KHALEEJ TIMES, Saturday, Sep 5, 2020 | Muharram 17, 1442
Start your green engines to drive growth, UAE urges
Emirates:
The UAE was early to recognise the potential of technology to enhance
industrial development, which has paved the way to prepare itself for the
challenges ahead and drive sustainable economic growth, said Dr Sultan bin
Ahmad Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology.
"By embracing technology, we will also nurture a knowledge-based economy and
create an ecosystem that supports and creates sustainable jobs," Dr Al Jaber
said at the third Global Manufacturing and Industrialisation Summit (GMIS),
which kicked off on Friday. The two-day event is being held virtually.
"We will unlock greater value from sectors where we have existing strengths,
including energy, petrochemicals, metals and logistics. We will target sectors
that strengthen our self-sufficiency, including water and food and agriculture.
And we will create value in new high growth sectors like biotech, health, and
pharma," he added.
The UAE has always been at the forefront of harnessing innovation. Dr Al Jaber
cited the recently-created Ministry for Industry and Advanced Technology as an
example of how the country is leveraging technology to achieve progress.
Covid has also pushed countries to build buffers into their inventories,
reinforce their resilience and embrace the innovations of the Fourth Industrial
Revolution (4IR), he added.
United Nations secretary-general Antonio Guterres also led calls to place
advanced technologies at the heart of the global recovery from Covid in a
speech.
"The world's reliance on manufactured products can be seen clearly through the
shortage of critical supplies and disruptions in global value chains," he said.
"Yet we have also witnessed a leap in digitisation for learning, working and
connecting with others. Technology has the potential to restore business,
improve industrial efficiency and safety, and fortify critical infrastructure.
Digital technologies must not increase the risk of unemployment for women or
worsen economic and other inequalities."
'Power' play
Ministers from the UAE, the Russian Federation and Indonesia, meanwhile,
discussed efforts to diversify their economies and shift towards a green
economy.
Suhail bin Mohammed Faraj Faris Al Mazrouei, UAE Minister of Energy and
Infrastructure, said the nation took a long-term approach to energy planning and
tackling climate change, with green energy expected to provide half the
country's energy by 2050.
"In 2017 we looked at our options from energy sources and we looked at the
targets and how we can make our cities among the world's most liveable in the
future," he said. "And by 2050, we plan to shift from 100 per cent reliance on
natural gas in 2017 to produce 50 per cent from green forms of energy."
Solar will become the dominant contributor in the UAE energy mix with a 44
percent share which will cut carbon dioxide emissions by 70 per cent and produce
savings of $190 billion versus natural gas. The UAE is also the first country in
the Middle East to develop nuclear power, with the first of four reactors at the
Barakah nuclear power now online. Nuclear will provide 24 per cent of the
country's power when all four reactors are eventually commissioned.
The GMIS also tackled key issues such as making reliable yet affordable Internet
to all, and also held a workshop to promote a gender-responsive and inclusive
manufacturing sector.
Dr Al Jaber concluded by sending an open invitation for cooperation.
"In fact, throughout the UAE's history, the spirit of partnership has defined
our approach to providing positive solutions to global challenges, and the UAE
is more than ready to play its part as a constructive partner to all who wish to
work with us," the minister said.
|