29 March 2017
● Zhang Feng, Chief Engineer, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of the People's Republic of China (MIIT), delivers keynote address at Global Manufacturing and Industrialisation Summit

Abu Dhabi, UAE - Day one of the Global Manufacturing and Industrialisation Summit (GMIS) saw Zhang Feng, Chief Engineer, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of the People’s Republic of China (MIIT), stress that the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) is essential for economic development.

During his address, entitled ‘New Industry Revolution: Enabling Economic Transformation and Development’, Feng said: “Since 2008, the recovery of economies has been difficult. No country is immune to the global economy. The Fourth Industrial Revolution, however, is essential for economic development to happen – the rise of 4IR is crucial for technology, innovation, and economic stimulation. Big data, cloud, robotics and more are changing the way in which we manufacturing and production happens. They are even changing our lives, by transforming the manufacturing sector, driving sustainable development and governance. The Chinese economy’s continued growth is evolving into a more advanced stage, entering the new normal of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. We consider innovation to be a driving force of this change, and it plays a key role in the China Manufacturing 2025 vision.”

The inaugural Global Manufacturing and Industrialisation Summit is taking place at the Paris-Sorbonne Abu Dhabi, UAE, until March 30, 2017, under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces. The Summit, which is co-chaired by the UAE Ministry of Economy and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), is the world’s first global gathering for the manufacturing community, bringing together decision-making leaders from governments, businesses and civil society organisations to shape a vision for the sector’s future.

The Summit is a global platform for participating attendees to learn from best practices from across the world. This unprecedented global gathering will spark new ideas and set the stage for debate and action – addressing ways in which manufacturing can shape and reshape the world, integrating activities between developed and emerging markets, and delivering on social responsibility towards future generations. Leaders from the public and private sectors, along with representatives from civil society organisations, will gather to discuss global challenges within the manufacturing sector, looking specifically at six themes: technology and innovation; global value chains; skills, employment and education; sustainability and environment; infrastructure; standards, and stakeholder alignment.

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About the Global Manufacturing and Industrialisation Summit 
As the world’s first cross-industry forum, the Global Manufacturing and Industrialisation Summit is a global gathering for manufacturing minds. It is a voice and a venue for global manufacturing transformation. More than 1,200 delegates will attend, including world leaders, industry CEOs, policy-makers, specialist researchers and academics. The Global Manufacturing and Industralisation Summit will deliver (i) a voice for transformational ideas, (ii) a venue for the generation of new networks and cross-industry partnerships, (iii) a showcase for pilot projects arising from cross-industry research,

Global Agenda on the Future of Manufacturing

The conference will focus on the role of manufacturing in reconstructing the global economy and restoring global prosperity. Leaders from the public and private sectors, along with civil society representatives, will gather together to discuss global challenges facing the manufacturing sector. The discussions will focus around six themes: technology and innovation; global value chains; skills, employment and education; sustainability and environment; infrastructure; standards and stakeholder alignment. The participants will form working groups to identify concrete action plans and recommendations that outline potential solutions to global issues, as well as showcase best practices and case studies from across the world. To highlight an example of global issues, the inaugural conference will focus on the issue of economic migration, with the aim of establishing a manufacturing platform that will bring together countries facing emigration or immigration challenges with regional countries that seek to support economic reconstruction. These countries will work together with manufacturers and the wider United Nations network on restoring global prosperity. 

The Manufacturing Expo

Capitalising on the huge presence of the global manufacturing community under a single meeting venue, the Manufacturing Exhibition will offer space to corporations looking to showcase their products, services and latest innovations or technologies that can further contribute to promoting global economic development. The Manufacturing Expo consists of four components: an exhibition showcasing the manufacturing capabilities of the host country; international pavilions showcasing the manufacturing capabilities and economic incentives of each participating country; an innovation exhibition that demonstrates the latest fourth industrial revolution technologies; and an event for SMEs to present their products and solutions to potential customers.

The Global Value Chain Market

The Global Value Chain Market (GVCM) is a business matchmaking platform dedicated to increasing regional and international partnerships and opportunities. The platform will provide networking and sourcing opportunities both online and onsite via pre-scheduled meetings with the vision of forging investment opportunities, commercial partnerships, and encouraging technological transfer and knowhow. The platform will enable countries to identify and meet global manufacturers to promote industrial development, and familiarise global manufacturers with targeted industrial activities in various countries. The GVCM will become a source of valuable information for global investments, providing insights on legislation and regulations, sovereign risk, political stability, and physical and logistical infrastructure.

© Press Release 2017