Abu Dhabi - MENA Herald: The Global Manufacturing and Industrialisation Summit (GMIS), along with representatives from the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), the UAE Embassy in Japan, and supported by the Japan Cooperation Center for the Middle East (JCCME), hosted a workshop in Tokyo to emphasise the importance of collaborative efforts between the manufacturing industry, government and civil society to overcome global challenges and to help meet UN Sustainable Development Goals for 2030.
The organisations discussed the current and future challenges of industrialisation in the run up to the inaugural Global Manufacturing and Industrialisation Summit being held in Abu Dhabi in March 2017, and discussed ways in which global companies could learn from Japan’s culture of manufacturing innovation and technology leadership. The Global Manufacturing and Industrialisation Summit is the world’s first global gathering for the manufacturing community, bringing together leaders in business, government and civil society to shape a vision for the sector’s future through the confluence of collaboration and sustainability.
HE Eng. Ayman Al Makkawy, Director General, Industrial Development Bureau at the Department of Economic Development in Abu Dhabi, introduced the Global Manufacturing and Industrialisation Summit to a high-level audience which included Hiroshi Kuniyoshi, Head of UNIDO’s Investment and Technology Promotion Office (ITPO) Tokyo; HE Khalid Omran Alameri, the UAE Ambassador to Japan, and Shinichi Kihara, Director, Middle East and Africa Division, of METI.
“Japan is one of just five nations – along with China, Germany, South Korea and the United States – that together account for 60 per cent of the world’s manufacturing output,” said HE Al Makkawy. “As the UAE and other nations look to expand their manufacturing sector, build expertise, and encourage young people to consider careers in the sector, it is vital that we learn from our global peers in Japan. Hosting the world’s first global gathering of manufacturers is a testament to the UAE’s global commitment to driving future innovations across all aspects of policymaking and the regulatory environment, as well as its commerce and industry. Given Japan’s heritage in manufacturing and technological innovation, it is a natural destination for outreach as we prepare to host the Global Manufacturing and Industrialisation Summit in Abu Dhabi next March.”
Shinichi Kihara, Director, Middle East and Africa Division, of METI, said: “The Global Manufacturing and Industrialisation Summit has set an outcomes-driven agenda, with the vision to address the challenges that we face on a global level: kick-starting sluggish economic growth, creating sustainable employment, and coping with the double impact of a growing population and finite resources. By building a programme that reflects the key issues of global manufacturing and policymaking, and driving collaborative problem solving and innovation building across geographies, sectors and industries, we can address these pressing issues and develop real and lasting solutions. Japan, as a global leader in manufacturing, has a significant role to play in sustainable development, and we believe that the Global Manufacturing and Industrialisation Summit can prompt dialogue that will enable us to move towards successfully addressing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 2030.”
The Summit roadshow emphasised the opportunities for expanding manufacturing activities and industry sectors, and how both business and government can learn from Japan’s past, present and future industrialisation vision, in addition to highlighting the country’s significant Industry 4.0 expertise. The speakers emphasised the importance of collaboration as a key driver of positive growth within the manufacturing and industrialisation spheres.
Japan is the fourth largest export economy in the world, with export values of US$624 billion in 2015. The country’s primary exports are motor vehicles and parts (US$143 billion), industrial machinery (US$117 billion), and electrical machinery (US$95 billion), with the United States, China, and South Korea being its top three export destinations.
The Global Manufacturing and Industrialisation Summit is being held at the Paris-Sorbonne - Abu Dhabi from March 27-30, 2017 and will bring together leaders from the manufacturing industry across business, government and civil society to shape the future of manufacturing, focusing on the transformational role of technology in global enterprise and the public sector.
