UAE's Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT) has joined hands with United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) to strengthen collaboration on optimising its competitive industrial performance (CIP) index.

The CIP Index benchmarks the ability of countries to produce and export manufactured goods competitively. It provides a graphical summary capturing the competitive performance of countries. The UAE is currently ranked first in the region. The move is in line with the goals of the Global Manufacturing and Industrial Summit (GMIS), a joint initiative between the ministry and UNIDO.

Dr Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, and Gerd Müller, Director General of UNIDO, discussed the move at a virtual meeting held recently. It was also attended by Hamad Al Kaabi, UAE Ambassador to Austria, and Omar Ahmed Suwaina Al Suwaidi, Undersecretary of MoIAT.

Attendees underlined the importance of forming a joint team to help achieve the ninth Sustainable Development Goal (SDG), which is to build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation.

The meeting is part of the ministry’s plans to enhance the capabilities and competitiveness of the industrial sector, as well as to consolidate relations with relevant regional and international institutions in support of the national industrial and advanced technology strategy.

The meeting covered enhancing competitiveness, exchanging industrial information to serve the global value chain, incentivizing investment in research and development, and supporting diversification of industries using advanced technology.

The meeting also touched on the UAE’s contribution and support to the Hydrogen in Industry Day event planned at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27) in Egypt.