The Emirates Defense Companies Council (EDCC) organized its ‘EDCC Industry Forum: Defense and Security Accelerators in the UAE,’ in collaboration with Tawazun Industrial Park (TIP), the Ministry of Defense (MoD) and the Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT). Representatives from 75 foreign and local defense companies attended the event.

Sultan Abdullah Al Samahi, Acting General Manager of the EDCC, explained that the Forumaims to bolster cooperation between the different segments of the UAE’s defense and security industries sector, underlining thecontinuous support provided by the Council’s key strategic partners, including MoD, GHQ of the UAE Armed Forces and Tawazun Economic Council.

Al Samahi added: “This forum is an opportunity to highlight EDCC’s pivotal role in raising the UAE’s profile as a center for excellence in the field defense industries.

The EDCC seeks to develop a platform for exchanging ideas and networking between the different segments of the UAE’s industrial defense and security sectors. This forum is one of many events that the EDCC plans to launch in the upcoming period, aiming to promote partnerships between the components of defense industries.”

Eng. Faiz Saleh Al Nahdy, CEO of TIP, gave a presentation on the facilities and services provided by TIP to defense and security companies and others, underliningTIP’s role as an integrated industrial zone.

Al Nahdy said: “TIP management implemented a plan to develop infrastructure towards increasing capacity, as well as a strategy to improve and increase service facilities, expand roads, provide reliable power supplies. The plan also includes any other services necessary to enhance TIP’s competitiveness and enable it to attract more local and foreign companies. Our infrastructure development project will allow us to take in more companies.”

Al Nahdy added: “Investors currently enjoy a conductive environment through available services pertaining to organizational support, project management, onsite maintenance, procurement and logistics, IT, designing prototypes, and testing and training facilities. These services are developed in accordance with international standards and best practices in the occupational health and safety field. TIP also provides a vibrant cohesive community environment incorporating restaurants and leisure facilities, such as open spaces and parks.”

Dr. Abdullatif Al Shamsi, Vice Chancellor of the HCT, highlighted the importance of developing human capital, in line with the UAE leadership’s forward-looking vision and its belief that education is the backbone of the country’s renaissance.

“To achieve that, the HCT is committed to qualifying Emirati cadres and empowering them with knowledge, training and guidance. Seeking to drive the UAE’s key sectors, we have graduated around 72,000 highly-qualified professionals, who are highly desired by employers.’

“The HCT works to provide a stimulating learning climate, in line with its development plans, which aim to prepare students, taking into account the highly demanded specializations across the labor market, and to equip them with skills, determined based on the requirements of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, which is founded on the pillars of creativity and innovation,” he added.

The EDCC is a qualitative initiative established with the support of MoD, GHQ of the UAE Armed Forces and Tawazun Economic Council. It aims to enable the local defense companies and provide a conductive environment for developing products and capabilities, according to the international best practices, allowing them to actively contribute to advancing the UAE’s industrial sector and diversifying revenue sources.