Zayed Authority spotlights inclusive manufacturing

Zayed Authority for People of Determination is using Make it in the Emirates 2026 to present a working model of economic empowerment that moves beyond training and places People of Determination inside real production, service and industrial environments.

The Authority’s participation in the fifth edition of the national industrial platform, being held from 4 to 7 May at ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi, highlights products and services created or delivered by People of Determination across manufacturing, food production, crafts, hospitality and assistive technology. The display places inclusion within the country’s wider industrial agenda, rather than treating it as a separate social welfare initiative.

At the centre of the Authority’s showcase is an integrated production ecosystem designed to demonstrate how vocational rehabilitation can be converted into market-facing work. Products made by People of Determination are being presented as evidence of skill, quality and commercial readiness, with the Authority seeking to show that properly structured training can lead to sustainable employment and enterprise participation.

The 2026 participation marks a broader and more mature presence for the Authority at the event. Its first appearance in 2024 introduced models such as a 3D printing workshop and Bee Café, while the 2025 edition expanded the format to include a panel discussion, the café and products made by People of Determination. This year’s presentation brings those elements into a more comprehensive framework, linking production, service delivery and national industrial standards.

Among the key features is the Al Nahla Factory hearing aids workshop, located within the Emirates Drug Establishment pavilion. Visitors are shown the stages of assembling, programming and testing hearing devices, with the process presented in line with medical standards. The initiative connects disability inclusion with assistive technology manufacturing, an area of growing importance as governments and health systems seek more localised, customised and affordable solutions.

The Authority is also presenting creative and handcrafted products at the Ministry of Culture pavilion, reinforcing the link between cultural industries and inclusive economic participation. A tailoring workshop is displaying products that reflect specialised craftsmanship, while Bee Café offers a hospitality experience operated by People of Determination. A cheese factory is also part of the showcase, presenting food products under the “Made in the UAE” banner and aligning the Authority’s vocational programmes with national manufacturing and quality goals.

Make it in the Emirates 2026, opened in the presence of Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, has become the UAE’s main industrial gathering for government entities, manufacturers, investors, entrepreneurs, innovators and financial institutions. The event is hosted by the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, the Abu Dhabi Investment Office, ADNOC and L’IMAD, and organised by ADNEC Group under the theme “Advanced Industry. Emerging Stronger.”

The Authority’s presence fits into the broader national focus on Operation 300Bn, the UAE’s industrial strategy aimed at expanding advanced manufacturing, strengthening local supply chains and increasing the contribution of industry to the economy. By positioning People of Determination within this platform, the Authority is seeking to broaden the definition of national content to include human capital that has often been underrepresented in industrial and production settings.

Zayed Authority for People of Determination operates under Abu Dhabi’s social development framework and provides educational, therapeutic, rehabilitation and social services across Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and Al Dhafra. Its mandate includes empowering People of Determination, strengthening inclusion and improving access to services that support independent and productive participation in society.

The current showcase also reflects a wider shift in disability policy from access and protection towards economic participation, skills development and measurable employment outcomes. Across the UAE, People of Determination policies have increasingly focused on inclusive education, workplace integration, accessibility, digital services and public-private partnerships. The Authority’s model at the exhibition attempts to bring these strands together through practical production environments rather than symbolic representation.

Its vocational rehabilitation programmes are being framed around specialised skills in food production, services, crafts and advanced technologies. The objective is to prepare participants for work that meets market expectations, while helping employers recognise the productive capacity of People of Determination when training, workplace design and support systems are properly aligned.