CABINET APPROVES ZERO-DEFICIT DH61.3B BUDGET

2020 will be a new beginning for a decade of development, His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid said as he approved UAE’s largest-ever budget yesterday

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The UAE’s largest ever zero-deficit federal budget of Dh61 billion has been approved for the fiscal year 2020, with the lion’s share allocated for sectors concerned with serving Emiratis, including social development.

The UAE Cabinet on Tuesday approved the country’s 2020 budget, with 32.6 per cent of which endorsed for government affairs, 31 per cent for social development sector, 14 per cent for infrastructure and economic resources and 6.5 per cent for social benefits.

The federal budget was announced yesterday during a Cabinet meeting chaired by His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, VicePresident and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

Held at the Presidential Palace in Abu Dhabi, the meeting was attended by Lieutenant General Shaikh Saif Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, and Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs.

“2020 will be a new beginning for a decade of fresh development,” said Shaikh Mohammad, adding, “The federal budget is balanced and reflects our national priorities and is managed efficiently”.

While meeting with the first two Emirati astronauts, Hazzaa Al Mansouri and Sultan Al Neyadi, Shaikh Mohammad praised their achievement, being the first Emirati and Arab citizen to reach the International Space Station (ISS).

Sarah Bint Yousuf Al Amiri, Minister of State for Advanced Sciences, Yousuf Al Shaibani, ■

Shaikh Mohammad chairs the Cabinet meeting as Shaikh Saif, Shaikh Mansour and Mohammad Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and the Future, look on. WAM

WAM Shaikh Mohammad praised the achievement of Emirati astronaut Hazzaa Al Mansouri as the first Arab citizen to reach the International Space Station.