Blitz Bureau
The UAE Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology on August 19 joined its BRICS counterparts on the launch of a Centre for Industrial Competences in cooperation with the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) to support the development of Industrial skills and capabilities.
The declaration was made at the 8th BRICS Industry Ministers Meeting, bringing industry, trade and technology ministries together from the UAE, Russia, Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Iran, and South Africa.
The meeting, chaired by Russia, took place under the theme of “strengthening multilateralism for equitable global development and security”.
The centre will promote partnerships within the framework of the New Industrial Revolution (NIR) to identify interests, challenges, and opportunities in the rapidly evolving industrial landscape. In addition, the centre aims to enable industry and the develop industrial skills of its members.
Omar Al Suwaidi, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology, commended Russia’s chairmanship of the meeting.
He said, “BRICS countries represent almost 45 per cent of the world’s population and account for almost a third of the world’s GDP, indicating a significant opportunity for collaborative industrial progress and sustainable development. The UAE is committed to strengthening ties with its global partners to capture mutual economic opportunities, which is a major driver of sustainable development and a means to address major global challenges, such as food security and climate change.”
He added, “The ministry looks forward to contributing to the working groups being created under this partnership and bringing its expertise to the table to develop and enable industrial growth for the mutual benefit of all members. The declaration includes discussions to create several working groups, including the chemical industry, metals, SMEs, smart manufacturing, clean technology and medical equipment.
Under the declaration, the members emphasised their commitment to cooperating on industrial policy in support of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially SDG 9 on industry, innovation and infrastructure, including the implementation of green technologies. In addition, the declaration recognises the role of the PartNIR (Partnership on New Industrial Revolution) Innovation Centre, which focuses on policy coordination, personnel training and project development.
