Billionaire says Emiratis who don't marry must be held accountable

Dubai billionaire Khalaf Al Habtoor has urged young Emiratis to marry and hopes for a law to be enacted to encourage locals to marry before the age of 30.

- Waheed Abbas

The government aims to double the number of new Emirati families in Dubai.

(FILE PHOTO)

While taking to social media platform X, he said that young nationals who refrain from marriage without a valid excuse must be held accountable, because it is a matter of survival and cohesion of society.

He stressed that the UAE government supports Emiratis in education, healthcare, housing, and marriage support as well.

"I feel sad every time I see young Emirati men and women over the age of thirty who are not yet married. They are the nation's true wealth and the future of this blessed land, built on family and the values instilled in us by our fathers and grandfathers. Without them, no family can exist, and no society, of which we are proud, can survive," said Al Habtoor, founder and chairman of Al Habtoor Group.

He noted that marriage brings "stability" to society and "continuity of a nation".

"I sincerely urge our young men and women to get married and not hesitate or postpone. There is nothing more beautiful in life than having a home that unites one with the one they love and children who fill their lives with warmth and meaning," he said.