Dr Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, said the UAE has remained resilient amid regional and global challenges, supported by national unity and guided by the directives of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
His remarks came as he opened the fifth and largest edition of Make it in the Emirates, where he announced AED 180 billion in new industrial procurement opportunities. Moreover, the initiative aims to localise more than 5,000 products across sectors linked to economic, food, and healthcare security.
Dr. Al Jaber said the UAE continues to convert challenges into opportunities. Additionally, he stressed that resilience, sovereignty, and industrial capability remain central to the country’s long-term economic strategy.
“History remembers the challenges nations face. But it also remembers how nations respond to them and what they build next,” Dr. Al Jaber said. “There is a great difference between those who focus only on surviving crises, and those who seize them as opportunities and turn them into new beginnings. In the UAE, we do not simply endure hardships. We emerge from them stronger.”
He added: “We do not wait for transformation; we drive it. We do not simply adapt to the future; we help shape it.”
He also praised the UAE Armed Forces, frontline personnel, emergency responders, and national institutions for maintaining stability during the recent crisis.
Industrial Growth and Procurement Expansion
Dr. Al Jaber said the UAE’s industrial strategy continues to deliver structural change across the national economy. Moreover, he said the industrial sector’s contribution has reached AED 200 billion, representing a 70% increase since 2021.
Industrial exports climbed to AED 262 billion, including AED 92 billion in advanced industrial exports. Additionally, Dr. Al Jaber said the figures demonstrate the strength of the UAE’s industrial model.
“These figures are not merely growth,” Dr. Al Jaber said. “They are proof that our industrial economic model works, produces, and continues to accelerate.”
He highlighted the National In-Country Value Programme as a key driver of progress. Furthermore, he said the programme helps convert spending into investment across the domestic economy.
With Cabinet endorsement, the value of industrial procurement opportunities will increase from AED 168 billion to AED 180 billion over the next decade. Additionally, he linked the announcement to the Make it with ADNOC forum, which recently outlined planned projects and procurement opportunities worth more than AED 200 billion over the next two years.
Dr. Al Jaber also referred to the Local+ initiative, which connects contractors with 70 qualified Emirati manufacturers.
Economic Security and Trade Route Stability
Dr. Al Jaber said industrial development represents a national necessity, not only an economic choice. Moreover, he said industry strengthens resilience and reduces exposure to global volatility.
“Economic security cannot be imported – it must be built and protected,” Dr. Al Jaber said.
“The security of vital trade routes is not a regional matter alone, but a shared global responsibility.”
Referring to the Strait of Hormuz, he reaffirmed the UAE’s position on freedom of navigation and international maritime principles.
“Freedom of international navigation is non-negotiable and cannot be compromised,” he said. “Any change to these principles would constitute a dangerous and unacceptable precedent and a direct threat to global economic security.”
Energy Strategy and Exit from OPEC+
Dr. Al Jaber said the UAE is entering a new chapter in which it is reshaping its position in the global economy. Additionally, he described the UAE’s decision to exit OPEC and OPEC+ as a strategic move aligned with national interests.
He said the decision “is not directed against anyone, any country, or institution” and aims to strengthen investment flexibility and long-term value creation.
“[The decision] serves our national interests and long-term strategic objectives, aligns with our industrial, economic, and developmental ambitions, and gives us greater ability to accelerate investment, expand, and create value,” Dr. Al Jaber said.
“Real strength is not measured by the abundance of resources, but by how they are harnessed to create value and serve the nation.”
He said the UAE will remain a trusted and responsible partner in global energy markets. Moreover, he said the country will continue supporting market stability while operating with greater flexibility.
AI-Led Industrial Transformation
Dr. Al Jaber said the UAE is launching a major technological transformation across its industrial ecosystem in line with government direction to deploy AI agents across operations.
“Artificial intelligence will no longer be just a tool in our factories,” he said. “It will become an industrial brain and a partner in decision-making – redefining efficiency, productivity, and the decision-making process.”
He added that the transformation reflects an integrated economic model that connects energy, technology, and industry.
Investment Message to Global Partners
Dr. Al Jaber positioned the UAE as a global platform for industrial growth, citing strong regulation, governance, financial services, infrastructure, and connectivity. Additionally, he urged private sector entities and sovereign wealth funds to prioritise domestic investment.
“Direct Domestic Investment is no longer an option – it is a priority,” he said. “Because it is an investment in our stability, our economic sovereignty, and the future of generations to come.”
He concluded by linking future competitiveness to the combination of energy, technology, and industrial capability.
“The economies of the future will be built on three foundations: energy that powers, technology that thinks, and industry that produces,” Dr. Al Jaber said.
“Those who successfully combine energy, artificial intelligence, and industry will strengthen their ability to grow and compete globally. And that ecosystem is already taking shape here in the United Arab Emirates.”
Dr. Al Jaber ended with: “From the UAE, opportunities begin. From the UAE, industries launch to the world.”
“Build with us. Invest with us. Make it in the Emirates.”
