Mussaffah. The name conjures up images of a labyrinthine maze of workshops, garages, factories and industrial grime that’s only visited when you need a car serviced.
But did you know the first Shake Shack to open in Abu Dhabi was in Mussaffah? And new schools, shops and restaurants are opening. Rents are no longer a bargain. There are new streets lights and parking bays. Over the past year, Abu Dhabi Municipality have removed scores of abandoned and damaged vehicles that littered the roundabouts, intersections and open areas. In June, the municipality fined about 1,500 people for abandoning vehicles in the area. And buildings that have been abandoned or are no longer fit for purpose are being demolished.
The changes are part of a decade-long transformation of the broader Mussaffah area that includes the industrial area, labour camps and the mainly residential areas across the E30 motorway. At St Paul’s Catholic church in the heart of the industrial area, the parish priest Fr Ani Xavier said he has witnessed many changes in just two years.
“There has been a lot old cars, trucks, damaged vehicles when we opened. These were parked for many years but were removed. And the land was made clean.”
St Paul’s opened in 2015 and, since then, attendances have increased from 3,000 to 10,000 a week. “People were reluctant to come and walk to the church but now there is no fear. There are massive changes. I can see it with my own eyes. I expect a lot of growth,” he said.
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Read more:
Mussaffah residents demand more public services and facilities
Abu Dhabi council approves Dh75m for new development projects
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Around the church, workers clean the streets, parking bays are being built and a new eatery has opened on one of the corners.
Coconut Lagoon Restaurant has been offering up Indian fare for more than a year now. Co-owner Biju Dominic also noticed dramatic changes since he first arrived in Mussaffah about 20 years ago.
“In 1997, no one was ready to live here. There was nothing. It was isolated,” he said. “But now there is tremendous development. There is opportunity – the church opened and business is going well.”
Mussaffah developed as an industrial area from the 1970s. A bridge opened in the late 1970s connecting to Abu Dhabi island and boosting growth. The Mussaffah industrial area is strategically located and became a special economic zone, with its own port. But it also became a home for labourers with the establishment of ICAD city and was known for bad traffic and abandoned vehicles.
However, things began to change. An increasingly congested island led to more development.
The closure of villa schools in the city resulted in more opening in Mussaffah. These schools brought scores of families, greater spending power and better accommodation.
In 2010, Dalma Mall opened to cater for the fresh influx of people. Then, it was the biggest mall in Abu Dhabi and is now only eclipsed by Yas Mall. It was also the home of the first Shake Shack burger joint in Abu Dhabi.
“People are moving into Mussaffah. It’s not tourism. It’s residents,” said Juby Jose, marketing manager at Dalma Mall.
Footfall has surged from almost 18,000 daily in 2012 to 51,000 daily today. Seven years after it opened, Dalma Mall is 99 per cent leased.
Mr Jose ascribes the changes to the increase in schools opening in the area over the past six years. “Six years back, rentals used to be very low here and were generally used by bachelors. But slowly the crowd started shifting. A lot of families have moved from the city to Mussaffah in the past two years.”
Well placed to comment on the changes are two long-term residents. Gordon de Souza moved into Mussaffah 12 years ago, while Maria Raskar Raju came in 2000. Both from India, their experiences tell of a constantly evolving area.
“It was not organised. You could easily get lost in a car. But now there are shops and restaurants. It’s properly planned,” said Ms Raju of when she first arrived.
Mr De Souza moved to Mussaffah because rents were shooting up on the island. “It’s much, much better,” he said.
“We have three of four malls. Many restaurants. Gold shops. Rubbish is picked up every day. It’s progress.”
Mussaffah today remains one of the most important industrial areas in Abu Dhabi. But its steady transformation speaks to an expanding city that is going far beyond the island.
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Financial considerations before buying a property
Buyers should try to pay as much in cash as possible for a property, limiting the mortgage value to as little as they can afford. This means they not only pay less in interest but their monthly costs are also reduced. Ideally, the monthly mortgage payment should not exceed 20 per cent of the purchaser’s total household income, says Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching.
