UAE convenes Industrial Resilience Forum to strengthen supply chains amid global disruptions

The Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT) has convened the Industrial Resilience and Supply Chain Continuity Forum in Abu Dhabi, bringing together ministers, senior officials, industry leaders, and financial institutions to accelerate coordinated responses to mounting global trade and supply chain challenges.

The forum comes ahead of the fifth edition of Make it in the Emirates (MIITE 2026), the UAE’s flagship industrial platform, scheduled to take place from May 4 to 7 at ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi. 

Industry at the core of national resilience

Chairing the forum, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology Dr. Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber underscored the strategic importance of industry as a pillar of national sovereignty and economic resilience.

He stated that, guided by the UAE’s leadership, the country has built a model capable of transforming challenges into opportunities, emphasizing that nations unable to produce their essential needs remain vulnerable to global market fluctuations.

“Industry is the backbone of recovery,” Al Jaber said, noting that disruptions to shipping routes, energy markets, and global supply chains require decisive and coordinated responses.

He stressed that true self-sufficiency is achieved through strong industrial capacity, skilled national talent, and competitive domestic products — not isolation from global markets, but resilience within them.

From coordination to implementation

The forum focused on translating national-level coordination into actionable outcomes, building on the earlier “Virtual Industrial Council” discussions.

Participants addressed four key priorities:

• Ensuring business continuity and logistics resilience

• Securing raw material supply

• Enhancing access to financing, particularly for SMEs

• Strengthening export competitiveness

Discussions also explored structural reforms and long-term policy shifts to reduce exposure to global disruptions and reinforce supply chain stability.

Industrial growth exceeding targets

Officials highlighted the UAE’s strong industrial performance in recent years. Industrial exports have doubled since 2020, reaching Dh262 billion, while medium- and high-tech exports climbed to Dh92 billion — surpassing the country’s 2031 targets six years ahead of schedule.

In addition, more than Dh473 billion has been redirected into the national economy through the In-Country Value (ICV) programme, reinforcing local supply chains and industrial capabilities.

These gains are part of the broader Operation 300Bn strategy launched in 2021 to expand the industrial sector’s contribution to the national economy.

Record-breaking edition of MIITE 2026

Speaking at a press briefing, MoIAT Undersecretary Hasan Al Nowais announced that MIITE 2026 will be the largest edition to date.

The event will feature:

• 1,022 exhibiting companies (up 42% year-on-year)

• 88,000 square meters of exhibition space (30% growth)

• SMEs accounting for 60% of exhibitors

The platform will showcase opportunities across 12 strategic sectors, with more than 4,800 products identified for local manufacturing to reduce reliance on imports.

New policy tools and financing initiatives

MIITE 2026 will also introduce a new generation of industrial policy instruments, including:

• An enhanced In-Country Value (ICV) programme

• An upgraded Industrial Technology Transformation Index

• New financing programmes targeting priority sectors

These initiatives aim to strengthen industrial resilience and support companies navigating an increasingly volatile global environment.

Expanding partnerships and market access

Over five editions, MIITE has evolved into a national decision-making platform, facilitating procurement pipelines, supply agreements, financing access, and international partnerships.

The UAE now has 36 Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements (CEPAs), providing access to markets of more than three billion consumers—further boosting export potential and industrial growth.

A platform for future growth

Officials emphasised that the UAE’s industrial strategy is delivering measurable results and positioning the country as a globally competitive manufacturing hub.

“The UAE is not reacting to change — it is building from a position of strength,” Al Nowais said, inviting global investors and manufacturers to “scale, innovate, and build” in the Emirates.

With five years of sustained investment, the UAE’s industrial sector is increasingly seen as a driver of economic diversification, supply chain resilience, and long-term growth in an evolving global landscape.