The 4th Global Manufacturing and Industrialization Summit (GMIS) was launched in Dubai under the patronage of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President, Prime Minister, and Ruler of Dubai, and was attended by HH Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and UAE Minister of Presidential Affairs. The Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT) organizes GMIS in collaboration with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO). The summit runs until November 27 and includes an industrial display at the Dubai Exhibition Center on the Expo 2020 site.
HE Al Jaber highlighted the global industrial sector’s evolution, saying: “The first three industrial revolutions contributed to strengthening global GDP and raising it to historical levels. They also helped increase average life expectancy and multiplied average global income 15 times. We are currently witnessing the dawn of the Fourth Industrial Era, as 4IR technologies begin to advance the industrial sector and enhance its contribution to driving global growth and prosperity.”
HE Al Jaber added: “We are working on adding greater value in sectors within which we have the expertise and competitive advantages, including energy, petrochemicals, plastics, metals, heavy industries, and electrical equipment. We will focus on investing in priority sectors, including healthcare, agritech, and advanced industries. We also seek to create value in high-performance sectors such as biotechnology and aerospace.”
The summit’s inaugural address was made by Dr. Sultan bin Ahmad Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, praising the UAE leadership’s sensible vision and strategy for developing a sustainable and diversified economy for the next 50 years. According to him, the UAE has evolved into a global model for economic development, with competitive advantages and a sophisticated business ecosystem.
HE Al Jaber greeted the audience and attendees before urging them to fully exploit the potential of 4IR technologies, citing UAE attempts to speed their adoption across the industrial sector as an example.
His Excellency Dr. Sultan Al Jaber also highlighted the Projects of the 50, which were launched by the UAE’s leadership to lay the foundation for growth for the next five decades. He noted the significant role played by industry and advanced technology in these projects. “As the UAE celebrates its 50th anniversary, our wise leadership has laid its vision for a prosperous future for the next 50 years. The role of industry is to contribute to building the best and most dynamic economy in the world.”
HE Al Jaber also issued an open invitation to all countries across the world to join the UAE in its efforts to improve international collaboration, invest in new prospects, and develop a bright and thriving global economy in his speech. He stated that no economy exists in isolation and that accelerated growth and advancement necessitate the creation of synergies in order to create a functional and integrated industrial ecosystem.
The Minister also spoke on the impact of innovative technology on efficiency, providing several examples, including additive manufacturing’s role in boosting productivity in a variety of industries during the last five years. During the COVID-19 pandemic, machine learning tools aided in the development of vaccinations, speeding up clinical trials and saving thousands of lives. He emphasized that new technologies and artificial intelligence have the potential to create constructive change.
HE The UAE’s national industrial policy concentrates on industries that contribute to high added value production. It also focuses on diversifying the economy, achieving long-term growth, and improving industrial competitiveness, especially through the use of cutting-edge technology. In fewer than ten years, the strategy aims to meet the MoIAT’s goal of doubling the industrial sector’s contribution to national GDP.
In terms of future goals, he stated that the MoIAT would concentrate on strengthening the industrial sector’s contribution to the development of the world’s best and most dynamic economy.
Al Jaber emphasised that the UAE invites partners to join in enhancing industrial growth through smart partnerships, leveraging the country’s current competitive advantages, which include world-class infrastructure, access to energy sources and raw materials, as well as diversity and cultural openness, which make the country a preferred destination for talents from more than 200 nationalities. He stated that the UAE is working to improve these advantages by improving regulatory frameworks, granting long-term residency visas for investors, entrepreneurs, and highly trained individuals, and enabling access to capital in partnership with the Emirates Development Bank.
His Excellency Dr. Sultan Al Jaber met with His Excellency Bandar bin Ibrahim Al-Khorayef, Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources, and Lord Gerry Grimstone, Minister for Investment at the Department for International Trade and Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy in the United Kingdom, on the first day of the summit.
His Excellency Dr. Sultan Al Jaber and His Excellency Khaldoon Al Mubarak, CEO of Mubadala Company, were also present for the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology and Emirates Global Aluminium, which was witnessed by His Excellency Omar Suwaina Al Suwaidi, Undersecretary of the Ministry, and Abdel Nasser bin Kalban, CEO of Emirates Global Aluminium. The MoU aims to apply the In-Country Value program to all purchases and contracts for goods and services, collaborate on growth prospects in the country’s aluminum industry, and establish a joint working group to analyze and debate the program’s requirements and provide insights and lessons learned from the insight.
His Excellency Dr. Sultan Al Jaber and His Excellency Malik Sultan Al-Malik, Director General of the Dubai Development Authority and CEO of Dubai Holding Asset Management, also attended the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the ministry and Dubai Industrial City, which included areas of cooperation and joint endeavors such as encouraging enterprises to sign up for the Fourth Industrial Revolution Index Program, participate in the readiness assessment, and promote the city’s development. His Excellency Omar Suwaina Al Suwaidi and Abdullah Belhoul, Chief Commercial Officer of Dubai Holding Asset Management, signed the Memorandum of Understanding. Al Jaber also visited a number of government and national and international company pavilions.
More than 250 speakers are expected to speak at GMIS 2021, including four heads of state or their representatives, two former prime ministers, four senior UN representatives, the US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate Change, and more than 25 ministers from the UAE and around the world, in addition to a strong Emirati presence in more than 70 sessions.
Three specialist conferences on technology, impact investing, and alternative and renewable energy, as well as three joint events with the United Kingdom, Australia, and Italy, will be held during the summit. Youth training courses, a specialized industrial and technology display, an e-sports event, and a collaboration with the Skolkovo Innovation Center will all be available. The summit, which will last six days and attract over 5,000 individuals from 130 countries, will feature 60 pavilions as well as two days of workshops and advanced training classes.
