The UAE Ministry of Economy and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) are holding the activation ceremony at the Mubadala Development Company’s Strata Manufacturing plant in Al Ain, which will commence the series of events which will grace New York Beijing and London in a bid to build public, political and corporate support for cross-national and cross-sector initiatives in manufacturing.

A number of high-profile influencers will be present at the Abu Dhabi activation ceremony including HE Sultan Bin Saeed Al Mansoori, the UAE Minister of Economy; UNIDO Director General Li Yong; government ministers; chief executives from the likes of Microsoft, GE, Lockheed Martin, BAE Systems and Dassault; international ambassadors; and representatives from the world of finance.

The September 2016 GMIS Summit will be an inaugural Summit in a biennial GMIS series. GMIS was devised to foster a global movement to help drive 21st century manufacturing and industrial transformation to help create sustainable economies and inclusive societies worldwide.

The scheme's framework is designed to examine some of the most pressing global issues which will be examined include: the value of low cost economies versus knowledge-based: social issues surrounding growing urbanisation; international labour movements; the impact of tax breaks on manufacturing; leveraging technology for innovation; and how manufacturing and environmental concerns can be aligned. The purpose of the GMIS is to develop and enhance global manufacturing and industrial innovation with a mission to becoming an integrator of knowledge and best practice that will benefit three major groups: civil society, sovereign nations and enterprises.