The UAE Ministry of Economy has received a delegation from the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) at its Dubai headquarters that met with members of the organizing committee of the Global Manufacturing and Industrialization Summit (GMIS). The meeting is part of ongoing preparations for the launch of the inaugural edition of the event in Abu Dhabi taking place in March 2017.

The session was headed by Abdullah Sultan Alfan, Assistant Undersecretary for Industrial Affairs at the Ministry of Economy, with the UNIDO delegation led by Augusto Luis Alcorta, Director of Research, Statistics and Industrial Policy.

The two parties discussed the latest developments related to the upcoming Summit’s agenda, the list of keynote speakers and participants from local and international organizations, and the leading companies to be invited. The event is expected to welcome around 1,200 participants representing major industrial companies and industry-related government authorities from around the world.

For the first time in industrial history, the Summit will gather leading experts, decision makers and politicians from developed and emerging markets, including prime ministers, ministers of economy and industry, senior executive officials from leading international companies, and researchers and academics, among others, to help shape the future of the industry.

The meeting also shed light on the agenda for events to be held on the sidelines of GMIS, such as an exhibition for industrial companies from the UAE and other GCC countries and a communication platform for investors, buyers and suppliers to pave the way for building technical and trade partnerships.

The GMIS organizing committee has been running extensive promotional campaigns across the world’s leading developed industrial capitals, including Tokyo, New York and London, to encourage the participation of the largest number of leading industry professionals, decision makers from the public sector and representatives of specialized organizations and to identify the key issues to be discussed during the Summit’s first edition.

Alfan explained that GMIS aims to set proper directions for the industry and provide an international platform for discussing and exchanging the best expertise and industrial knowledge. He added that the Summit will help develop unified international standards for industry and innovation through the assistance of representatives from the private and public sectors, civil society, and academia, all of whom will contribute to the development of an international industrial framework based on common standards that benefit all.

He added that the UAE places great importance on the industrial sector as a cornerstone of future economic development, in light of the country’s directives to promote economic diversification and transform itself into a knowledge- and innovation-based economy in accordance with the strategic objectives of UAE Vision 2021.

The Assistant Undersecretary further pointed out that the UAE is keen to increase the industrial sector’s GDP contributions in the coming few years. This, he said, will be achieved by attracting valuable industry investments particularly for modern technology and expertise in order to create a robust sector that can contribute to the country’s transformation into a knowledge- and innovation-based economy.

Most of the main issues to be discussed at the first-ever GMIS in Abu Dhabi revolve around enabling the private and public sectors and civil society to work together to devise future industry strategies for the benefit all parties; activating channels of communication between industrial companies and policy makers to establish a more advanced mechanism of cooperation to drive economic growth; and developing competencies for dealing with major developments within the industrial sectors. Other key issues related to enhancing growth enablers for the industrial sector across the participating countries will be tackled as well.

For his part, Badr Salim Sultan Al Olama, member of the GMIS organizing committee, said: "The meeting was of great importance as part of our efforts to organize this first-of-its-kind summit in the world. We have worked with the UNIDO delegation to make final plans for GMIS events to ensure that the Summit becomes an essential platform for the international industrial sector."

GMIS will be cooperatively organized by the UAE Ministry of Economy, UNIDO, and the World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Council on the Future of Industry.

Source :WAM