HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister, and Ruler of Dubai, has approved a series of decisions during a Cabinet meeting to accelerate industrial growth and strengthen support for UAE-made products, including the launch of a $272.25 million (AED 1 billion) National Industrial Resilience Fund.
The fund aims to support the localization of critical industries, strengthen supply chains, and enhance national self-sufficiency, while boosting industrial readiness and economic security across priority sectors.
The fund will support expanding local manufacturing, building strategic reserves, and advancing industrial value chains, while leveraging artificial intelligence in forecasting and risk management. Resources will prioritize sectors such as food security, manufacturing, metals, mechanical and electrical industries, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, medical supplies, advanced technology, and construction.
The Cabinet also approved amendments to the National In-Country Value Programme, transitioning it from an incentive-based model to a mandatory framework across federal entities and companies with at least 25 percent government ownership.
The move is designed to direct demand towards national products, strengthen supply continuity, and enhance industrial resilience, positioning government spending as a key driver of localization and economic security.
Boosting visibility of UAE-made products
In addition, a new policy was approved to boost the visibility of UAE-made products across retail outlets and digital platforms, supporting market stability and integration into major supply chains.
The first phase will focus on essential goods with scalable local production, including bottled water, dairy products, eggs, poultry, bread, flour, vegetable oils, and seasonal vegetables, with dedicated retail space allocated for locally manufactured products.
HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Ruler of Dubai, Vice President & Prime Minister – UAE
“Today, we took decisions to accelerate the UAE’s industrial growth… We are launching an $272.25 million (AED 1 billion) fund to strengthen resilience, expand local production, secure supply chains, and scale the use of artificial intelligence across production and operations. We made the National In-Country Value Programme mandatory across all government entities and national companies, and strengthened the presence of UAE-made products. Our target is clear. Fully localize more than 5,000 critical products… We reviewed preparations for ‘Make it in the Emirates 2026’ in Abu Dhabi next month, bringing together global investors and industry leaders.”
The Cabinet also reviewed preparations for the fifth edition of the Make it in the Emirates 2026, scheduled to take place from May 4 to 7 at ADNEC in Abu Dhabi. The event is expected to attract more than 120,000 visitors and over 1,000 exhibitors across 12 industrial sectors, with SMEs accounting for 61 percent.
The platform will showcase procurement opportunities, support localization of critical products, and introduce initiatives such as a Start-ups Hub, a Quality Infrastructure Platform, and the ‘House of Industry‘ museum documenting the UAE’s industrial development.
Image credits: WAM | Cropped by GBN
The Cabinet further approved the establishment of a National Industrial Data Committee, chaired by Hasan Jassim Al Nowais, to enhance data integration, improve accessibility, and support real-time industrial decision-making, including legislative updates where required.
Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber said that, “These decisions reflect the leadership’s vision to advance a more resilient and sustainable national industrial model, built on the localization of critical industries, the strengthening of supply chains, and directing demand towards national products. They also support the accelerated adoption of artificial intelligence across production and planning processes, enhancing the competitiveness of the industrial sector and reinforcing its contribution to economic growth.”
