Leading French multinational in the aerospace and defence sector Thales has announced for the launch of its 'Go to UAE' initiative aimed at enhancing the country's national export capabilities and creating highly skilled job opportunities.

 

Under the support of the Ministry and Advanced Technology, the Thales initiative is aimed at promoting Made in the Emirates mark products and expertise worldwide, and developing a skilled local talent pool, as part of the Make it in the Emirates intiative.

 

Launched on day 2 of the Make it in the Emirates Forum, the initiative is being carried out in collaboration with UAE defence acquisitions authority Tawazun Council. It also contributes to Thales' fulfillment of Tawazun Economic Program obligations.

 

Called Go to UAE, the Thales initiative will aim to have an industrial footprint by starting to grow local supplier for local and export needs through a range of international certifications for technologies, parts, and services. 

These industry-accredited certifications will allow domestic suppliers to export Made in the Emirates parts and services to Thales Group entities across the globe.

 

A Memorandum of Understanding for collaboration on the ‘Go to UAE’ Programme was signed by Osama Amir Fadel, Assistant Undersecretary for Industrial Accelerators of MoIAT, Muammar Abushehab, Chief of Defence and Security Industry Affairs Sector at Tawazun Council and Bernard Roux, CEO of Thales Emarat Technologies.

 

Omar Al Suwaidi, Undersecretary at MoIAT, said: "The UAE’s growing reputation as a global industrial hub is attracting business from major corporations. GO to UAE is testament to the fact that the UAE is a fertile ground for industry and is the ideal location for industrial investors to establish themselves."

 

"MoIAT remains committed to supporting local industrial companies to meet global standards to help further boost exports. The UAE is regarded as a manufacturer of quality goods that aligns with international standards and we hope to build further partnerships with corporations from across sectors as we pursue our economic and sustainable industrial growth objectives." he stated.

 

"As part of this program, Thales will set up a comprehensive training and development plan with the objective of supporting UAE suppliers in increasing performance and competitiveness," he added.

 

UAE Suppliers will benefit from this programme by integrating with opportunities across Thales Global Supply Chain and will also be able to leverage this relationship and its industry standing when promoting their business activities to wider export markets.

 

On the deal, Dr Jamal Mohammed Al Kaabi, Deputy Secretary General of Tawazun Council said: "We are excited to partner with the UAE Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology and Thales on the 'Go to the UAE' program, which plays a crucial role in achieving the goals of the Tawazun Economic Programme."

 

"This initiative serves a dual purpose by significantly contributing to the in-country value program, enhancing local manufacturing capabilities, and promoting the growth of indigenous expertise. Additionally, it will create numerous skilled job opportunities, empowering UAE citizens across the defense supply chain," he added.

 

Roque Carmona, SVP Group chief procurement at Thales: "The Make it in the Emirates Forum directly supports the UAE’s economic diversification strategy and the country’s efforts to enhance the competitiveness of national industries."

 

"This technical knowledge transfer and upskilling will benefit the country in its quest to improve sovereignty, localize essential manufacturing and create highly skilled job opportunities. The UAE’s industrial ecosystem make it the ideal country for establishing such a programme," stated Carmona.

 

"We are proud to launch our GO to UAE initiative as part of those efforts and to leverage our knowhow and global reach to enhance the prospects of UAE companies across the supply chain," he added.-TradeArabia News Service