Dubai approves largest budget cycle

EMIRATE PLANS TO SPEND NEARLY DH303B OVER THE NEXT 3 YEARS AND EARN OVER DH329B

- BY JUSTIN VARGHESE

Dubai has approved the largest multi year government budget in its history, setting out Dh302.7 billion in planned expenditure for the fiscal years 2026 to 2028. The financial framework, approved by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, in his capacity as Ruler of Dubai, establishes the government’s spending and revenue expectations for the next three years, supported by projected revenues of Dh329.2 billion.

The Department of Finance (DOF) expects the three-year cycle to deliver an operating surplus of up to 5 per cent of the emirate’s projected GDP for 2026.

Stable fiscal outlook

Officials have described the financial position as stable and aligned with long-term goals for economic sustainability. The government said the cycle supports ambitions to promote sustainable economic growth, enhance community well-being, and reinforce Dubai’s position as a land of opportunity and innovation.