The UAE has recorded strong growth in the industrial sector in 2010, where the industrial investments increased by "Dhs29.024 billion with an increase of 35.76 per cent.

Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansoori, the UAE Minister of Economy said that the Ministry has adopted an effective strategy to develop the performance of the Industrial sector in order to increase its contribution in the GDP by 25 per cent in the coming years.

The minister was speaking on the occasion of the issuance of "semi-annual report for 2011 from the Industrial Affairs Sector" in the ministry. According to the report, the industrial licenses department at the ministry approved during the first half of this year the renewal of "225" licences and issued "1375" industrial licences and issued "3000" customs exemptions.

The Ministry has also completed industrial licensing system, which allows access to the initial approval and renewal of the licence and industrial renewal and payment of registration in the system of industrial licensing and exemption of customs service. 

On this occasion, Abdullah Sultan Al Fan Al Shamsi, adviser of the Industrial Sector at the ministry said that the ministry was keen to complete the process of linking the electronic licensing system in the ministry and government departments, pointing out that the first meeting between the management of industrial licensing in the ministry and the Higher Corporation for Specialised Economic Zones discussed the mechanism of linkage with the Ministry.

He also said that the Ministry has provided statistical tables for industrial facilities listed in the industrial registry in the Ministry for the year 2010 and the completion of technical material for the industrial book and statistical directory for 2011.