February 23, 2026
Methodology About Newsletter
WE THE UAE 2031
The Vanderbilt Terminal for the UAE's National Transformation
INDEPENDENT GLOBAL INTELLIGENCE FOR THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
UAE GDP: AED 2.03T ▲ 5.7% | Non-Oil GDP Share: 84.3% ▼ -5.2pp | FDI Inflows: $45.6B ▲ 48.7% | GDP Growth: 4.0% ▲ -0.3pp vs 2023 | Inflation: 1.7% ▼ +0.0pp vs 2023 | Female Participation: 55.1% ▲ +0.6pp vs 2023 | Population: 11.0M ▲ 4.8% | Emiratisation Rate: 12.5% ▲ 2.1pp | Global Competitiveness: #7 ▲ 3 places | Clean Energy Capacity: 7.2 GW ▲ 18.4% | ADX Index: 9,842 ▲ 4.7% | DFM Index: 4,621 ▲ 6.2% | UAE GDP: AED 2.03T ▲ 5.7% | Non-Oil GDP Share: 84.3% ▼ -5.2pp | FDI Inflows: $45.6B ▲ 48.7% | GDP Growth: 4.0% ▲ -0.3pp vs 2023 | Inflation: 1.7% ▼ +0.0pp vs 2023 | Female Participation: 55.1% ▲ +0.6pp vs 2023 | Population: 11.0M ▲ 4.8% | Emiratisation Rate: 12.5% ▲ 2.1pp | Global Competitiveness: #7 ▲ 3 places | Clean Energy Capacity: 7.2 GW ▲ 18.4% | ADX Index: 9,842 ▲ 4.7% | DFM Index: 4,621 ▲ 6.2% |

Definition

Operation 300bn is the UAE’s national industrial and advanced technology strategy that aims to more than double the manufacturing sector’s contribution to GDP from AED 133 billion to AED 300 billion by 2031. Launched by the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology in 2021, the initiative targets growth across priority subsectors including food and beverages, machinery and equipment, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, base metals, and advanced technology manufacturing. The strategy is designed to position the UAE as a global industrial hub and reduce import dependency in critical sectors.

UAE Context

The UAE’s manufacturing sector has historically been overshadowed by services, real estate, and hydrocarbons. Operation 300bn represents a deliberate strategic pivot toward industrialization, building on the country’s strengths in logistics infrastructure, energy access, and geographic positioning. The initiative introduces over 30 programs and policy reforms including in-country value requirements, industrial technology adoption incentives, export promotion, and supply chain localization mandates. The strategy also leverages the UAE’s network of industrial free zones and existing petrochemical capacity as foundations for growth into higher-value manufacturing.

Key Data

  • Launch year: 2021
  • GDP target: AED 300 billion from manufacturing by 2031 (from AED 133 billion baseline)
  • Industrial exports target: Raise from AED 179 billion to AED 250 billion
  • Key sectors: Food, pharma, base metals, machinery, rubber and plastics, electrical equipment
  • Enabling initiatives: National In-Country Value Program, Make it in the Emirates campaign
  • Lead ministry: Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT)

Significance for Vision 2031

Operation 300bn is one of the most concrete and measurable economic programs within the We the UAE 2031 framework. It directly addresses the diversification imperative by building productive industrial capacity that generates exports, creates skilled employment, and reduces dependence on imported manufactured goods. The strategy’s emphasis on advanced manufacturing, Industry 4.0 adoption, and technology integration ensures that the UAE’s industrial base is competitive in the global manufacturing landscape rather than competing solely on cost.

  • Non-Oil GDP - The broader metric that manufacturing growth directly improves
  • Vision 2031 - The national strategy Operation 300bn supports
  • Emiratisation - Workforce policy applicable to growing manufacturing sector
  • CEPA - Trade agreements that expand market access for UAE manufacturers