“If it’s a rental property, plan for the property to have periods when it does not have a tenant. Ensure you have enough cash set aside to pay the mortgage and other costs during these periods, ideally at least six months,” she says.
Also, shop around for the best mortgage interest rate. Understand the terms and conditions, especially what happens after any introductory periods, Ms Glynn adds.
Using a good mortgage broker is worth the investment to obtain the best rate available for a buyer’s needs and circumstances. A good mortgage broker will help the buyer understand the terms and conditions of the mortgage and make the purchasing process efficient and easier.
The specs
Engine: four-litre V6 and 3.5-litre V6 twin-turbo
Transmission: six-speed and 10-speed
Power: 271 and 409 horsepower
Torque: 385 and 650Nm
Price: from Dh229,900 to Dh355,000
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
Five famous companies founded by teens
There are numerous success stories of teen businesses that were created in college dorm rooms and other modest circumstances. Below are some of the most recognisable names in the industry:
- Facebook: Mark Zuckerberg and his friends started Facebook when he was a 19-year-old Harvard undergraduate.
- Dell: When Michael Dell was an undergraduate student at Texas University in 1984, he started upgrading computers for profit. He starting working full-time on his business when he was 19. Eventually, his company became the Dell Computer Corporation and then Dell Inc.
- Subway: Fred DeLuca opened the first Subway restaurant when he was 17. In 1965, Mr DeLuca needed extra money for college, so he decided to open his own business. Peter Buck, a family friend, lent him $1,000 and together, they opened Pete’s Super Submarines. A few years later, the company was rebranded and called Subway.
- Mashable: In 2005, Pete Cashmore created Mashable in Scotland when he was a teenager. The site was then a technology blog. Over the next few decades, Mr Cashmore has turned Mashable into a global media company.
- Oculus VR: Palmer Luckey founded Oculus VR in June 2012, when he was 19. In August that year, Oculus launched its Kickstarter campaign and raised more than $1 million in three days. Facebook bought Oculus for $2 billion two years later.
RACE CARD
6.30pm Maiden (TB) Dh82.500 (Dirt) 1,400m
7.05pm Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (D) 1,400m
7.40pm Handicap (TB) Dh92,500 (Turf) 2,410m
8.15pm Handicap (TB) Dh105,000 (D) 1,900m
8.50pm UAE 2000 Guineas Trial (TB) Conditions Dh183,650 (D) 1,600m
9.25pm Dubai Trophy (TB) Conditions Dh183,650 (T) 1,200m
10pm Handicap (TB) Dh102,500 (T) 1,400m
Company%20profile
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Learn more about Qasr Al Hosn
In 2013, The National's History Project went beyond the walls to see what life was like living in Abu Dhabi's fabled fort:
German intelligence warnings
- 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
- 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
- 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250
Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution
FIGHT CARD
1. Featherweight 66kg
Ben Lucas (AUS) v Ibrahim Kendil (EGY)
2. Lightweight 70kg
Mohammed Kareem Aljnan (SYR) v Alphonse Besala (CMR)
3. Welterweight 77kg
Marcos Costa (BRA) v Abdelhakim Wahid (MAR)
4. Lightweight 70kg
Omar Ramadan (EGY) v Abdimitalipov Atabek (KGZ)
5. Featherweight 66kg
Ahmed Al Darmaki (UAE) v Kagimu Kigga (UGA)
6. Catchweight 85kg
Ibrahim El Sawi (EGY) v Iuri Fraga (BRA)
7. Featherweight 66kg
Yousef Al Husani (UAE) v Mohamed Allam (EGY)
8. Catchweight 73kg
Mostafa Radi (PAL) v Abdipatta Abdizhali (KGZ)
9. Featherweight 66kg
Jaures Dea (CMR) v Andre Pinheiro (BRA)
10. Catchweight 90kg
Tarek Suleiman (SYR) v Juscelino Ferreira (BRA)
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
