Dubai.. conference "Middle East Iron and Steel 2025" Examines sector transformations globally

Dubai, 17 November / WAM / The 28th session of the Middle East Iron and Steel Conference 2025, organized by Fast Markets, kicked off today in Dubai, with wide participation of senior executives and decision makers from the Middle East, North Africa, Europe and Asia.

The conference witnessed extensive discussions that addressed the major transformations taking place in the global iron and steel industry, especially changing trade paths, the escalation of protectionist tendencies, and the acceleration of the trend towards low-carbon production.

The participants stressed that the sector is facing unprecedented pressures as a result of the global surplus in supply, the European Union’s mechanism for adjusting carbon at the borders, and shifting export routes to new markets, noting that the Middle East region, which has a portfolio of projects worth more than three trillion dollars, plays a growing role in the global supply system, investment flows, and enhancing long-term competitiveness.

Engineer Saeed Ghumran Al Rumaithi, CEO of the “Emsteel” Group, said: “The changing geopolitical landscape today imposes a greater degree of flexibility and proactive vision. We at “Emsteel” are working to strengthen supply chains, accelerate the path of reducing emissions, and expand our regional partnerships in a way that turns the current challenges into an area of ​​opportunities, not an obstacle to the development of our sector and the future of industry in the UAE.

For his part, Raju Daswani, CEO of Fast Markets, said that the growth of protectionist measures has plunged steel markets into an unprecedented spiral of volatility, and that hot-rolled iron indices in Europe and the United States witnessed sharp movements with the tightening of duties and the setting of quotas, adding that the United States doubling Section 232 duties is only one example of how national industrial strategies have become a direct factor in directing price behavior globally.

Harsha Shetty, CEO of Jindal Steel, stressed that the region’s security of resources gives it a long-term strategic advantage that many competitive markets globally lack.

Sharjeel Azhar, CEO of Ittefaq Steel Company, stated that the global surplus, estimated at between 500 and 600 million tons, is reshaping the movement of trade and changing the levels of market exposure in a remarkable way, and that protectionist measures may provide some temporary stability, but the competitiveness of the sector in the long term will be linked to the ability of companies to innovate, adopt advanced technologies, and move to low-carbon steel production on a large industrial scale.

For his part, Rafik Daou, Vice Chairman and Managing Director of Suez Steel Company, said that the sector thrives when the borders are open, but at the same time it needs frameworks that regulate the market and prevent structural imbalances from undermining regional producers.

Dilip George, CEO of Fouladh Holding Group, said that customs tariffs have become a real concern, and it is difficult for producers to invest with confidence or guarantee the required return without deterrent trade measures.

The conference sessions touched on the structural competitiveness of the region supported by the availability of raw materials and the stability of the vision towards long-term projects, noting that the markets in Asia and Europe are still suffering from constant fluctuations, while the Middle East and North Africa region benefits from an expanding industrial base fueled by the construction, logistics, energy and manufacturing sectors, which provides stable demand that enhances the ability of companies to expand.

The first day concluded by emphasizing the accelerating global need for low-carbon production, highlighting direct hydrogen reduction technologies, smelting powered by renewable energy, circular manufacturing, and carbon capture technologies, as the paths that will determine competitiveness over the next decade, in light of the region’s abundance of resources, government support, and major industrial zones capable of accommodating the rapid expansion of these technologies.

The conference witnessed the participation of more than 1,400 participants from 55 countries, the largest attendance since its launch 28 years ago, confirming its position as a leading platform that brings together policy makers, producers, investors and technology leaders to forge new partnerships and shape the future of the global iron and steel industry.

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