Focus Areas

Shaping the Future

Manufacturing

Share

Growing the manufacturing sector has long been a key component of the U.A.E.’s economic diversification strategy. 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, certain U.A.E. companies such as Emirates Global Aluminum (EGA) have distinguished themselves as global industrial players.

In recent years, the U.A.E. has focused on building up its advanced manufacturing capabilities. The Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT) launched Operation 300bn to develop the U.A.E.’s industrial sector with the ultimate goal of raising the industrial sector’s contribution to the U.A.E.’s GDP from AED 133 billion to AED 300 billion by 2031. As part of this strategy, the U.A.E. launched “Make it in the Emirates,” which is an initiative to encourage companies to develop and manufacture products in the U.A.E. Notably, the U.A.E. is increasingly prioritizing defense manufacturing as part of its broader industrial strategy, seeking to localize production, strengthen supply chain resilience, and position itself as a hub for advanced defense technologies.

Many U.S. companies have established manufacturing operations in the U.A.E., including Guardian Glass and HB Fuller. Meanwhile, the U.A.E. has invested in the U.S. manufacturing sector. For example, Mubadala invested $15 billion in GLOBALFOUNDRIES’ FAB 8 facility, employing nearly 3,000 people in New York’s Capital Region. In addition, EGA is developing a primary aluminum smelter in Oklahoma, representing a significant deepening of bilateral manufacturing ties.

At the same time, the U.A.E. has hosted high-profile events such as Make it in the Emirates and the Global Manufacturing and Industrialization 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.

The U.S.-U.A.E. 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. Manufacturing-focused events have also featured ADIO Director General Badr Al Olama and a sustainable manufacturing panel held in conjunction with GMIS at COP28.

Key Institutions