The Dubai government’s total spend on projects related to Expo 2020 is expected to reach AED 30 billion by 2021.
That’s according to the Director-General of the Department of Finance (DoF) who says maintaining financial sustainability is a top priority for the emirate.
While speaking at a 'Meet the CEO' event organised by the Dubai Media Office, Abdulrahman Saleh Al Saleh highlighted the budget surplus generated over the last few years through prudent financial policies.
Al Saleh revealed that Dubai's sovereign debt reached $ 32 billion in September 2019 and the emirate's public debt to GDP ratio was below 27.9 per cent, while the debt-service coverage ratio was only 5 per cent of the general budget.
He also added that there is no intention to increase government fees and stressed that Dubai is capable of meeting all its financial commitments.
DoF is currently working with various government entities to implement projects worth AED 4 billion in sectors such as education, healthcare and energy.
Al Saleh said he also expects the private sector to partner with the government on multi-billion-dirham joint projects in the coming years.
Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, Suhail bin Mohammed Al Mazrouei, said 22 per cent of the UAE's non-oil trade was transported by road in 2023, amounting to AED 576.4 billion. He added the improvement of the country's railway system will boost its role as a key driver in the transport sector.
The US said it may ask a judge to force Alphabet's Google to divest parts of its business, such as its Chrome browser and Android operating system, that it says are used to maintain an illegal monopoly in online search.
The first edition of the Global Rail Transport Infrastructure Exhibition & Conference (Global Rail) 2024 was launched in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday and set to continue until Thursday. The event, hosted by Etihad Rail, was inaugurated by several UAE officials and industry leaders.
Boeing has withdrawn its pay offer to around 33,000 US factory workers and no further negotiations were planned with their union representatives, as a financially damaging strike nears its fourth week.
The UAE Cabinet, chaired by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and the Ruler of Dubai, has approved the Union General Budget Plan for the fiscal year 2025.