Abu Dhabi made a resounding statement on the global stage at LogiPharma 2025, unveiling an ambitious strategy to position the emirate as a world-leading hub for pharmaceutical and life sciences logistics. The presence of Etihad Cargo, the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH), and RAFED, the UAE’s foremost healthcare procurement company, underscored a powerful trifecta of logistics, regulation, and innovation, working in unison to shape the future of global healthcare supply chains.
Held in Europe and attended by supply chain leaders, pharma giants, and government regulators from around the world, LogiPharma 2025 offered Abu Dhabi an influential platform to share its transformative vision. With the backdrop of growing global demand for agile and resilient healthcare logistics, Abu Dhabi’s presence was both timely and strategic.
The Power of Three: Etihad Cargo, DoH, and RAFED
Abu Dhabi’s healthcare logistics transformation is anchored in a coordinated alliance between Etihad Cargo, the DoH, and RAFED—each playing a unique role in developing the infrastructure, policy, and operational excellence required to support the pharmaceutical and life sciences industries.
Etihad Cargo is the logistics engine powering Abu Dhabi’s aspirations. With its PharmaLife product certified under IATA’s CEIV Pharma standards, the airline has made tremendous strides in ensuring the safe, secure, and temperature-controlled transport of critical medications, vaccines, and life-saving biological products. With an extensive route network connecting Europe, Asia, Africa, and North America, Etihad Cargo provides the physical link necessary to enable a truly global hub in the heart of the UAE.
“Pharma logistics is about more than cargo—it’s about protecting lives through reliable transport,” said an Etihad Cargo executive during the event. “We’ve invested heavily in pharma-certified storage, tracking technologies, and real-time monitoring tools to ensure integrity across the entire supply chain.”
The Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH) brought a regulatory lens to the partnership. At the event, DoH representatives presented the emirate’s long-term healthcare strategy, including incentives for pharma manufacturing, research collaboration, and supply chain digitization. Their vision extends beyond transport to encompass local production, health resilience, and medical innovation—critical components for ensuring that Abu Dhabi not only ships pharmaceuticals but also becomes a center of pharmaceutical innovation and excellence.
RAFED, created by DoH and ADQ, adds the procurement and distribution muscle to the equation. The organization played a critical role during the COVID-19 pandemic, securing essential medical supplies and facilitating smooth distribution across the UAE. At LogiPharma 2025, RAFED showcased its capacity to build scalable procurement frameworks, secure regional stockpiles, and engage in strategic partnerships with international pharmaceutical companies.
Infrastructure to Inspire Confidence
A central pillar of Abu Dhabi’s message at LogiPharma was its world-class logistics infrastructure, seamlessly integrating air, sea, and land transport with specialized storage and cold-chain facilities.
Khalifa Industrial Zone Abu Dhabi (KIZAD) and Abu Dhabi Airport Free Zone (ADAFZ) were highlighted as key assets in the logistics landscape. Both zones are equipped with temperature-controlled warehouses, automated fulfillment centers, and customs-clearance acceleration tools, creating an environment tailored for pharmaceutical storage and distribution.
Etihad Cargo’s cool chain facility at Abu Dhabi International Airport, recently expanded and upgraded, allows for transshipment and warehousing of pharmaceutical goods with temperature control ranges between -80°C and +25°C. These facilities are supported by digital solutions such as AI-based route optimization, real-time tracking, and blockchain-driven data transparency, all designed to minimize the risk of disruption or product degradation.
Strategic Location, Strategic Advantage
Abu Dhabi’s geographic positioning was a major selling point at LogiPharma 2025. Located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa, the UAE is within eight hours’ flight time of two-thirds of the world’s population. This allows for rapid delivery of pharmaceuticals to both advanced and emerging markets.
Global pharma players are now rethinking centralized supply chains in favor of regional hubs that can react faster to local health crises. Abu Dhabi fits perfectly into this emerging model, offering neutral geopolitical status, low taxes, and strong regulatory frameworks—ingredients essential for global business confidence.
Resilience Through Diversification
The global pandemic exposed vulnerabilities in traditional pharmaceutical supply chains. Abu Dhabi’s proactive strategy is aimed at ensuring future healthcare resilience, reducing reliance on single-source manufacturing, and facilitating local production capabilities in the region.
At LogiPharma 2025, the Abu Dhabi delegation highlighted the Health Technology Assessment Program led by the DoH, which aims to incentivize local production of essential medicines and critical healthcare devices. Through investment incentives, public-private partnerships, and government procurement guarantees, the emirate is striving to increase domestic production while ensuring international quality standards.
RAFED’s growing roster of international partners, including leading vaccine manufacturers and global pharma brands, underscores the trust Abu Dhabi has earned as a reliable and secure logistics partner.
Economic Impact and Knowledge Economy Goals
Abu Dhabi’s ambition to lead in pharma logistics is not just a healthcare story—it’s an economic one. As part of the UAE’s broader economic diversification goals, the life sciences sector is seen as a key pillar for the transition to a knowledge-based economy.
According to recent projections shared at the summit, the emirate aims to grow its pharmaceutical and life sciences sector to $8 billion by 2030, driven by strategic investment, talent acquisition, and infrastructure development. This growth will translate into high-skilled job creation, research opportunities, and increased foreign direct investment.
“Pharmaceutical logistics is a growth engine,” said a DoH official at the event. “By investing in the life sciences ecosystem, Abu Dhabi is unlocking new economic frontiers and building long-term health security.”
Thought Leadership and Global Collaboration
The participation of Abu Dhabi at LogiPharma 2025 was not just about promotion—it was about collaboration. The delegation engaged in high-level dialogues with global stakeholders on topics like digital supply chains, carbon-neutral pharma logistics, and the integration of artificial intelligence in forecasting and distribution.
Through panel discussions, tech showcases, and one-on-one engagements, Etihad Cargo, DoH, and RAFED emphasized their willingness to collaborate on global standards, co-develop innovations, and invest in shared sustainability goals.
The event also opened doors for new Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with several international players, paving the way for Abu Dhabi to serve as a distribution and production base for global pharmaceutical companies eyeing Middle East, African, and Asian markets.
Looking Ahead
The future of pharmaceutical logistics is being written today—and Abu Dhabi is emerging as a central character in that narrative. The powerful synergy between Etihad Cargo’s operational strength, DoH’s visionary policies, and RAFED’s procurement acumen offers a blueprint for a new era in life sciences distribution.
As the world looks to secure supply chains, accelerate vaccine distribution, and prepare for future health emergencies, Abu Dhabi’s model offers not just promise—but performance.
With LogiPharma 2025 as the launchpad, the emirate’s commitment to life sciences, innovation, and human well-beinghas never been more evident. A global hub is rising, and it is powered by purpose, precision, and partnership.
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