The agreement, officially announced during the 7th edition of the AccessAbilities Expo in Dubai in the presence of His Highness Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Higher Committee for the Protection of the Rights of People of Determination marks Messe Düsseldorf’s first collaboration in the Middle East in the healthcare and rehabilitation sector. By combining the strengths of REHACARE in Düsseldorf and the AccessAbilities Expo in Dubai, both partners aim to advance assistive technologies, rehabilitation, and inclusion on a global scale.
“Our engagement in Dubai is not about duplicating REHACARE; it’s about linking two complementary platforms,” says Wolfram N. Diener, President and CEO of Messe Düsseldorf. “AccessAbilities will remain the region’s flagship, locally led in Dubai, while our strategic partnership - strongly supported by our newly established Messe Düsseldorf Gulf Office - aligns its strengths with the global network of REHACARE in Düsseldorf and China. In practical terms, that means co-developed content, shared exhibitor and buyer pathways, and higher international visibility for innovators across the rehabilitation and assistive-technology ecosystem. This is how we bridge borders and lower barriers to the free flow of ideas, technologies and trade — globally relevant, locally rooted.”
“With the AccessAbilities Expo, we are expanding the international reach of REHACARE,” explains Marius Berlemann, Chief Operating Officer of Messe Düsseldorf. “This partnership allows us to combine our expertise with the local strengths in Dubai and opens up new opportunities for innovation, exchange, and empowerment for people of determination, a term that reflects the UAE’s inclusive vision for persons with disabilities across the entire region.”
The partnership will also pave the way for new activities in Dubai’s exhibition industry, leveraging Messe Düsseldorf’s extensive expertise in organizing leading international trade fairs and Nadd AlShiba’s deep local insight and network within the region.
“I am very pleased about our strategic partnership with Messe Düsseldorf, a leading global player in the trade fair industry. With REHACARE International, Messe Düsseldorf has established a highly successful business and networking platform that sets international benchmarks. This partnership allows us to build on that success, combine our strengths, and drive new initiatives in Dubai that foster innovation, exchange, and the empowerment of people of determination across the entire region,” said Ghassan Suleiman, CEO of Nadd AlShiba PR & Event Management.
Suleiman added that the cooperation would further strengthen Dubai’s reputation as a global hub for assistive technologies, attract new investment, and bring international best practices in rehabilitation to the Middle East. This aligns with Dubai’s Economic Agenda 2033 (D33), which seeks to position the emirate as one of the best cities worldwide for living, working and tourism. In parallel, the Dubai Social Agenda 33 envisions a healthcare system that delivers high-quality, affordable, and comprehensive services – spanning medical, preventive, physical, and mental health – to all segments of society. At its core, the strategy fosters a proactive social system that ensures equal opportunities and inclusion, providing support and rehabilitation across the entire community.
The importance of assistive technologies and inclusive solutions is growing worldwide, particularly in the Middle East, where demographic change, healthcare innovation and societal awareness are driving investment in accessibility and empowerment. With this step, Messe Düsseldorf underlines its ambition to expand the REHACARE brand family as the global hub for assistive technologies and inclusive innovation – with Düsseldorf, China and Dubai as its three strong pillars.
