Dr Sultan Bin Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, has led a joint delegation by the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT) and the Ministry of Defence (MOD) to the Tawazun Industrial Park and the Tawazun Economic Council (Tawazun), the integrated national centre for defense, security, and aviation industries.

Al Jaber also met with senior leadership of the Edge Group, one of the world’s leading advanced technology conglomerates.

The visit came as part of a series of tours conducted by Sultan Al Jaber to review the performance of industrial facilities in the UAE and discuss ways to further attract global investors and industrialists to the country. This is in line with the Ministry’s Make it in the Emirates initiative, which seeks to catalyse the development of a dynamic, supportive, and globally competitive industrial ecosystem by fostering closer collaboration with key industry stakeholders and creating procedures and incentives that encourage the establishment of pioneering industrial projects in the UAE.

He was accompanied on the tour by Omar Al Suwaidi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology; Director General Dr Mubarak Saeed Bin Ghafan Al Jabri, Assistant Undersecretary for Support and Defense Industries at the Ministry of Defense; Osama Amir Fadhel, Assistant Undersecretary for the Industrial Accelerators Sector, and Mohammed Al Qasim, Director of the Technology Development and Adoption at MoIAT, and Ali Al Hashemi, Director of Science and Technology Policies and Programs at MoIAT.

The delegation was welcomed by Tariq Abdul Raheem Al Hosani, Chief Executive Officer of Tawazun Economic Council; Faisal Al Bannai, Chairman of the Board of Directors of EDGE; Mansour Al Mulla, CEO of EDGE Group; Matar Ali Al Romaithi, Chief Economic Development Unit at Tawazun Economic Council; and Faiz Saleh Al Nahdi, CEO of Tawazun Industrial Park, in addition to a number of officials of companies and factories operating within the facility.

The joint delegation was briefed on plans to develop and expand defense projects at Tawazun Park, including a presentation on the work of Halcon, a regional leader in precision-guided munitions. The group also met EPI, housed within Edge Group’s Platforms and Systems cluster, and discussed the production of parts for the world’s leading aircraft manufacturers, in addition to the manufacture of high-performance equipment and parts for the oil and gas industry.

During the tour, Edge Group also showcased its role as one of the prominent national institutions in the Champions Network 4.0, through which it is elevating the capabilities of the UAE defense industry, increasing the value of local manufacturing output, enhancing product quality and improving operational efficiencies through the integration of advanced technologies. It is also supporting the Make it in the Emirates initiative by empowering manufacturers across the sector’s value chain.

Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber remarked: “In line with the leadership’s vision and directives to increase the industrial sector’s contribution to economic diversification and ensure sustainable economic development, MoIAT supports leveraging the competitive advantages of the UAE to achieve growth in all sectors, especially priority industries. By doing so, we are positioning the UAE as a global destination for industries of the future”.

Dr Sultan added: “The UAE’s commitment to enhancing the ease of doing business by leveraging the competitive advantages of the country and lowering costs aims to empower the national industrial sector, attract industrial investment, and create commercially viable opportunities for national products. It also aligns with the National Strategy for Industry and Advanced Technology by boosting the contribution of the industrial sector to the national economy and increasing industrial exports, while also helping to boost National In-Country Value (ICV) by supporting local industries by redirecting higher portions of public spending into the national economy.”

Praising the commitment of government entities, large national companies, investors and manufacturers, including the Ministry of Defense, Dr Al Jaber commended the dynamic role played by EDGE and Tawazun in meeting national objectives. “From what we have seen of the advanced development and high-level national competencies and human capabilities today, we should be proud of our defense and technological industries. The UAE defense sector has been able to create opportunities that are contributing to national economic growth and supporting the UAE’s efforts to become a global hub for innovation and advanced industries.”

Major General Dr Mubarak bin Ghafan Al Jabri, said: “The Ministry of Defense pays great attention to defense industries, as has developed the necessary strategies and enacted policies that support this vital national sector while working directly and effectively with its strategic partners at the national and sector levels.”