UAE Hosts World Local Production Forum 2025 To Enhance Health Equity And Sustainable Development

The third World Local Production Forum (WLPF) began in Abu Dhabi, inaugurated by Abdulrahman bin Mohamed Al Owais, Minister of Health and Prevention. The event is organised by the World Health Organisation (WHO) with support from the Emirates Drug Establishment (EDE). The forum's theme is "Advancing Local Production for Health Equity, Global Health Security, and Sustainable Development," and it runs until April 9 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center.

Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of State for Foreign Trade and Chairman of EDE, highlighted the UAE's commitment to international partnerships in the pharmaceutical sector. He stated that enhancing local production is crucial for global health security and equitable medical access. The UAE aims to develop a dynamic pharmaceutical industry that supports innovation, sustainability, and efficient supply chains.

Al Owais emphasised the UAE's role as a hub for pharmaceutical innovation. He noted ongoing investments to expand local manufacturing capabilities and integrate advanced technologies like AI and big data into healthcare production. This approach aims to uphold international quality standards while fostering research ecosystems.

Dr. Fatima Al Kaabi, Director General of EDE, spoke about the rapid growth of the UAE's pharmaceutical sector. She mentioned that it exceeded USD 5.6 billion in 2024 and could reach USD 8 billion by 2030 due to innovation and investment in local manufacturing. Al Kaabi stressed EDE's commitment to high international standards for all pharmaceutical products.

Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, praised the UAE for hosting WLPF alongside AIM Congress 2025. He highlighted the forum's role in promoting health equity through global collaboration. Dr. Tedros underscored building resilient local production ecosystems via technology transfer, R&D, data sharing, and regulatory strengthening.

The forum features high-level discussions on various topics such as policy coherence, regulatory excellence in healthcare manufacturing, nurturing human capital for sustainable development, and bankable business cases for sustainable local production.

Agenda Highlights

The first day included a session titled "North-South and South-South Collaboration – Achieving Sustainable Local Production." Other sessions focused on government commitment to policy coherence and quality assurance in healthcare manufacturing.

The second day will cover stimulating R&D for public health products, overcoming challenges in therapeutic production, ensuring demand predictability, and AI-powered innovation in local manufacturing processes.

The final day will share practical experiences from WHO representatives across various regions on fostering environments conducive to local pharmaceutical production. Discussions will focus on best practices supporting sustainable local production landscapes.

Hosting this forum underscores the UAE’s dedication to advancing local production as a priority in development strategies. Collaborative efforts are seen as essential for building healthier futures globally through strategic partnerships.

With inputs from WAM