His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of The Executive Council, chaired The Executive Council meeting and commended the remarkable achievements of the year 2021. His Highness highlighted the successes of the year and the key role it played in strengthening Dubai's position as a global destination, in line with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. His Highness also affirmed that Dubai knows no limits as it continues to create opportunities and successfully delivers projects that stand testament to its global leadership.

During the meeting that was held at the DP World Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai, Sheikh Hamdan stated that the successes achieved in 2021 will only drive the government to further unite its efforts and aspire for greater goals. He added that the 2022 governmental agenda will serve as a launchpad for a promising future and instrumental governmental accomplishments.

His Highness stated: "2022 will be the year of transformations, underpinned by a renewed vision driven by leadership. The 2022 governmental agenda will empower vital sectors in line with the inspiring vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and will proactively act upon future opportunities to further cement Dubai’s position as a leading global destination for investors, entrepreneurs, and visitors.”

Environmental sustainability

In implementation of the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and continuation of the projects approved by His Highness earlier - in the fields of sustainability, environmental preservation, enhancement of the quality of life, and building a sustainable future - the Chairman of the Executive Council approved one of the most important integrated strategies in the field of sustainability. His Highness commented: “Today, we approved the integrated strategy for waste management 2021-2041 with a budget of 74.5 billion dirhams to encourage innovation in managing, recycling, and converting waste into energy. 70.5 billion of the budget will be a direct contribution from the private sector to pave the road towards a sustainable future. The private sector is our strategic partner in transforming Dubai into an environmental city built on the pillars of health and sustainability, in accordance with the best international standards and with the cooperation of the community at large.”

The strategy is set to implement long-term projects during the next twenty years by providing practical solutions to the environmental challenges facing the world today and in alignment with the environmental objectives set by the government's agenda, all while bolstering plans aimed at enriching vital sectors.

In aims of adopting the best practices in integrated waste management, the strategy encourages all stakeholders from the public and private sectors to promote a recycling culture, in addition to raising the quality of recycled materials, thus providing a safe work environment to encourage promising investment and create new competitive opportunities in the fields of waste management and treatment in Dubai.

Remarkable Economic Growth

His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed praised the efforts that stimulated notable economic growth in Dubai during the first nine months of 2021, across various vital sectors, where the GDP growth rate was 6.3%, mirroring the performance of major global economies. The second quarter of 2021 witnessed a substantial rise of 17.8% compared to the same period of the previous year. The latter confirms Dubai's success in dealing with the pandemic and its swift recovery from its repercussions, as well as the opening of trade in the region which played a pivotal role in enhancing economic performance through the emirate's ability to benefit from the developments of the global economy.

Agenda focused on integrated development

During the meeting, The Executive Council approved the 2022 Agenda, which includes comprehensive development projects and initiatives that affirm Dubai’s pioneering efforts in global development. The agenda focuses on diversifying the sources of new investments, increasing investments based on modern technology, and focusing on the knowledge-based economy. While the social development sector concentrates on empowering the advancement of the community and maximizing its welfare.  

The agenda also draws emphasis on urban planning and infrastructure, which reflects the extent of the emirate's expansion in the service sector and contributes to enhancing Dubai's attractiveness as a tourism and investment destination, safeguarded by the security, safety and justice sectors that have always been prioritised by the leadership as they are the basis of Dubai's unmatched lifestyle standards. Environmental policies also took precedence in the government's agenda, with the aim of fortifying these policies to combat environmental challenges and providing practical solutions to global environmental concerns.