The UAE is stronger with its industrial sovereignty, its adoption of advanced technology, and the flexibility of its supply chains

The first main dialogue sessions of the opening day of the “Make in the Emirates” 2026 platform confirmed that the rapid response and high flexibility recorded by various sectors in the UAE recently demonstrated the importance of thoughtful strategic plans and the values of proactiveness and readiness that the UAE adopted in its various vital sectors early years ago, and today demonstrated the level of capabilities, capabilities and national human energies in adapting competently and competently to all changes and dealing efficiently and confidently with various challenges, until it emerged from the exceptional emergency circumstances stronger than ever.

In a central discussion session entitled “Dealing with Variables – Protecting Supply Chains and Industrial Flexibility,” in which the Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, Suhail bin Mohammed Al Mazrouei, the Minister of Foreign Trade, Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, and the Advisor to His Highness the President of the State for Strategic Research and Advanced Technology, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the EDGE Group, Faisal Al Bannai, participated. The speakers stressed that the options for enhancing national energy security, proceeding with confidence in comprehensive economic partnership agreements with dozens of countries, and purposeful investment in developing industries and advanced technology, are pivotal factors that have established industrial flexibility. For UAE industries over the coming years and decades.

Participants pointed out that UAE industries in general, and advanced ones in particular, today enjoy various energy mix options, and diversified export market opportunities and supply chains through national content, as well as partnerships with major and emerging economies, which enhances their competitiveness and leadership, in addition to the potential for research, development and innovation.

Suhail Al Mazrouei said that the world needs more energy, so there is a need for more production, and that the UAE will always remain a responsible energy producer, capable of growth, and a contributor to global stability and the balance between supply and demand. He pointed out that the decision to exit OPEC was taken in a thoughtful manner, and will give freedom to produce needs in a way that enhances planning and decision-making capabilities in various industries, stressing that this flexibility enables and strengthens the “Made in the UAE” path.

He praised the role of ADNOC and its group of companies, which was pivotal in supporting the industrial position that the country has achieved today.

Regarding the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, Al Mazrouei said: No one should be allowed to control the Strait of Hormuz, and production must be made to refill global strategic reserves, with the necessity of opening the Strait without the possibility of re-closing it again. We will produce at the pace required by global demand as well as our national industries.

Thani Al-Zeyoudi pointed out that opening new markets and enhancing supply chain solutions available to Emirati industries and exports gives a growing and sustainable momentum to the role of the Emirati industrial sector in enhancing the country’s foreign trade revenues and sustaining its contribution to economic diversification in a world that aspires to stability and economic growth.

He said that the UAE’s non-oil foreign trade exceeded one trillion dollars (3.8 trillion dirhams) in 2025, with a growth of 27% over the previous year.

He added: The flexibility resulting from the agreements we concluded has proven useful in the recent period. We succeeded in dealing with different scenarios thanks to the preparedness that we developed.

He said: We are connected to more than 250 ports around the world, and this gives us a greater margin in the field of supply chains. We have a long-term policy that is always based on building partnerships, attracting investments, and developing strategic projects and infrastructure.

He stressed the importance of partnerships between the government and private sectors in shifting investments towards vital and promising local sectors, praising the transformation of “Made in the Emirates” from a display platform into an action platform where achievements are translated into opportunities and effective and influential partnerships are built in shaping the features of the next stage of growth.

Faisal Al-Bannai said that the UAE is keen to enhance its investments and expand its cooperation in the fields of advanced technology, which constitute a vital guarantee for future readiness, pointing to a package of partnerships concluded by the UAE that have strategically strengthened the capabilities of advanced local industries.

He added: The local capabilities of the UAE defense industries have proven their national role and played a pivotal role in defending the country’s lands in the recent period with high efficiency. We expect the growth of these national capabilities of our defense industries to multiply 100-fold in the future.

Al-Bannai pointed out that some industrial capabilities for air defense systems that require programs extending for two years to develop and manufacture were completed within 15 days and activated within an additional 15 days during the last period.

He said: Since EDGE was established 6 and a half years ago, the percentage of foreign orders placed on our local defense industry was 2%, and last year it reached 70%.

The speakers agreed that the UAE, which emerges stronger from all challenges, continues to consolidate its global position as an attractive destination for value-added strategic investments, thanks to regulatory frameworks, infrastructure, and flexible components that are prepared for all geopolitical changes, based on national capabilities, advanced technologies that enable the industries of the future, strategic partnerships, industrial alliances, and principles of foreign trade development in order to achieve the flexibility of supply chains and the smoothness of international trade exchange.

The participants praised the keenness of the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology in the country, through the National Strategy for Industry and Advanced Technology, to lay the foundations of an integrated industrial system with advanced and connected infrastructure, improve the flexibility of supply chains, expand the adoption of advanced technology solutions, and provide an attractive and supportive environment for establishing and expanding businesses and investments, which contributes to consecrating the readiness of the country’s economy and sustaining its growth, diversity and flexibility.

In dedication to the principle of industrial flexibility and the sustainability of the flow of supply chains, the work of the first day of the fifth edition of the “Make in the Emirates” platform focuses on the axis of “Industrial Sovereignty in a Strategically Interconnected World,” in reflection of the UAE’s keenness to build a stable and innovation-based industrial system with a clear strategic vision that creates opportunities now and in the future, based on confidence in the capabilities of human resources and benefiting from global partnerships in forming flexible industries ready to face the future.