial investors operate inside an ecosystem that supplies steady demand, competitive financing, modern infrastructure, adaptable regulations and entry to both domestic and international markets, Al Nowais stated. The structure aims to build investor confidence, nurture home-grown industries and foster an industrial base that is resilient, sustainable and capable of scaling. The forum arrives while global supply chains undergo reconfiguration, prompting the UAE to pursue an integrated model that stresses competitiveness, adaptability and preparedness for future demands.
The UAE created 5,200 jobs for Emiratis in the industrial sector a year ahead of schedule, Arabian Business figures show. This employment gain forms part of the wider momentum that has contributed to a $255 billion boost in Dubai’s GDP from manufacturing activity, according to subsequent coverage of the event. Such outcomes illustrate how the redirected capital is translating into tangible advances across multiple emirates.
The platform reinforces supply chain resilience by aligning local production with strategic needs in key sectors, the ministry reported. Officials emphasised the importance of maintaining this trajectory to sustain long-term economic diversification. Data from the forum will inform additional measures to expand industrial capacity in the coming years.
