Industry

In line with the goals laid out in the Dubai Strategic Plan 2015, industrial growth has done much to lead economic development and diversification. Although significant challenges like debt refinancing and regional competition could arise in the future, both the government and the private sector have proven their resilience in recent years. In particular, the manufacturing sector has seen strong export numbers, with direct exports growing nearly nine-fold between 2005 and 2011, from $3.05bn to $26.7bn. Of this, aluminium continues to be among the emirate’s largest industrial activities, accounting for 15% of manufacturing’s contribution to GDP. Meanwhile, the development of both industrial areas and free zones is continuing to impact the economy in a number of positive ways.