Dubai has unveiled its largest government budget for 2025-2027, with spending of Dh272 billion ($74 billion) that is designed to meet the emirate's future economic strategy.
In 2025 alone, expenditure is pegged at Dh86.26 billion, with nearly half – 46 per cent – to be spent on infrastructure, including roads, bridges, transportation systems and renewable energy facilities, as well as the announced Al Maktoum Airport development, as it looks to manage a population boom.
The city welcomed at least 100,000 new arrivals last year and plans to grow from 3.8 million today to 5.8 million, or more, by 2040.
Revenues for the fiscal year 2025 are projected at Dh97.66 billion, with a general reserve of Dh5 billion.
“Today we approved the Dubai government budget for 2025-2027 with revenues of Dh302 billion and expenditures of Dh272 billion, the largest in the emirate’s history,” Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, said on X.
The budget is “a clear expression of the emirate’s determination to support development projects, stimulate the overall economy and achieve the ambitious goals” of programmes including Dubai Plan 2030, the Dubai Economic Agenda (D33) and Quality of Life Strategy 2033, Sheikh Mohammed said.
Up to 30 per cent of the budget is allocated to health, education, social development housing and other community services. About 18 per cent of the budget will be allocated to security, justice and safety.
Around 6 per cent of the budget will be earmarked for public services, government excellence, creativity, innovation and scientific research.
“Next year’s budget will achieve an operating surplus of 21 per cent of total revenues for the first time. The goal is to create financial sustainability for the Dubai government,” Sheikh Mohammed said.
Dubai is a major trade, tourism and business centre in the Middle East, attracting businesses and talent from all over the world with more flexible visa schemes, infrastructure spending and its economic diversification programme.
Its economic sectors have further been enhanced by the latest advancements in technology, and the emirate has rolled out initiatives to help businesses and residents adopt these innovations as it prepares for the economy of the future.
Dubai, along with Abu Dhabi, have ranked first globally for ease of entry for global talent in this year's Global Cities Index released last week.
The emirate also remained the world's top destination for greenfield foreign direct investment projects in the first half of 2024, despite challenging global economic conditions, a study from Financial Times' fDi Markets showed earlier this month.
“Dubai is moving towards the future with full confidence. Its financial sustainability is solid, steady and advanced,” Sheikh Mohammed said.
The UAE, the second-largest economy in the Arab world, has maintained strong momentum since bouncing back from the pandemic-driven slowdown.
The country's gross domestic product, which grew by 3.4 per cent in the first quarter of this year, is expected to expand by 4 per cent in 2024 on the back of a boost from its non-oil sector, according to the latest data from the UAE Central Bank.
The non-oil sector is projected to remain strong at 5.2 per cent in 2024 and 5.3 per cent in 2025, driven mainly by efforts to boost foreign investment and continuing structural reforms such as 100 per cent ownership of foreign businesses and tax reforms, the banking regulator said.
Earlier this month, the UAE Cabinet approved the general budget of the Emirates for fiscal year 2025, “the largest” in the country's history, with spending estimated at Dh71.5 billion.
The Union General Budget Plan for next year also projects revenue at Dh71.5 billion, maintaining “a balanced approach between income and spending”, the media office said.
Last month, Sheikh Mohammed said the UAE and Dubai “draw upon a distinctive vision and clear roadmap for development”.
The national focus is set on social, economic and investment priorities and the UAE has “read the future well” by tracking global changes and seizing opportunities, he added.
Sheikh Mohammed also highlighted the UAE’s commitment to fostering an environment conducive to business growth, both for local entrepreneurs and international investors, state news agency Wam had reported.
Europe's top EV producers
- Norway (63% of cars registered in 2021)
- Iceland (33%)
- Netherlands (20%)
- Sweden (19%)
- Austria (14%)
- Germany (14%)
- Denmark (13%)
- Switzerland (13%)
- United Kingdom (12%)
- Luxembourg (10%)
Source: VCOe
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo
Power: 240hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 390Nm at 3,000rpm
Transmission: eight-speed auto
Price: from Dh122,745
On sale: now
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
ULTRA PROCESSED FOODS
- Carbonated drinks, sweet or savoury packaged snacks, confectionery, mass-produced packaged breads and buns
- Margarines and spreads; cookies, biscuits, pastries, cakes, and cake mixes, breakfast cereals, cereal and energy bars
- Energy drinks, milk drinks, fruit yoghurts and fruit drinks, cocoa drinks, meat and chicken extracts and instant sauces
- Infant formulas and follow-on milks, health and slimming products such as powdered or fortified meal and dish substitutes
- Many ready-to-heat products including pre-prepared pies and pasta and pizza dishes, poultry and fish nuggets and sticks, sausages, burgers, hot dogs, and other reconstituted meat products, powdered and packaged instant soups, noodles and desserts
U19 WORLD CUP, WEST INDIES
UAE group fixtures (all in St Kitts)
Saturday 15 January: v Canada
Thursday 20 January: v England
Saturday 22 January: v Bangladesh
UAE squad
Alishan Sharafu (captain), Shival Bawa, Jash Giyanani, Sailles Jaishankar, Nilansh Keswani, Aayan Khan, Punya Mehra, Ali Naseer, Ronak Panoly, Dhruv Parashar, Vinayak Raghavan, Soorya Sathish, Aryansh Sharma, Adithya Shetty, Kai Smith
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WHAT%20IS%20THE%20LICENSING%20PROCESS%20FOR%20VARA%3F
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Why it pays to compare
A comparison of sending Dh20,000 from the UAE using two different routes at the same time - the first direct from a UAE bank to a bank in Germany, and the second from the same UAE bank via an online platform to Germany - found key differences in cost and speed. The transfers were both initiated on January 30.
Route 1: bank transfer
The UAE bank charged Dh152.25 for the Dh20,000 transfer. On top of that, their exchange rate margin added a difference of around Dh415, compared with the mid-market rate.
Total cost: Dh567.25 - around 2.9 per cent of the total amount
Total received: €4,670.30
Route 2: online platform
The UAE bank’s charge for sending Dh20,000 to a UK dirham-denominated account was Dh2.10. The exchange rate margin cost was Dh60, plus a Dh12 fee.
Total cost: Dh74.10, around 0.4 per cent of the transaction
Total received: €4,756
The UAE bank transfer was far quicker – around two to three working days, while the online platform took around four to five days, but was considerably cheaper. In the online platform transfer, the funds were also exposed to currency risk during the period it took for them to arrive.
Pakistan v New Zealand Test series
Pakistan: Sarfraz (c), Hafeez, Imam, Azhar, Sohail, Shafiq, Azam, Saad, Yasir, Asif, Abbas, Hassan, Afridi, Ashraf, Hamza
New Zealand: Williamson (c), Blundell, Boult, De Grandhomme, Henry, Latham, Nicholls, Ajaz, Raval, Sodhi, Somerville, Southee, Taylor, Wagner
Umpires: Bruce Oxerford (AUS) and Ian Gould (ENG); TV umpire: Paul Reiffel (AUS); Match referee: David Boon (AUS)
Tickets and schedule: Entry is free for all spectators. Gates open at 9am. Play commences at 10am
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor Cricket World Cup - Sep 16-20, Insportz, Dubai
16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side
8 There are eight players per team
9 There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.
5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls
4 Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership
Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.
Zones
A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs
B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run
C Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs
D Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full
