Page 187 - MOET ENGLISH PR REPORT - OCTOBER 2025 (Part 1)

11/3/25, 4:18 PM UAE hosts MENA-OECD Business Advisory Board meeting
The meeting, held at Expo City Dubai, was attended by H.E. Dr. Maria Hanif Alqassim, Assistant
Undersecretary for Policies and Economic Studies sector at the Ministry of Economy and Tourism; H.E.
Dr. Abdulrahman Al Muaini, Assistant Undersecretary for Intellectual Property at the Ministry; H.E.
Badreya Al Maidoor, Assistant Undersecretary for Support Services at the Ministry; H.E. Fawaz Majed Al

Bassam, Assistant Deputy Minister for Structural Policies at the Saudi Ministry of Economy and
Planning; Carlos Conde, Head of Middle East and Africa Division at the OECD Global Relation and
Cooperation Directorate; Marta Blanco, President of the International Relations Committee of the

Spanish Confederation of Business Organisation (CEOE) and BAB co-chair; as well as representatives
from the public and private sectors and specialized institutions involved in development activities across
the Middle East, Africa, and OECD countries.

Government policies supporting private sector innovation

H.E. Bin Touq emphasised that thanks to the vision of our wise leadership, the UAE today boasts an
advanced and pioneering legislative and economic environment. In recent years, the country has

witnessed transformative developments in economic policies and legislations, enhancing its
competitiveness and attractiveness for investment, talent, and entrepreneurial projects. These policies
place people at the core of our strategy, which is why we carefully align public investment and

government policies with innovation driven by businesses and the private sector in key sectors such as
AI, health, space, agrifood, clean energy, and fintech.

Economic legislation driving expansion in new economy sectors

His Excellency explained that over the past five years, the UAE has introduced more than 35 economic
laws, policies, and decisions, including 10 landmark legislations in new economy sectors. These
measures have fostered a flexible and competitive economic environment that supports future trends

and new economy projects. He highlighted that these legislative advancements were established in
alignment with the national objective of positioning the UAE as the global leader in the development of
proactive legislation for emerging economic sectors by the next decade, in line with the ‘We the UAE

2031’ vision.

Economic diversification driven by knowledge and sustainability

H.E. Bin Touq continued: “The non-oil sectors accounted for over 77 per cent of GDP in Q1 2025.
Recently, we launched the Green Innovation District at Expo City Dubai, designed to redefine industrial
development by integrating economic growth with environmental sustainability and social responsibility.
The initiative highlights the strength of the UAE’s economic diversification driven by innovation and

knowledge and underscores the balance of the country’s economic structure and its alignment with
global sustainability standards.” His Excellency added that sustainability remains a key pillar of
economic competitiveness, with climate-smart practices being embedded across tourism, industry,

logistics, and finance sectors.

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