Dr Al Jaber said the UAE's industrial sector provided an advanced infrastructure and a flexible legislative framework to the defence sector, supporting innovation and increased productivity.
He said the ministry "seeks to establish a framework for the sustainable development of the industrial sector, reduce its reliance on imports, and build an integrated national industry ecosystem based on the adoption of advanced technology and Fourth Industrial Revolution solutions".
"We aspire to keep pace with global advancements and highlight the UAE’s competitive advantages to attract foreign direct investment.”
Defence is an integral part of the UAE's economic diversification strategy. The UAE Armed Forces signed deals worth $5.7 billion at Idex, Abu Dhabi's biennial international defence exhibition, in February. Out of 86 deals signed by the UAE Armed Forces, 53 of them, worth $2.9bn, were signed with local defence companies.