Yesterday (September 1st 2015), the UAE played host to the Global Announcement Ceremony for the biennial Global manufacturing and Industrialisation Summit (GMIS), which will take on a sustainability and connectivity theme in 2016.
1 of 8
GMIS
(L-R) Badr Al Olama and Minister of Economy during the symbolic GMIS Activation Ceremony at Strata Manufacturing Facilities.
2 of 8
GMIS
(L-R) Badr Al Olama and UAE Minister of Economy during the symbolic GMIS Activation Ceremony at Strata Manufacturing PJSC Facilities.
3 of 8
GMIS
GMIS 2016 Activation Ceremony at Strata Manufacturing PJSC Facilities in Al Ain UAE 1 September 2015.
4 of 8
GMIS
GMIS Activation Ceremony at Strata Manufacturing PJSC Facilities in Al Ain UAE 1 September 2015
5 of 8
GMIS
HE Li Yong - UNIDO DG - speaks at Strata Manufacturing PJSC Facilities in Al Ain UAE 1 September 2015.
6 of 8
GMIS
HE Sultan Bin Saeed Al Mansoori - UAE Minister of Economy - speaks at the GMIS 2016 Activation Ceremony at Strata Manufacturing PJSC Facilities in Al Ain UAE 1 September 2015.
7 of 8
GMIS
President of Guinea at the GMIS 2016 Activation Ceremony at Strata ManufacturingFacilities in Al Ain UAE 1 September 2015.
8 of 8
GMIS
President of Guinea speaks at the GMIS Activation Ceremony at Strata Manufacturing PJSC Facilities in Al Ain UAE on 1 September 2015.
The announcement launches a year-long global campaign in the run up to the Summit, which will take place in Abu Dhabi in September next year, starting with an international roadshow to build public, social, corporate and government support for GMIS. Upcoming destinations include the US, the UK, Germany and China.
GMIS is an initiative by the UAE’s Ministry of Economy and UNIDO in collaboration with the World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Council on the Future of Manufacturing.
"GMIS is designed to be more than just a summit," explained His Excellency Sultan Bin Saeed Al Mansoori, the UAE’s Minister of Economy. "This is about creating a global movement to help drive 21st century manufacturing and industrial transformation to create sustainable economies and inclusive societies worldwide. This is a long term process for which the inaugural Summit is the beginning, not the end."
GMIS will provide a platform for debate, interaction and learning with a global outcome. It is aimed at fostering the development of global standards for manufacturing and industrial innovation by bringing together representatives from governments, industries, civil society, students and academia to agree on a cross-national and cross-sector global manufacturing framework based on mutually agreed and beneficial standards.
Pressing global issues to be examined include: the relationship between low and high value added manufacturing activities; social and employment issues surrounding manufacturing and related urbanisation; the skill needs by manufacturing firms and how can they be catered for; the impact of incentives on manufacturing investment; leveraging technology for innovation; how to integrate better SMEs into global value chains; and how manufacturing and environmental concerns can be aligned.
During the launch event - which was held at the Strata Manufacturing facility owned by Mubadala, an Abu Dhabi investment and development company - Minister Al Mansoori, in partnership with the Director General of UNIDO, Li Yong, gave a detailed update on the objectives and progress of GMIS to the guest of honour, Professor Alpha Condé, President of Guinea and over 200 public and private sector delegates including regional CEOs from some of the world’s most influential global corporations.
"UAE’s experience with manufacturing and industrialisation, which Strata exemplifies, can be a model for both industrialised and developing economies," His Excellency stated.
"Strata is an illustration of developing our economy, moving away from a dominant industry, offering major benefits to our people. It is also welcomed by its major clients as a significant contributor to their global and regional development strategies. By disseminating successful experiences worldwide, we believe GMIS will accelerate development of similar initiatives across the world. We have a long way to go, but this is what is so exciting. By winning global support and demonstrating the inherent benefits for governments, corporates, and civil society, GMIS can enhance global manufacturing and make industrial innovation a global reality and force for a better tomorrow."
Also during the Global Announcement Ceremony of GMIS, UNIDO entered into an agreement with the Republic of Guinea to assist the development of the country’s industrial and manufacturing economy. Under the agreement, UNIDO will provide policy advice to the African nation and support it with research and studies to develop its manufacturing and industrial sector in a way that creates substantial job opportunities whilst preserving the local environment.
"Signing this agreement with a sovereign state can help promote knowledge and best practices whilst taking an inclusive and sustainable approach in line with the UN goals for sustainable development," said Li Yong. "We look forward to working with all our partners, both public and private, to help Guinea develop a viable roadmap for a more diverse economy, with inclusive and sustainable industrialization at the heart of positive change"
President Condé said the Guinea agreement builds upon the UAE’s success in establishing policies for industrial innovation and diversification.
"Guinea’s economy must become balanced so that we are not at the mercy of commodity pricing – as is the case with any country which is overly reliant on commodity exploitation," the President said. "We hope that GMIS will act as a process that will help drive economic development around the world. Developing economies have to have the courage to move away from what they know and grasp the opportunity to develop something new. By being in this aerospace factory today I can say that the UAE has been rewarded for its courage."
