In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President of the State, Deputy Prime Minister, Head of the Presidential Office. Your Highnesses, Excellencies, distinguished guests, dear colleagues, and honored attendees, peace be upon you. I welcome you to the fifth edition of Make it in the Emirates.
We meet today after an experience that our region has gone through, and whose repercussions have affected the entire world. An experience that the UAE faced as it always has — with unwavering determination, steadfast unity, and a clear, unchanging goal. History records events and challenges, and also records how nations responded to them and what they built afterward. There is a big difference between those who focus only on overcoming crises and those who see them as an opportunity to seize and turn into a new launching point.
We in the UAE do not settle for mere endurance; we emerge from crises and experiences stronger. We stood firm in the face of attacks and came out with a clearer vision of our future direction, a deeper and more comprehensive assessment of our partnerships and partners, and a distinguished Emirati model that has proven its success. It has proven that everyone in the UAE is Emirati. We have proven to the world — by action, not by words — who the UAE is, how it builds, and how it stands firm.
The UAE emerged from this experience with invaluable lessons and priceless truths. The truth that our infrastructure is solid and unshakable. The truth that our genuine and sincere partnerships are firm and unwavering. And the truth that our principles — based on credibility, reliability, and resilience — are not mere slogans but fundamental pillars on which we rely.
There are those who are affected by facing crises, and there are those who exploit crises to learn, adapt, and advance. This experience did not change us; rather, it highlighted our determination, resolve, and steadfastness. This is the UAE — firm in principle, bold in action, and clear in its direction. And thanks be to God, we endured and distinguished ourselves, by the grace and vision and directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the State, may God protect him.
And thanks to the cohesion of our community of citizens and residents, who stood in one rank behind the leadership and the homeland. And as one of the proud sons of the UAE, I want to highly commend the tremendous efforts of our Armed Forces, which are celebrating these days the 50th anniversary of their unification, as well as the Civil Defense teams and all frontline heroes and all relevant institutions.
Distinguished guests, the strength of nations is measured by the efficiency of their performance and productivity. Those who manufacture own their decisions, those who build own their future, and those who combine both ensure their security and sovereignty. For this reason, we do not consider industry a choice but a sovereign necessity, because it gives us the flexibility and ability to adapt, protects our economy from global market fluctuations, and strengthens our ability to endure when circumstances test us.
Dear colleagues, the lessons are clear before us. When a vital artery like the Strait of Hormuz is closed, it is not just one region that is affected — the entire global economy is shaken. Supplies stop, costs rise, global inflation rates increase, production chains are disrupted, and pressures mount on economies, especially the less resilient ones.
Our position on this matter is firm and clear. The strait must not be held hostage or used for threats and economic blackmail. Freedom of international navigation is non-negotiable. Likewise, the legal status of the strait as an international waterway must not be changed, and any change to these principles is a dangerous and unacceptable precedent and a direct threat to global economic security.
Dear colleagues, we are now at the beginning of a new phase — a phase in which we are reshaping our position in the global economy with confidence, steadfastness, maturity, and clarity. The UAE's sovereign decision to reposition itself in the global energy system and to exit OPEC and OPEC Plus is not directed against anyone. This is a strategic and well-considered decision that reflects our capabilities and our confidence in our ability to build a more diversified economy and our ambition for a better future.
This decision serves our national interests and our long-term strategic objectives, and it aligns with our industrial, economic, and developmental ambitions. It enables us to accelerate our investments, expansion, and value creation. For strength lies not in the abundance of resources but in how they are harnessed to create value and serve the homeland.
And we affirm, with full clarity, that the UAE will remain a reliable and responsible partner in global energy markets and will continue to support its stability from a more resilient position. This step was not an end in itself but part of a broader and more comprehensive path through which we are reshaping our economy and industries with a vision that links energy, technology, and industry, and connects our resources with our national priorities to build a stronger and more resilient economy.
And through the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President of the State, Prime Minister, and Ruler of Dubai, may God protect him, and through the follow-up and supervision of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President of the State, Deputy Prime Minister, and Head of the Presidential Office, the National Industry Strategy has achieved clear and tangible results.
We raised the contribution of the industrial sector in the national economy to 200 billion dirhams, representing a growth of 70%. Our industrial exports reached 262 billion dirhams, of which 92 billion dirhams were advanced technological industrial exports. These figures are not just growth but clear and decisive evidence that our Emirati industrial and economic model is working, producing, and accelerating.
And through the Local Content Program, we transformed our spending into investment in our economy, investment in our country, investment in our factories, our workforce, and our future. And today, with the guidance and support of the wise leadership and the blessing of the esteemed Council of Ministers, the value of industrial procurement opportunities is being raised from 168 billion dirhams to 180 billion dirhams over the next ten years, and localizing more than 5,000 new products in strategic sectors that strengthen our economic, food, and health security, ensuring business continuity in vital sectors.
And at the same time, in line with the government's direction to implement AI agents and models in services and operations, we are beginning a comprehensive and unprecedented technological and digital transformation. Artificial intelligence will not be just a tool in our factories but a partner in decision-making that redefines efficiency, speed, and productivity.
Distinguished guests, the economies of the future are built on three pillars: energy that powers, technology that thinks, and industry that produces. And the UAE today brings these pillars together in one integrated system, which solidifies its position as a major destination for investment and growth. And my message to investors and manufacturers is that the UAE provides you with a global platform for growth — a business environment built on credibility and trust, flexible legislation, disciplined governance, world-class financial services, infrastructure and logistics that connect the UAE with various parts of the world, and real opportunities for growth and expansion.
In the UAE, ideas are transformed into industries, and investment is transformed into value. And with the support and follow-up of His Highness Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, and to contribute to developing local content and in preparation for Make it in the Emirates, we organized yesterday the Make it with ADNOC forum to review its projects for the coming years, worth 200 billion dirhams, and the announcement of the Local Plus initiative, which connects engineering contractors, procurement, construction, and services with 70 qualified Emirati factories, obligating them to give priority to purchasing products manufactured in the UAE to strengthen the presence of this national industry in all ADNOC projects and its supply chains.
And I say to our private industrial sector, chambers of commerce and industry, and sovereign investment funds: the current phase requires serious and bold decisions. Direct domestic investment in the national economy is not a choice but a priority, because it is an investment in our stability, our economic sovereignty, and the future of our generations.
Ladies and gentlemen, the success equation for the coming phase is clear: whoever combines energy, artificial intelligence, and industry enhances their ability to grow and have global impact. And this system has already begun to crystallize here in the UAE. We do not wait for transformations — we create them. We do not merely keep pace with the future — we help shape it. From the UAE, opportunities begin, and from the UAE, industries launch to the world. Build with us, invest with us, and manufacture in the UAE. Thank you.
