DUBAI (ALETIHAD)

His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence of the UAE, and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, has approved new transformative strategies and projects with a budget of Dh18 billion designed to enhance quality of life and shape a better future for residents.

The initiatives span culture, trade, infrastructure, Emiratisation, finance, investment, urban planning, and population census.

Chairing a meeting of The Executive Council, His Highness Sheikh Hamdan said, “Dubai, which has become synonymous with ambition and achievement, backs its words with action and continues to write new chapters of success. Under the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, we are building a city that does not pause. We plan for the future while delivering for the present, ensuring that every step forward is anchored in progress and purpose.”

He continued, “Through the Dubai Cultural Strategy 2033, led by Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, Dubai will embark on an ambitious new path that will support the Dubai Plan 2033 and the Dubai Social Agenda 33, making the city a global cultural reference, rooted in the UAE’s heritage, pioneering innovation and talent.”

“Just as we nurture the cultural landscape, we consolidate our mission across every dimension of the city, including the way we plan our urban areas, harness data for policymaking, empower our people, attract investment, and support new sectors. Today’s approvals reflect the breadth of Dubai’s ambitions and the depth of its commitment to its residents and generations to come.”

The meeting took place in Emirates Towers and was attended by His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Second Deputy Ruler of Dubai.

The Dubai Cultural Strategy 2033, supervised by Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, aims to position Dubai as a leader in cultural innovation and collaboration rooted in the UAE’s heritage, while establishing the city as a global hub for talent, the preferred destination for creative projects, a global reference for safeguarding cultural heritage, and a global model for social cohesion.

The strategy, which aligns with the Dubai Plan 2033 and the Dubai Social Agenda 33, is built on four pillars and includes 40 initiatives supported by five sectoral indicators and 23 key performance indicators.

Major initiatives include the Dubai Cultural and Creative Innovation Programme, the UAE Heritage Design Challenge, and the Future Talents Development Programme. The aim is to support over 6,000 local talents, attract more than 6,000 international creatives, increase Dubai’s cultural asset footprint by over 200%, raise the sector’s GDP contribution to 5.4%, and grow the value of public-private partnerships in the sector to Dh2.75 billion.

The Dubai Customs Strategy 2030 focuses on facilitating trade, strengthening economic partnerships, enhancing security and compliance, and improving the customer and partner experience. The strategy aims to ensure seamless trade, boost Dubai’s global competitiveness, protect communities, and consolidate Dubai’s position as a global trade hub.

The Executive Council also approved the First Al Khail Street Development Plan, which will introduce a strategic corridor parallel to Sheikh Zayed Road, featuring a 15-kilometre-long elevated carriageway with three lanes in each direction. Construction will start in Q3 2027 and end in Q4 2030, deploying innovative technologies and modern construction methods to accelerate delivery without affecting traffic movement in the area.

The project will serve 2.6 million people, provide access to Al Barsha, Al Quoz, Business Bay, and Meydan, and reduce travel time on Sheikh Zayed Road by 51% during peak hours. It will also enhance road network efficiency and increase capacity by approximately 9,000 vehicles per hour.

The Executive Council also approved the Real-Time Population Census and Growth Monitoring Initiative, ‘Dubai Population Now’, led by the Dubai Data and Statistics Establishment, part of the Dubai Digital Authority. The project uses artificial intelligence and smart forecasting to provide a real-time population clock and support urban planning.

Dubai’s population reached 4.58 million by the end of 2025, up 332,000 (7.5%) from 2024. The initiative enables more precise policymaking in housing, education, health, and transport.

During the meeting, The Executive Council approved the Emirati Talents Strategy in Private Education, which aims to boost Emiratisation in the sector, targeting 3,000 nationals by 2033 in support of the Dubai Education Strategy 2033. Key indicators include the percentage of Emiratis in teaching roles and turnover rates.

Initiatives include the Teacher Qualification and Accreditation Academy (Bridge to Teach), Success Partners Programme, Flex Emiratisation, Teaching Experience initiative (TeachXperience), and a pathway for employing retirees.

The Dubai Investor Register is a unified register for all institutions and individuals operating or investing in Dubai, supporting the Dubai Economic Agenda, D33’s target of Dh650 billion in foreign direct investment by 2033. The register allows companies and investors to operate across multiple zones without re-registering, meets Financial Action Task Force requirements, and reduces costs and operational burdens by unifying procedures and data.

The Executive Council approved a new visual identity for Dubai’s address system, giving address signage a distinctive urban character inspired by the emirate’s environment and classified by urban sector. This initiative enhances the identity of different areas and contributes to improving geographic orientation and ease of navigation, in line with international best practices. The system will expand to cover transport and residential services, with implementation across 186 areas by 2029.

Furthermore, The Executive Council approved the launch of the Global Centre for Technology and Innovation in Islamic Finance, managed by Dubai International Financial Centre with global partners. The centre positions Dubai as a leading hub for Islamic fintech, with the sector’s market projected to reach $9.31 trillion by 2030.

Key initiatives include the Islamic Finance Innovation Challenge, an innovation platform for Islamic banks and start-ups, and the Future Islamic Finance Forum on 4 November 2026. The DIFC Academy will deliver a talent programme targeting over 3,000 trainees by 2031.