The fourth edition of the Make it in the Emirates Forum is set to take place in partnership with the ADNEC Group in Abu Dhabi on 19-22 May 2025.
The forum aims to significantly enhance the UAE’s industrial sector, which currently contributes AED205 billion to the national GDP by end of 2023.
As part of its expansion strategy, the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT) will collaborate with ADNEC Group to amplify the forum’s success by highlighting industrial enablers, incentives, investment opportunities, AI innovations and sustainable manufacturing practices.
His Excellency Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, and Managing Director and CEO of ADNOC Group, said: “Aligned with our leadership’s vision to drive industrial growth, supply chain resilience, enhance economic diversification, MoIAT is committed to empowering the industrial sector and increasing its resilience.The industrial sector contributed to the national economy, which reached an impressive AED205 billion by end of 2023.”
His Excellency Dr Al Jaber emphasised that this initiative invites investors and companies to leverage the opportunities presented by the UAE’s industrial sector.
His Excellency Dr Al Jaber said: “This forum and its accompanying exhibitions have evolved into a regional and international platform, capitalising on vast investment opportunities in smart manufacturing, sustainable industrialisation and advanced technologies. In collaboration with its partners, the ministry is implementing a new strategy to enhance the event’s leadership both regionally and globally. This strategy aims to attract innovators and emerging industries, support national goals around sustainable economic development, and establish robust local and international partnerships.
“Since the launch of the National Strategy for Industry and Advanced Technology (Operation 300bn), we have focused on achieving its objectives through implementing various initiatives, plans and programmes designed to transform the UAE into a global hub for industry and innovation. This work has successfully attracted investments locally and globally, with investors leveraging the UAE’s competitive advantages and its position as an incubator for industrial projects of all sizes.
“The fourth edition of the Make it in the Emirates Forum will be characterised by collaboration between the public and private sectors, including the partnership between MoIAT and ADNEC, benefitting from both sectors’ logistical capabilities, financial solutions, and incentives to enhance the forum’s impact. This edition will create promising opportunities for investors to establish and expand their businesses, helping them to access key markets and boost their products’ competitiveness regionally and globally. It contributed in increasing the growth of manufacturing facilities within the country by 10 per cent annually. The forum will transcend borders, unveiling international agreements and opportunities worth billions of dirhams, offering diverse job opportunities, showcasing success stories from international companies operating in the UAE, and emphasising innovation and manufacturing.”
His Excellency Sheikh Salem bin Khalid Al Qassimi, UAE Minister of Culture, said: “We recognise the profound impact of productive nations on the journey of humanity and the achievements they bring to life. We take pride in the efforts that position the UAE as a leader in industry, driven by skilled national talent equipped with world-class knowledge, expertise and science. These individuals work tirelessly to raise the UAE’s flag high across various fields, fueled by unwavering determination to fulfill national ambitions and embody the vision of our wise leadership, which has invested in their capabilities and provided them with comprehensive support to excel.
“This event underscores our commitment to advancing the goals of the National Strategy for Industry and Advanced Technology, the Operation 300bn, and the Make in the Emirates campaign. These initiatives drive forward our leadership’s vision for sustainable economic diversification and a competitive industrial sector, aligned with the UAE’s centennial strategy and the mission to reinforce national identity. At the Ministry of Culture, we actively foster cooperation frameworks with both public and private sectors, supporting sustainable development goals and national objectives.
“We understand the significant economic value that the cultural and creative industries bring to our nation. Therefore, we are dedicated to bolstering efforts that strengthen this sector, discover talent and nurture young ambitions striving for success. This aligns with our shared vision for this sector as a key contributor to national development, ensuring that the UAE remains at the forefront of production by relying on young, skilled professionals; the true capital of our future.”
The announcement was made during a signing ceremony witnessed by His Excellency Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, and Managing Director and CEO of ADNOC Group, His Excellency Sheikh Salem bin Khalid Al Qassimi, UAE Minister of Culture, and His Excellency Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade. His Excellency Omar Al Suwaidi, Undersecretary of MoIAT, and Humaid Matar Al Dhaheri, Managing Director and GCEO of ADNEC Group, formalised the partnership.
A highlight of this edition will be the introduction of a dedicated pavilion for Emirati handicrafts, showcasing local talent and the cultural heritage of the UAE. It will be presented alongside sectors such as advanced manufacturing food and beverage, agritech, pharmaceuticals, medtech, shipbuilding, metals and fabrication, handicrafts, AI and Industry 4.0, chemicals, plastics and sustainable materials, oil and gas, hydrogen and energy, electrical equipment, machinery and construction material, aerospace, automotive and defense. The collaborative efforts aim to build upon the success of past editions, which saw significant engagement from both local and international entities.
Key stakeholders will also further highlight the importance of public-private partnerships. MoIAT and ADNEC’s collaboration ensures logistical capabilities, financial solutions and incentives to amplify the forum’s impact.
