Focus on manufacturing to drive UAE’s next growth wave

At the eighth annual Sharjah Investment Forum – World Investment Conference (SIF–WIC 2025), held in the presence of Her Highness Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairperson of the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq), H.E. Mohamed Alabbar highlighted the central role of manufacturing in shaping the UAE’s next phase of economic growth.

Speaking during a fireside chat titled “Vision, Venture, Value: Shaping the Region Through Leadership,” Alabbar, the founder of Emaar Properties and Noon.com and Chairman of Eagle Hills, noted that manufacturing already accounted for a greater share of the UAE’s GDP than real estate. “If you look at our economy, real estate is only 12% of GDP, but manufacturing is 15%,” he said. He urged investors and entrepreneurs to “look into manufacturing seriously,” adding that starting small and focusing on product quality and integrity could yield significant long-term rewards.

Alabbar described manufacturing as the foundation of real economic development, explaining that his business ventures were designed to stimulate growth through production, job creation, and local industry support. “Every project we do adds 5% to a city’s GDP. We create jobs, we pay taxes, we help small businesses grow, from the window maker to the cake shop owner,” he said.

He called on the next generation of Emirati entrepreneurs to invest in manufacturing innovation and technology, pointing to opportunities in areas such as advanced materials, digital fabrication, and industrial automation. His message reinforced the view that the UAE’s economic diversification strategy depended on building a strong, sustainable manufacturing base that could compete globally.

Organised by the Sharjah FDI Office (Invest in Sharjah) in partnership with the World Association of Investment Promotion Agencies (WAIPA), SIF–WIC 2025 positioned manufacturing as a key pillar of regional economic resilience and sustainable growth, in line with the UAE’s broader development vision.