Dubai Airshow: UK and UAE launch joint venture

The UK and the UAE have signed a new joint venture at the show.
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The agreement, between target manufacturer QinetiQ and Middle East General Enterprises will see the UK-based firm invest in the development of both infrastructure and training capability designed to enable a new Emirati workforce to provide the skilled manufacture of maritime, land and air targets, both for use by the UAE armed forces and for export around the wider region.

Managing director international at QinetiQ, Ian Farley, said: “For us, this is a real statement of intent to invest in the UAE to transfer knowledge so that we can hire new recruits and develop local Emiratis to be able to do skilled jobs related to the assembly, test and supply of a target service to the armed forces here in the UAE. It’s the way that we want to build business going forward, where we make investments in local markets in partnership with local companies that we feel provide us with enduring capability.

“This is going to be an Emirati business, it’s primarily for this market and the technicians and engineers that are going to be building this product are local. However, this is not just a business for the UAE, nor is it just a regional export opportunity. This is an integral part of our target business globally.”

The signing was attended by UK Secretary of State for International Trade, Dr Liam Fox.