GCC Countries: Ensuring Supply Chain Resilience for Industrial Growth - Oliver Wyman Report
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries should focus on building supply chain resilience to support their industrialization efforts, according to a report by management consulting firm Oliver Wyman.
The report highlights the need for risk mitigation in the logistics sector, particularly for countries like Saudi Arabia and the UAE that heavily rely on imports of critical products such as transformers and minerals.
The report warns that disruptions in the supply of these products could negatively impact various sectors including power, manufacturing, transportation, and healthcare.
In the case of Saudi Arabia, 75% of transformer imports come from just three countries, making the supply chain vulnerable to potential disruptions.
The report emphasizes that logistical issues could lead to decreased industrial productivity, infrastructure vulnerabilities, and economic instability.
Frederic Ozeir of Oliver Wyman emphasized the importance of supply chain resilience for GCC countries as they expand their economies and industries.
Global supply chains have faced increased vulnerabilities due to the pandemic, natural disasters, cybersecurity threats, logistics challenges, and geopolitical issues.
These challenges have led to production delays, shortages, price increases, growing demand, and unexpected bottlenecks, highlighting the critical role of resilient logistical chains.
Oliver Wyman noted that these issues came under greater scrutiny in recent years and underscored the importance of addressing supply chain resilience to ensure the smooth functioning of all sectors and aspects of society during unexpected upheavals.
According to a report by US-based consulting firm Oliver Wyman, a significant portion of electrical machinery and equipment, as well as excavation machinery and valves, imported to Saudi Arabia and the UAE comes from just three countries (60% for Saudi Arabia and 65% for the UAE for electrical machinery, and 50% for both countries for excavation machinery and valves).
The report emphasizes the importance of maintaining a functional supply chain, as various sectors, including healthcare and power, are directly dependent on it.
Disruptions to the supply chain could lead to amplified vulnerabilities and have serious consequences for sectors crucial for health, safety, and security.
The healthcare industry relies on the timely delivery of medical equipment and pharmaceuticals, while the power sector depends on a steady inflow of critical machinery and components, such as turbines, generators, and transformers.
The given text discusses the importance of desalination machinery in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, particularly in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, as the primary source of urban water.
Saudi Arabia is taking steps to ensure supply chain resilience by launching the Global Supply Chain Resilience Initiative in 2022 as part of its National Investment Strategy.
This aims to attract investments in supply chains to mitigate the impact of global disruptions.
The UAE is also focusing on improving food supply chains through local and sustainable production, new logistics hubs, and technological solutions.
Oliver Wyman's report commends both countries' efforts to strengthen their logistics sectors.
The report recommends that GCC governments align their supply chain resilience strategies with their industrialization programs.
To achieve this, they should focus on governance, private sector involvement, capabilities, and technology as enablers.
Additionally, a collaborative governance framework between different GCC countries is necessary to strengthen the supply chain in the Middle East region.
For instance, ministries of industry and vital sectors can work together to ensure the resilience of specific supply chains, such as medical devices.
The text discusses the vulnerability of the healthcare sector in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region to supply chain disruptions.
The report suggests that GCC governments should collaborate with the private sector to enhance supply chain durability.
This can be achieved by encouraging logistical resilience initiatives among private companies and implementing inspection and corrective actions.
Additionally, specialized teams with expertise in risk assessment, logistics operations, data analytics, technology, and collaboration should be established within GCC ministries to strengthen the logistics network.
Capabilities such as risk management, advanced technology integration, data analytics, business continuity planning, cybersecurity, and information sharing are essential across the industrial sector.
The text discusses the findings of a study by consulting firm Oliver Wyman, which emphasizes the importance of technology adoption and industrial cybersecurity in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region's industrial sector.
The study suggests that advanced manufacturing policies, including 3D printing, robotics, augmented reality, and automation, should be encouraged to drive technology use.
Industrial cybersecurity is also crucial due to the connectivity and data sharing within factories, driven by automation and the Internet of Things.
The study recommends a holistic approach to supply chain resilience, combining localization with other strategies, to safeguard industrial growth in the GCC nations.
The success of these efforts will depend on the specific supply chain components and their level of criticality and risk.
The text summarizes the findings of a study which emphasizes the importance of supply chain resilience for Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations.
The study suggests that having a resilient supply chain is no longer an option but a necessity for these countries to ensure the sustainability of their industrial sectors.
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