• UAE delegation visits New Zealand to strengthen pharmaceutical cooperation and explore investment opportunities

New Zealand: His Excellency Saeed bin Mubarak Al Hajeri, Minister of State and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Emirates Drug Establishment (EDE), led a delegation of senior executives on an official visit to New Zealand aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation between the two countries, including in the pharmaceutical industry.

The visit featured a series of meetings with government officials and representatives of specialised pharmaceutical companies to explore opportunities for deeper partnerships and expanded investment and collaboration.

Al Hajeri said the UAE has cemented its position as a leading regional hub for the pharmaceutical industry and a strategic gateway to markets serving nearly 2.5 billion people across the Middle East, Africa and South Asia, supported by its advanced infrastructure, global logistics networks and Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements (CEPAs).

Al Hajeri held two meetings at the Auckland Business Chamber, with representatives of New Zealand-based pharmaceutical companies Douglas Pharmaceuticals and AFT Pharmaceuticals. The gatherings were attended by Nicole Robertson, Divisional Manager, Middle East, and Africa at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of New Zealand , as well as senior executives from both sides.

During the meetings, Al Hajeri outlined the key features of the UAE’s pharmaceutical manufacturing ecosystem, stressing that the country’s strategic importance extends beyond the size of its domestic market to its role as a regional hub for distribution, re-export activities and the management of regional operations for multinational pharmaceutical companies.

His Excellency said that this role is underpinned by an integrated ecosystem that combines advanced transport and logistics infrastructure, extensive air connectivity provided by leading national carriers, and world-class ports that facilitate trade flows and support supply chains across the region.

Al Hajeri clarified that the UAE has signed around 35 Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements (CEPAs) with countries around the world, providing significant competitive advantages for companies operating from within the country. He added that the agreements facilitate access to international markets and strengthen companies’ ability to expand regionally and globally.

On the regulatory front, His Excellency stated that the Emirates Drug Establishment adopts an investment- and innovation-friendly approach by providing clarity and stability in pharmaceutical pricing policies, giving investors long-term visibility and helping them make investment decisions with confidence.

Al Hajeri also highlighted the growing volume of international investment in pharmaceutical research and development within the UAE, citing the expansion of major global companies such as Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk, which have strengthened their research and regional operations from the UAE as a base serving surrounding markets.

During the meeting with AFT Pharmaceuticals, Dr Hartley Atkinson, the company’s CEO  &  Managing Director, outlined its growth trajectory, adding that AFT markets its products in 87 countries worldwide, additionally the UAE is one of the company’s key markets in the region.

Atkinson commended the UAE’s regulatory environment, saying it offers clarity, transparency and streamlined procedures that facilitate drug registration and support the expansion of international pharmaceutical companies in the market.

He also highlighted a number of research and development projects under way, including innovative therapies designed to address unmet medical needs, programmes targeting certain rare diseases, and the development of a safer intravenous iron treatment that enables the full therapeutic dose to be administered in a single session. In addition, he outlined a programme focused on developing medicines that can be stored and transported without the need for refrigeration.

In a separate meeting with Douglas Pharmaceuticals, company representatives outlined the company’s operations and specialised research, development and manufacturing facilities, whose products are exported to more than 55 markets worldwide. They also highlighted the company’s advanced expertise in the manufacture of soft gelatin capsules.

The meeting also reviewed a research project, which is developing a treatment for treatment-resistant depression using an enhanced extended-release formulation. The project has successfully completed Phase II clinical trials, while the company continues to explore funding opportunities and strategic partnerships to support the next stages of development.

At the conclusion of the two gatherings, participants spoke highly of the UAE’s regulatory environment and the advantages it offers pharmaceutical companies, including regulatory clarity, ease of investment and a business-friendly framework that supports growth and expansion.

The discussions also explored opportunities to expand the companies’ direct presence in the UAE and leverage the country’s position as a regional hub for managing operations and accessing markets across the wider region.

The UAE offers a comprehensive platform for companies seeking regional expansion or strategic partnerships, supported by a growing investment ecosystem and a strategic geographic location that provides efficient access to markets across the Gulf Cooperation Council and North Africa.