The 28th edition of Middle East Iron & Steel (MEIS) 2025 opened with a spotlight on the forces reshaping the global steel industry, as executives from MENA, Europe, and Asia discussed trade flows, rising protectionism, and the urgent push toward low-carbon production. With global oversupply, the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, and redirected exports exerting pressure on producers, the Middle East’s USD 3 trillion project pipeline and expanding industrial capacity are positioning the region as an increasingly influential player in global supply and pricing dynamics.
Speakers emphasized resilience and strategic foresight as key advantages. Eng. Saeed Ghumran Al Rumeithi, Group CEO of EMSTEEL, noted the industry is strengthening supply chains, accelerating decarbonization, and deepening regional partnerships to turn uncertainty into opportunity. CEOs highlighted the Middle East’s structural competitiveness, citing reliable raw material access and long-term project visibility, with Harssha Shetty of Jindal Steel emphasizing the region’s resource security as a long-term edge.
However, global oversupply remains a pressing challenge. Sharjeel Azhar of Al-Ittefaq Steel noted a 500–600 million tonne surplus is distorting trade flows, while Rafic Daou of Suez Steel emphasized that sustained growth relies on fair competition, transparent pricing, and open markets. Tariffs and protectionist measures, such as the U.S. Section 232 tariffs, were cited as sources of volatility that impact investment confidence.
The accelerating green-steel transition was a major focus, with hydrogen-based DRI, renewable-powered smelting, circular manufacturing, and carbon-capture technologies highlighted as critical to long-term competitiveness. The Middle East, with abundant energy, large industrial zones, and strong government mandates, is seen as uniquely positioned to scale these technologies rapidly.
With over 1,400 delegates from 55 countries, this year’s MEIS marks the largest gathering in its 28-year history, reinforcing the region’s rising influence in shaping the future of global steel amid geopolitics, oversupply, and decarbonization pressures. Fastmarkets, the event organizer, noted that the conference provides a vital platform for policymakers, producers, financiers, and technology leaders to forge partnerships and navigate an evolving global market.