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Two nations will cooperate to spur innovation through leveraging advanced technologies and 4th Industrial Revolution solutions
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Building an ecosystem that stimulates innovation is no longer optional, Sultan Al Jaber said
The UAE and China will expand their collaborations into knowledge-intensive sectors and jointly work to spur innovation through leveraging advanced technologies and Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) solutions, Dr Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber, the UAE’s minister of industry and advanced technology said on Friday.
He made the remarks while delivering the virtual keynote speech at the 2021 Pujiang Innovation Forum, where the UAE was invited as the Country of Honour.
The event which marked the 50th anniversary of the establishment of UAE-China relations, was held under the theme ‘Innovation for A Better Life for Mankind’.
“Building an ecosystem that stimulates innovation is no longer optional, it is essential for countries to compete, succeed and fulfil their economic potential,” Dr. Sultan Al Jaber said adding this is why the UAE has always fostered a culture of inclusion that welcomes everyone to make it in the emirates.
“We encourage cooperation beyond our borders – because together we are smarter, more agile and more resilient,” he added.
Dr Sultan Al Jaber stressed the need for an “era of global collaborative innovation” for capturing the promise of Fourth Industrial Revolution.
“The UAE and China have partnered to create the world’s largest single-site solar power plant – Noor Abu Dhabi. With 3.2 million solar panels installed across 8 square kilometers, Noor Abu Dhabi will produce 1.2 gigawatts of clean electricity,” the minister said adding the two countries are working together to build the Al Dhafra Solar PV project, which will be almost twice the size of Noor, and which has set a record low tariff of 1.35 cents per kilowatt.
“In short,” he added “together we are proving that when countries collaborate to innovate, costs come down, economic opportunities go up and society benefits.”
Sultan Al Jaber suggested the two counties explore the potential of zero carbon hydrogen, build on their shared experience in the life sciences to create new medicines and cutting-edge treatments and valuable biotech businesses and work on developing sustainable farming methods underpinned by advanced technologies to feed a growing global population while minimizing environmental impacts.
“Pushing the boundaries of innovation requires you to be brave. To be bold and, dare I say it, to be ready to fail on the road to success,” he said. “This is the spirit that turned a hydrocarbon economy into a center of excellence for renewable and new forms of energy”.
He also highlighted Dubai’s feat in transforming its fishing and pearl diving villages “into world class logistical hubs that today transport millions of Chinese goods across the world”.
“It is the vision that allowed the UAE to explore space and send the first probe from our region to Mars,” Sultan Al Jaber said. “And it is the driving force behind launching the first university dedicated to the pursuit of artificial intelligence – the Mohammed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence – that teaches young people from all around the world.”
He focused on how the UAE is applying this same progressive mentality to refocus its industrial strategy “around leveraging the power of breakthrough technologies, to build resilience into our core industries.”
“To create a culture of innovation going beyond business as usual,” Sultan Al Jaber said. “The other critical enablers are directing investment into research and development. Setting aside capital for commercialization, setting up supportive policy and legal frameworks.