The UAE Cabinet has approved the establishment of a National Industrial Resilience Fund worth AED1 billion, signalling a significant push to localise critical industries, reduce import dependency and future-proof the country's supply chains.
The fund, announced by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, will channel resources into priority sectors including food security, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, primary metals, advanced technology and construction. Artificial intelligence will be integrated into forecasting and risk management operations to sharpen industrial readiness.
A key outcome of the Cabinet meeting was the transition of the National In-Country Value Programme from a voluntary incentive framework to a mandatory model. The directive now applies to all federal entities and companies in which the government holds a stake of 25% or more, with the aim of fully localising more than 5,000 critical products.
The Cabinet also approved a policy to strengthen the shelf presence of UAE-manufactured goods across retail outlets and digital platforms. The first phase targets high-volume essentials with scalable local production, including bottled water, dairy, eggs, poultry, bread, flour, packaged vegetable oils and seasonal produce.
A National Industrial Data Committee was also established to identify priority industrial data, improve integration with national systems and ensure real-time data access across the sector.
The announcements came alongside a Cabinet review of preparations for the fifth edition of Make it in the Emirates, running from 4 to 7 May at ADNEC in Abu Dhabi. The forum is expected to draw over 120,000 visitors and more than 1,000 exhibitors spanning 12 industrial sectors, with small and medium enterprises making up 61% of participants.
News Source: Emirates News Agency
