By ; Ahmed Soluman

SENAAT, one of the UAE’s largest industrial investment holding companies, is the first to answer the call for action issued by the Abu Dhabi Declaration. SENAAT announced today that it has joined the global alliance to advance the future of manufacturing through a new partnership with the Global Manufacturing and Industrialisation Summit (GMIS), a joint initiative of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO). The partnership will see the two organisations engage in shaping the future of the manufacturing sector and advance inclusive and sustainable industrial development globally. The partnership between the Global Manufacturing and Industrialisation Summit and SENAAT is a clear step towards supporting the Abu Dhabi Declaration, which calls on public and private entities to join a global coalition to advance Inclusive and Sustainable Industrial Development and to work towards a shared vision of global prosperity. Announced at the 18th session of the General Conference (GC) of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the Abu Dhabi Declaration is a first-of-its-kind agenda that was adopted by UNIDO and its member states to drive governments to work in tandem with their private sectors and across borders to enhance public-private partnerships and thereby advance inclusive economic growth and bolster sustainable development. The Abu Declaration is a continuation of a global industrial partnership that was first converged by the Global Manufacturing and Industrialisation Summit – a joint initiative by UNIDO and the UAE Ministry of Energy and Industry which was launched in 2015. As the foundation partner to the Summit, SENAAT aims to explore potential opportunities within the manufacturing sector, where the investment company has a significant and successful track record in developing businesses through large-scale greenfield projects, immense expertise, access to key markets and supporting infrastructure and resources. Managing a portfolio of assets worth AED 27.3 billion (US$7.43 billion) through a solid investment strategy, SENAAT has played a significant role in developing a robust industrial base, in line with the Abu Dhabi Industrial Strategy 2021 and Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030, which is aimed at sustainable development and the diversification of the country's economic resources. The holding company continues to help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), mainly focusing its efforts on promoting inclusive and sustainable industrialisation, empowering women in the industrial sector and promoting eco-friendly best practices while also investing in upskilling the workforce to drive the next generation of industrial sector growth. Eng. Jamal Salem Al Dhaheri, CEO of SENAAT, said: "The Abu Dhabi government has laid out a clear vision to encourage local production and attract foreign investment, a combination that will enable the development of a strong and resilient manufacturing sector, and SENAAT’s investment strategy is very much in line with this approach. Our ambition is not only to maintain business success, but to nurture the development of Abu Dhabi’s industrial capabilities and contribute to wider economic diversification goals. Our partnership with the Global Manufacturing and Industrialisation Summit supports our intention to invest globally and create partnerships with world-class manufacturers in the most cutting-edge value chains. This global platform will help facilitate our ambitions and encourage cross-border collaboration that will spread economic prosperity and support the advancement of the Sustainable Development Goals.” The Global Manufacturing and Industrialisation Summit, the world’s first cross-industry and cross-functional platform that unites manufacturers, governments and non-governmental organisations (NGOs), technologists, and investors in a mission to harness the Fourth Industrial Revolution’s (4IR) transformation of the manufacturing sector to enable the regeneration of the global economy and to deliver prosperity to societies across the world. In line with supporting the Abu Dhabi Declaration, organisations partnering with the Global Manufacturing and Industrialisation Summit will leverage on public-private partnerships to encourage the exploration of new synergies that facilitate opportunities to advance inclusive and sustainable industrial development. The Abu Dhabi Declaration also acknowledges the transformative and disruptive potential of new technologies associated with the Fourth Industrial Revolution, referencing the opportunities these deliver to advance inclusive economic growth, reduce inequalities and contribute to sustainable development, resilience, and human well-being. Badr Al-Olama, Head of the Organising Committee of the Global Manufacturing and Industrialisation Summit (GMIS), said: “I am proud that we have a UAE company, SENAAT, become the first company in the world to answer the call for action issued by the Abu Dhabi Declaration, which recognises the need among all stakeholders to channel Public-Private-Partnerships towards greater efforts to building inclusive and sustainable industrial development globally and to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Through the partnership with the Global Manufacturing and Industrialisation Summit and its global network of partners and manufacturers, SENAAT will be able to support this agenda by extending its achievements in the UAE to the global stage.” The third edition of the Global Manufacturing and Industrialisation Summit (GMIS) will take place from 20-21 April 2020, alongside Hannover Messe, the world’s largest industrial technology tradeshow, in Germany. The Summit aims to inspire discussion and agreement on a strategic pathway in order to contribute to promoting sustainable industrial development through innovation and the adoption of 4IR technologies.