Prime Highlight:
- UAE teams up with MoIAT and WEF to expand its Technology Transformation Programme for advanced manufacturing.
- The Industrial Technology Transformation Index will align with WEF’s Lighthouse Operating System for Industry 4.0 adoption.
Key Facts:
- The partnership, signed at the World Governments Summit, aims to modernise factories and boost supply chains under “Make it in the Emirates.”
- It builds on the Transform 4.0 initiative, supporting Lighthouse factories, skills development, and industrial productivity.
Background
The United Arab Emirates has signed a new partnership with the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT) and the World Economic Forum (WEF) to speed up the digital and technological transformation of the country’s manufacturing sector.
Under the agreement, MoIAT’s Technology Transformation Programme will be expanded into a national platform. The platform will help factories across the UAE modernise operations, adopt advanced manufacturing technologies, and strengthen their links with global supply chains. The deal was signed on the sidelines of the World Government Summit.
As part of the partnership, the UAE’s Industrial Technology Transformation Index will be aligned with the World Economic Forum’s Lighthouse Operating System. The global framework is built on best practices from more than 200 advanced “Lighthouse” factories worldwide. The alignment aims to give UAE manufacturers a clear and structured path to move from digital readiness assessments to real-world implementation of Industry 4.0 technologies.
Hasan Jasim Al Nowais, undersecretary at MoIAT, said the collaboration supports the UAE’s goal of becoming a global hub for future industries. He added that aligning national programmes with international standards will help raise industrial productivity, strengthen supply chains, and attract new investment under the “Make it in the Emirates” initiative.
The World Economic Forum said the Lighthouse Operating System helps companies move beyond small pilot projects and adopt digital transformation at scale. Kiva Allgood, managing director at the Forum, said manufacturers face more pressure from supply chain disruptions and sustainability rules, making digital transformation essential rather than optional.
The agreement also places strong emphasis on skills development, knowledge exchange, and building a national model for industrial transformation. Additional tools and methodologies under the partnership are expected to be introduced later this year.
The partnership builds on the UAE’s Transform 4.0 initiative, launched two years ago, which supports high-potential manufacturers in adopting advanced technologies and developing a new generation of industrial Lighthouse factories across the country.
