The growth rate of the industrial sector in the gross domestic product (GDP) of Abu Dhabi, UAE amounted to 3.6 per cent in 2016, while the rate of cumulative growth of transformational industries in the GDP was 4.8 per cent from 2013 to 2016, a senior Abu Dhabi economic official said.

''The strategic plans for the improvement and development of the industrial sector in the emirate of Abu Dhabi is focussed on a number of key industrial areas, of which mineral industries are a part, so that they can be supported by the main industries currently existing in the emirate, such as iron and steel, aluminium and petrochemicals,'' Ahmed Hilal Al Bloushi, acting director-general of the Industry Development Bureau was quoted as saying by Wam, the Emirates official news agency.

His comments were heard at the opening ceremony of a workshop with 25 mineral industry representatives in Abu Dhabi.

The workshop on the mineral industry was conducted by the Industry Development Bureau of the Department of Economic Development in Abu Dhabi within the framework of the "Industry Dialogues Programme," which aims to enhance the investment environment in the industrial sector and ensure effective communication with industrialists in Abu Dhabi.

Al Bloushi pointed out that the total number of factories specialised in manufacturing metal products in the emirate of Abu Dhabi reached 418 - 341 industrial licences in Abu Dhabi, 75 in Al Ain and 2 in Al Dhafra.

The estimated investment value according to the owners of these factories is about DH74.5 billion, with over Dh71.1 billion in Abu Dhabi, Dh3.3 billion in Al Ain and Dh37 million in Al Dhafra, he added.

The activities of the "Metal Products Workshop" within the "Industry Dialogues Programme" began with a presentation by Mohammed Al Ameri, acting-director of Industry Development, which focussed on the main objectives of the Industry Development Bureau and highlighting the most strategic objectives to promote and develop the metal industries in Abu Dhabi.