UAE’s Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT) signs MoU with Spain’s Ministry of Science and Innovation

Dubai-UAE. 6 March 2021 – The UAE’s Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT) and Spain’s Ministry of Science and Innovation (MSI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that will see them develop an advanced technology framework over the next three years.

The framework aims to foster bilateral collaboration in the areas of technological advancement, technology transfers and the deployment of key industry 4.0 technologies.

Her Excellency Sarah Al Amiri, UAE Minister of State for Advanced Technology, and His Excellency Pedro Duque, Spain’s Minister of Science and Innovation, penned the agreement in the presence of His Excellency Omar Ahmed Suwaina Al Suwaidi, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology, His Excellency Majid Al Suwaidi, UAE ambassador to Spain, His Excellency Antonio Álvarez Barthe, Ambassador of Spain to the UAE, alongside other officials from both ministries.

Sarah Al Amiri, Minister of State for Advanced Technology, said, “This MoU lies at the core of Ministry’s objective of improving industrial and building new economic sectors through the adoption and deployment of industry 4.0 technologies and fostering strong R&D partnerships.

“Through our work with the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation, we will build long-lasting, in-country value by collaborating on national priority sectors, enhancing our competitiveness, and further accelerating our economic diversification efforts as we foster a knowledge-based economy supported by advanced technology.”

‘This partnership will also support our efforts to enhance our R&D, catalyzing our efforts to ensure that innovation remains an integral part of our future growth and progress.’

Pedro Duque, Spain’s Minister of Science and Innovation, “This agreement is essential for both of our countries. It will allow us to increase scientific cooperation through the establishment of a robust institutional framework. Close collaboration in critical fields such as Health and Life Sciences, Renewable Energy, Space, Transportation, Artificial Intelligence, Industry 4.0 and Enabling technologies will help our countries better face society’s most pressing interdisciplinary and interdependent challenges.”

Areas of collaboration under the MoU include health and life sciences that include precision, personalized medicine solutions; space systems including the commercial development and launch of small multi-use satellites; transport and logistics technologies such as real-time logistics and supply chain management systems; renewable energy including storage, smart grid and solar power technologies; and artificial intelligence (AI) and 4IR technologies to enhance industrial manufacturing processes efficiency.

The MoU aims to promote various areas of cooperation, including collaboration between the industrial and academic sector, joint research and development (R&D) projects, the formation of joint innovative industrial clusters, knowledge, intellectual property (IP) and capability exchange protocols and licensing arrangements.