New licences issued jumped 51%
BBN Bureau
Abu Dhabi: New data from the Abu Dhabi Chamber show a surge in industrial licensing within the emirate (excluding free zones). During 2023, the number of new licences issued jumped 51 per cent, reaching 363 by year’s end.
 The Abu Dhabi Industrial Strategy, spearheaded by Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi has ambitious goals.
It seeks to double the size of the manufacturing sector to AED172 billion, create 13,600 skilled jobs, and increase Abu Dhabi’s non-oil exports by 143 per cent to AED178.8 billion, by 2031. Furthermore, the strategy seeks to improve the UAE’s ranking in global industrial competitiveness indicators, where the country already holds the top spot regionally and sits at 29th globally (according to the UNIDO Competitive Industrial Performance Index).
Statistics from the Abu Dhabi Chamber reveal a growing presence of foreign companies in the emirate’s industrial sector. In 2023, 46 foreign firms participated in 15 diverse industrial activities. The leading area of involvement is mining support services, attracting 13 foreign companies. Manufacturing sectors like chemicals and basic metals also saw significant foreign participation with 5 and 4 companies respectively.
The range of industrial activities in Abu Dhabi is extensive. It encompasses sectors like wood and wood product manufacturing (excluding furniture); paper and paper product manufacturing; rubber and plastic product manufacturing; fabricated metal product manufacturing (excluding machinery and equipment); waste collection, treatment, disposal, and material recovery; beverage manufacturing; machinery and equipment manufacturing; food product manufacturing; other non-metallic mineral product manufacturing; computer, electronic, and optical product manufacturing; electricity, gas, steam, and air conditioning supply; and water collection, treatment, and supply.
