Tawazun Council for Defence Enablement and AD Ports Group have partnered to develop the Al Selmiyyah Defence Industrial Free Zone in Abu Dhabi.
The initiative is designed to support the development of a sustainable national defense industrial base, enhance self-reliance in defense production, and contribute to long-term national security and industrial readiness.
Al Selmiyyah is being developed as a dedicated defense industrial zone intended to attract global original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and enable the localization of advanced manufacturing activities in the UAE.
The project is expected to support the expansion of industrial operations and strengthen domestic production capabilities in strategic defense sectors.
The zone will operate as an integrated industrial ecosystem, offering infrastructure, regulatory frameworks, and compliance systems designed to meet the requirements of defense and high-security industries.
It will also be directly connected to logistics networks and global supply chains to support export-oriented industrial activity.
Under the agreement, the Tawazun Council for Defense Enablement will oversee regulatory and licensing frameworks, ensure alignment with national defense capability priorities, and manage industrial compliance standards.
AD Ports Group will act as a strategic partner and advisor for the project, leading master planning, land use design, and infrastructure development.
The company will also provide industrial zone expertise to support phased development and integration with regional and global trade routes.
The project is expected to encourage technology transfer, increase high-value industrial investments, and enhance participation from national companies and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) within defense supply chains.
It will also strengthen the UAE’s position in advanced manufacturing and strategic industrial sectors.
Dr. Nasser Humaid Al Nuaimi Secretary-General Tawazun Council for Defense Enablement
“This partnership represents a strategic milestone in the development of a sophisticated national defense industrial ecosystem built on strengthening sovereign capabilities and expanding high-value industrial partnerships. The development of Al Selmiyyah Defense Industrial Free Zone is an unprecedented initiative in the region aimed at attracting leading global manufacturers and establishing advanced industrial partnerships that support technology transfer and accelerate the growth of the UAE’s defense industrial base.”
Captain Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, Managing Director and Group CEO of AD Ports Group, noted that, “Al Selmiyyah Defence Industrial Free Zone represents a strategic addition to our free zones portfolio and underscores our ability to attract and develop high-value, priority sectors within an integrated ecosystem of advanced infrastructure and global logistics services.”
