Dubai – The opening day of the 28th edition of Middle East Iron & Steel 2025 brought global attention to the major forces reshaping the iron and steel industry, as senior executives from across MENA, Europe, and Asia examined shifting trade flows, rising protectionism, and the accelerating push toward low-carbon production.
The discussions come at a time when global oversupply, the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, and redirected exports are placing unprecedented pressure on steel producers and traders worldwide. With the Middle East now anchored by a USD 3 trillion project pipeline and rapidly expanding industrial capacity, speakers emphasized the region’s increasing weight in supply, investment, and long-term competitiveness.
“In an evolving geopolitical landscape, resilience and strategic foresight have become decisive advantages. At EMSTEEL, we are strengthening supply chains, accelerating decarbonization, and deepening regional partnerships so that uncertainty becomes an opportunity, not a constraint, for our industry and for the UAE’s industrial future.” Eng. Saeed Ghumran Al Rumeithi, Group CEO EMSTEEL.
One clear theme emerged early in the discussions: the center of gravity in global steel is moving. Participants noted that while trade tensions and tariff realignments are creating uncertainty in established markets, the Middle East’s investment momentum, energy advantage, and industrial scale are positioning the region as a far more influential player in global supply and pricing dynamics.
Raju Daswani, CEO of Fastmarkets, said, “Protectionist measures have made steel markets far more volatile. We’ve seen sharp movements in HRC benchmarks across Europe and the US as tariffs and quota regimes tighten. The doubling of US Section 232 tariffs is just one example of how national industrial strategies are now driving global price behaviour.”
Recurring discussions on the region’s structural competitiveness, driven by reliable raw material access and long-term project visibility. CEOs from the region’s largest steel producers highlighted that while markets across Asia and Europe continue to grapple with volatility, MENA’s evolving industrial base is benefiting from predictable demand anchored by construction, logistics, energy, and manufacturing expansion. Reflecting this confidence, Harssha Shetty, CEO of Jindal Steel, noted that the region’s resource security provides a long-term advantage that many global competitors lack.
Yet, this strength is unfolding against the backdrop of one of the industry’s most significant global challenges. Sharjeel Azhar, CEO of Al-Ittefaq Steel said “There is a massive oversupply of 500–600 million tonnes, which is distorting trade flows and reshaping market exposure”. He warned that while some level of temporary protection may stabilise the market, long-term competitiveness will hinge on innovation, technology adoption and the ability to produce low-carbon steel at industrial scale.
Speakers noted that as traditional markets impose stricter tariff regimes, surplus steel is increasingly rerouted into regions with open borders and growing demand, including parts of MENA.
This redirected supply has also sparked renewed debate about the balance between open markets and protective measures. Several leaders argued that while defensive action can offer short-term relief, sustained growth will depend on fair competition, transparent pricing and a level playing field. As Rafic Daou, Vice Chairman and Managing Director of Suez Steel, remarked, the industry “thrives when borders are open” but requires frameworks that prevent structural imbalances from undermining regional producers.
Dilip George, Group CEO of Foulath Holding added that tariffs are becoming a real concern. “Without the right trade safeguards, it’s hard for producers to invest with confidence or secure a return”.
The final thread connecting the day’s discussions was the accelerating urgency of the green-steel transition. Executives pointed to hydrogen-based DRI, renewable-powered smelting, circular manufacturing and carbon-capture technologies as essential pathways that will define competitive advantage over the next decade. With abundant energy resources, large-scale industrial zones and strong government mandates, participants emphasised that the Middle East is increasingly viewed as one of the few regions capable of scaling these technologies fast enough to meet global demand.
These discussions highlighted a clear conclusion: geopolitics, oversupply, and decarbonization are the interacting pressures reshaping investment decisions and redefining where the next chapter of growth will come from. The Middle East, strengthened by its project pipeline and industrial capacity, is fast becoming a decisive voice in this transformation.
With more than 1,400 delegates from over 55 countries, this year’s edition marks the largest gathering in MEIS’s 28-year history, a testament to how deeply the event has been built in partnership with the industry it serves. At a time of heightened volatility, shifting trade flows and accelerating decarbonisation pressures, the conference has brought together policymakers, producers, financiers and technology leaders under one roof, reaffirming MEIS as the region’s most important platform for forging partnerships and shaping the future of the global steel industry.
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