Industry

Fuelled by public infrastructure investment and attractive incentives for foreign investors, Dubai’s industrial sector continues to be a major driver of the emirate’s economic growth. While industrial output has been historically built on low-tech but high-value-added segments such as base metals and chemicals production, the emirate is pursuing a diversification agenda under its Dubai Industrial Strategy 2030. This policy appears to be paying dividends, with 2019 seeing growth in priority areas including the food and beverage segment as well as emerging industries such as auto manufacturing. Furthermore, with the reform of foreign ownership laws and the reductions in fees for businesses operating in the emirate’s free zones in 2019, foreign direct investment inflows are expected to rise steadily over the coming years.