Growing the manufacturing sector has long been a key component of the U.A.E.’s economic diversification strategy and has been fleshed out in further strategic plans such as Operation 300bn. Indeed, over the past several decades, the U.A.E. has become an important producer of metals, such as aluminum and steel, and building materials, including cement, ceramics, and glass. It has also become a significant manufacturer of petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, food and beverages, and a wide variety of consumer goods. In the process, U.A.E. companies such as Emirates Global Aluminum and Al Ghurair Group have distinguished themselves as global industrial players, and U.S. companies such as HB Fuller and Guardian Glass have established significant operations in the U.A.E.
Meanwhile, the U.A.E. has been a major importer of U.S. manufactured goods including Boeing airplanes, GE engines, cars, electronic equipment, machinery, and food products. It has also invested in the U.S. manufacturing sector. In 2025, the U.A.E. committed to investing $1.4 trillion in the U.S. over ten years, some of it earmarked for manufacturing and technology infrastructure projects such as the new $4 billion aluminum smelter in Oklahoma.
At the same time, the Business Council has been an avid supporter of Make it in the Emirates as well as The Global Manufacturing and Industrialisation Summit (GMIS), which is a joint initiative of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the U.A.E. to build bridges between manufacturers, governments, NGOs, technologists, and investors and propel forward the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
To highlight the bilateral trade relationship, the Business Council co-led a delegation of chip manufacturer GLOBALFOUNDRIES and other New York Capital region representatives to the U.A.E., supported U.A.E. official visits to GLOBALFOUNDRIES, and highlighted the importance of Mubadala’s landmark investment in the company via a high-profile event with His Excellency Khaldoon Al Mubarak, CEO of Mubadala, in Washington, D.C.
The Business Council continues to highlight developments in the manufacturing sector through events with U.S. and U.A.E. officials, including H.E. Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, U.A.E. Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, and Governor of New Jersey Phil Murphy.
Key Institutions