The UAE is the obvious choice for a pharma manufacturing hub

The UAE’s reputation as an innovation center is well-earned. It is to these shores, more than any other in the region, that global firms flock in search of new markets. The country is famous for having its eyes on the horizon, for acknowledging that the world is changing and that industries must change too for a nation to remain competitive on the world stage. Sector by sector, the UAE government is supporting these changes, advising on ways forward and guiding startups and incumbents alike through economic quakes and torrents. A major focus of the government’s vision is the healthcare industry. It sees the fiscal and economic benefits of a healthier nation and it recognises that to see that end, something must be done about medicine security.

Some of the most recent data available from the UAE’s Federal Customs Authority (FCA) shows pharmaceutical imports for 2020 at $8.2 billion. Meanwhile, Circular Economy Innovation Communities (CEIC) data shows the country’s pharmaceutical exports to have been $542 million in 2022. And yet, the numbers do not do justice to the impressive work being done behind the scenes by the government and private companies to close this gap. Global industry players see the potential for the UAE to become a pharmaceutical manufacturing hub and we, along with the Ministry of Health and Prevention, are determined to make this vision a reality.

UAE Vision 2030 and Dubai Industrial Strategy 2030 call for product security across sectors – for the nation to onshore production of medicines, for example, because it leaves its healthcare industry less vulnerable to price fluctuations and supply-chain hiccups. Medicine security is crucial to the realisation of long-term goals such as higher availability of care, enhanced treatment outcomes and, ultimately, a healthier society.

The writer is Interim Head of Region, Middle East, Turkey, and Africa, Acino