The authority is taking part in the fair from September 13 to 18 at ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi, where its pavilion in Hall 5 is hosting sessions, initiatives and activities focused on media, culture and content creation. The participation places the federal regulator alongside publishers, authors, cultural institutions and creative-industry representatives.
The NMA said its presence reflects its role in regulating the media sector and supporting the development of publishing and content industries. Its responsibilities include media licensing and oversight of services connected with the circulation of printed and electronic publications, areas that bring the regulator into direct contact with publishers and distributors operating in the UAE.
The authority’s participation also gives publishers and visitors access to information on regulatory procedures and media content requirements. Its services include reviewing books intended for circulation in the country to ensure compliance with media content standards and age-classification requirements. Publishers and distributors must hold the appropriate media licences and meet legal conditions governing import, distribution and publication.
The Abu Dhabi International Book Fair opened on Sunday under the patronage of President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Organised by the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre, part of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, the 2026 edition runs under the theme Turn the Page, Read the World.
Organisers say exhibitors from 95 countries are participating, with the programme spanning publishing, literature, translation, intellectual property, technology and the creative industries. Around 1,500 events are scheduled across six stages, giving publishers and cultural organisations a broad platform for professional exchange as well as public engagement.
A professional programme at the fair is examining changes reshaping the publishing business, including artificial intelligence, digital transformation, rights trading, translation and shifting reader behaviour. Intellectual property protection and the commercial challenges facing authors and publishers are also part of the agenda, issues that overlap with the NMA’s regulatory mandate.
The fair has selected Miguel de Cervantes’ Don Quixote as its Book of the World, while the eighth-century Arab scholar Al Khalil ibn Ahmad Al Farahidi is being featured as the Focus Personality. The Balkan region is Guest of Honour, with events exploring its literature, publishing links and cultural connections with the Arab world.
The NMA was established as a federal public authority under Federal Decree-Law No. 11 of 2025 and is affiliated with the UAE Cabinet. Its stated mandate includes consolidating national media directions, coordinating media policies across federal and local entities and helping align the country’s media discourse domestically and internationally.
Publishing regulation forms part of the authority’s operational responsibilities. Its procedures for circulating publications require applicants to submit printed or electronic material for review, along with relevant documentation. The authority says the process is intended to ensure that books entering distribution channels comply with media standards and are suitable for their designated audiences.
The regulator has also been promoting closer engagement with publishers through book fairs and industry events. Earlier this year, it participated in the Beijing International Book Fair, where it presented its role in supporting the publishing and content sectors and strengthening links with international industry participants.
At the Abu Dhabi fair, the NMA’s Hall 5 programme is designed to bring those regulatory and industry-facing functions into a public setting. The pavilion’s sessions and activities cover media, culture and content production, allowing professionals and visitors to engage directly with the authority during the event.
The wider fair programme includes discussions on the future of books, publishing technologies and the exchange of rights between Arab and international markets. Organisers have positioned the professional component as a meeting point for publishers, experts and specialists seeking partnerships and practical responses to technological and commercial change.
Seven countries — Kosovo, Colombia, Argentina, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela and Cuba — are taking part in the fair for the first time, broadening its international representation. Their participation adds new publishing markets to an event that combines trade activity with literary, educational and cultural programming.
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