Dubai announces major projects to Enhance Transportation, Data Economy, and Community Involvement
Dubai has approved plans to transform transportation, data, and community participation in the emirate.
3 min
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, has endorsed major projects aimed at enhancing Dubai’s stature as a prime catalyst for economic growth, a top destination for global tourism, and a crucial transport hub linking continents, aligning with the vision of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister, and Ruler of Dubai.
During a meeting of The Executive Council at the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) exhibition at Dubai World Trade Centre, Sheikh Hamdan declared: “Dubai is investing in the future and is leading global tourism following His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s announcement to build the world’s largest airport with an AED128bn ($35bn) investment and a capacity for 260m passengers annually.
Major projects approved
It was also noted by Sheikh Hamdan that Dubai serves as a connector between the North, South, East, and West, offering superior infrastructure that sets the foundation for companies aiming at global expansion.
He emphasized the significance of community engagement in shaping Dubai’s future, saying: “We aim to achieve balanced economic and social development through placing people at the heart of progress and by engaging Dubai’s community in designing its future.”
Issam Kazim, CEO of Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DCTCM), part of the Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), presented a report showing robust growth in global demand for Dubai’s tourism sector, which spans leisure, cultural, eco-tourism, medical tourism, and conferences. This surge in tourism will be supported by the upcoming Al Maktoum International Airport, set to be the largest globally with 400 gates and five runways, propelling Dubai towards being one of the world’s top three tourism destinations.
The Executive Council approved the Commercial Transport Strategy 2030 under the Economic Agenda (D33), aiming to nearly double the commercial transport and logistics sector’s economic contribution to approximately AED16.8bn ($4.6bn), increase technology usage in infrastructure by 75%, cut carbon emissions by 30%, and enhance operational efficiency by 10%. Over the next seven years, Dubai plans to launch multiple projects to support this sector’s growth and competitiveness.
Enhancing Community and Data Economy
The Council also approved a plan to optimize traffic flow in the city, enhancing business efficiency and quality of life. This strategy includes developing priority public bus routes, reducing travel times by up to 59%, and promoting school transport usage to decrease traffic around schools by 13%.
Furthermore, the plan incorporates flexible working hours and remote work policies to reduce traffic congestion. Dubai’s strategic direction for increasing the data center economy was also approved, positioning the city as a frontrunner in the future economy driven by emerging technologies.
This strategy, aligned with the Dubai Economic Agenda which aims to boost productivity by 50% through digital adoption and innovation, focuses on developing high-performance computing, utilizing liquid cooling systems, and providing state-of-the-art data centers powered by renewable energy.
By 2028, Dubai aims to be a hub for sustainable data centers, ready for Artificial Intelligence (AI) applications and next-generation technologies like Web 3.0 and the Metaverse, thereby enhancing the emirate’s data capacity fivefold, increasing value addition by AED14.3bn ($3.9bn) annually, and strengthening its regional data industry leadership.
The Executive Council also endorsed the Community Participation Policy, supporting Social Agenda 33 by boosting community involvement in shaping policies, legislation, and government services, thus aligning services more closely with community needs and expectations identified through enhanced public engagement.
This policy will foster cooperation among various stakeholders to improve the overall quality of life for residents. Developed collaboratively by the General Secretariat of the Executive Council, the Digital Authority, the Supreme Legislation Committee, and the Department of Finance, the Community Engagement Policy is grounded in the principles of inclusivity, empowerment, sustainability, cooperation, and transparency.
Chris Dixon, a partner who led the charge, says he has a ‘very long-term horizon’
Americans now think they need at least $1.25 million for retirement, a 20% increase from a year ago, according to a survey by Northwestern Mutual
Employment grew for the 16th consecutive month as companies expanded.
2 min
According to a recent PMI report, Qatar experienced its fastest non-energy sector growth in almost two years in June, driven by surges in both existing and new business activities.
The Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) headline figure for Qatar reached 55.9 in June, up from 53.6 in May, with anything above 50.0 indicating growth in business activity. Employment also grew for the 16th month in a row, and the country’s 12-month outlook remained robust.
The inflationary pressures were muted, with input prices rising only slightly since May, while prices charged for goods and services fell, according to the Qatar Financial Centre (QFC) report.
This headline figure marked the strongest improvement in business conditions in the non-energy private sector since July 2022 and was above the long-term trend.
The report noted that new incoming work expanded at the fastest rate in 13 months, with significant growth in manufacturing and construction and sharp growth in other sectors. Despite the rising demand for goods and services, companies managed to further reduce the volume of outstanding work in June.
Companies attributed positive forecasts to new branch openings, acquiring new customers, and marketing campaigns. Prices for goods and services fell for the sixth time in the past eight months as firms offered discounts to boost competitiveness and attract new customers.
Qatari financial services companies also recorded further strengthening in growth, with the Financial Services Business Activity and New Business Indexes reaching 13- and nine-month highs of 61.1 and 59.2, respectively. These levels were above the long-term trend since 2017.
Yousuf Mohamed Al-Jaida, QFC CEO, said the June PMI index was higher than in all pre-pandemic months except for October 2017, which was 56.3. “Growth has now accelerated five times in the first half of 2024 as the non-energy economy has rebounded from a moderation in the second half of 2023,” he said.
Chris Dixon, a partner who led the charge, says he has a ‘very long-term horizon’
Americans now think they need at least $1.25 million for retirement, a 20% increase from a year ago, according to a survey by Northwestern Mutual