The upcoming edition is expected to unveil more purchasing agreements for UAE-based industrial companies, building on the AED143 billion, comprising 2,000 products for local manufacturing, already announced through previous editions. The previous editions witnessed the announcement of new enablers and incentives, including competitive financing solutions for industrial companies worth AED16 billion via Emirates Development Bank, First Abu Dhabi Bank and Mashreq Bank, including AED3.1 billion in technology financing. In 2025, exhibition space is expected to grow to more than 50,000 square metres, and anticipated visitor numbers of over 20,000 compared to 6,1000 visitors in 2024.
His Excellency Ahmed Jasim Al Zaabi, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development, Chairman of the UAE Chambers, said: “We have been collaborating with MoIAT to organise the Make it in the Emirates Forum since its inception, as part of our commitment to strengthening Abu Dhabi’s position as the region’s most competitive industrial hub. This collaboration reflects ADDED’s commitment to contributing to Operation 300bn as well as the objectives of the Abu Dhabi Industrial Strategy (ADIS) and the UAE Net Zero by 2050 Strategic Initiative.
“There is a large number of promising opportunities in Abu Dhabi’s industrial sector that can be discovered at the upcoming Make it in the Emirates Forum, which provides a platform forbuilding partnerships and engaging in discussions to address the needs of the industrial sector. Industry plays a key role in economic diversification; in Q2 2024, Abu Dhabi’s manufacturing value add rose to a record high of AED26.8 billion, accounting for 16.3 per cent of the emirate’s non-oil GDP. Since the launch of ADIS in 2022, Abu Dhabi’s industrial sector has grown by 21.7 per cent.”
The press conference was attended by His Excellency Omar Al Suwaidi, Undersecretary of MoIAT, His Excellency Mubarak Al Nakhi, Undersecretary of the UAE Ministry of Culture, His Excellency Badr Al Olama, Director General of Abu Dhabi Investment Office, His Excellency Humaid Mohamed Ben Salem, Secretary-General of the UAE Federation of the Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FCCI), Dr Saleh Al Hashimi, Director of ADNOC’s Commercial and ICV Directorate, and His Excellency Humaid Matar Al Dhaheri, Managing Director and GCEO of ADNEC Group.
During the press conference, HE Omar Al Suwaidi, Undersecretary of MoIAT, said: “The fourth edition of the Make it in the Emirates Forum will enhance the UAE’s leadership in manufacturing and innovation. The event will add significant value to the UAE’s industrial ecosystem, providing companies and investors with the opportunity to network with key global industrial players and expand their reach by leveraging free trade agreements and Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements. Additionally, the forum will spotlight global companies that have benefited from the UAE’s industrial incentives, showing how others can do the same.”
His Excellency Ben Salem concluded by affirming that the forum serves as an ideal platform for exchanging expertise and ideas among industry leaders, investors, and policymakers. This exchange enhances the competitiveness of the UAE's industrial sector and promotes sustainable growth that keeps pace.
His Excellency Dr Al Hashimi said: “ADNOC is proud to once again partner with MoIAT on the Make it in the Emirates Forum. Through the In-Country Value Program (ICV), ADNOC aims to locally manufacture AED90 billion worth of products in its procurement pipelines by 2030. This commitment to local manufacturing reflects ADNOC’s support for the Make it in the Emirates initiative as well as to enahncing economic and industrial self-sufficiency, and creating more private sector jobs for UAE Nationals. Our aim under the ICV program is to redirect AED178 billion back into the UAE’s economy by 2028. We look forward to another very successful edition of the Make it in the Emirates Forum and encourage local and international companies to join the UAE in its industrial growth journey.”
His Excellency Al Dhaheri said: "As the co-organiser of the Make it in the Emirates Forum, ADNEC Group is committed to ensuring its success by providing a world-class platform that fosters innovation, collaboration, and growth within the UAE’s industrial sector. This partnership reflects our unwavering support for the visionary leadership's efforts to position the UAE as a global hub for industry and technology. We are dedicated to creating an environment that enables businesses to thrive, facilitates the exchange of ideas, and attracts investment, all of which are key to driving the UAE’s industrial agenda forward.”
His Excellency Al Dhaheri added that the upcoming edition of the exhibition will mark a significant leap in both size and the diversity of participating industries. The new partnership between ADNEC Group and the Make it in the Emirates Forum aligns with ADNEC Group’s strategy to enhance Abu Dhabi’s position as a hub for creativity and innovation, and as a capital for specialised exhibitions and conferences in the region.
As part of the forum, the Make in the Emirates Awards will continue to commend excellence in the industrial sector, featuring 10 categories across fields such as sustainability, innovation, and leadership. The Make it in the Emirates Startup Competition will also return, providing startups with significant opportunities to develop technologies aligned with UAE’s industrial growth.
Through these initiatives, the forum represents a concerted effort to enhance collaboration between local and international investors, fostering the UAE’s economic diversification and solidifying its position as a global industrial hub.
