Dubai launches welfare plan to double number of its citizens within decade

▶ Emirate aims to enter top three cities globally for standard of living and top 10 for life expectancy by 2033

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, has launched a Dh208 billion ($56.6 billion) strategy to double the number of Emirati families in the emirate within a decade.

Sheikh Mohammed set out plans to increase housing standards, health care and quality of life for citizens.

Residential developments for Emiratis will be established to deliver “the best living conditions in the world”, he said on Thursday.

Dubai’s population is more than 3.65 million, driven by the emirate’s position as a leading destination for foreign workers.

Sheikh Mohammed wants to increase Dubai’s Emirati population as part of the Dubai Social Agenda 33.

“Today we announce the launch of Dubai Social Agenda 33. It is our plan for Dubai’s community for the next ten years, with the slogan “Family, the Foundation of the Nation,” Sheikh Mohammed wrote on social media.

“Its budget is Dh208 billion over the next decade, aiming at the citizens of our families in Dubai – providing housing, improving living standards, identity, values, social cohesion, health care, and developing future skills in our upcoming generations. “Our goal is to double the number of citizen families within the decade, providing them with the world’s best residential areas.”

Sheikh Mohammed said his sons would guide the project.

“The social agenda has clear targets, approved programmes, allocated budgets, and will be followed by my sons Hamdan, Maktoum, Ahmed, and their siblings,” he said.

“They are the most dedicated individuals to Dubai’s large family, where they were raised and cherish it with bonds of love, affection and blood.

“The nation is not just numbers and structures; it is families and individuals. My message to all officials is that our priority in the coming period is the family protection, empowerment, development, and cohesion.

“We pray that God guides us in serving the country and its people,” he said.

The goals of the Dubai Social Agenda 33 plan include establishing the world’s most efficient and high-quality healthcare system, and developing an education sector capable of keeping pace with Dubai’s future ambitions to be among the top 10 cities in the world for quality education.

The initiative calls for the cultivation of a proactive social care system, focused on the protection, care and empowerment of citizens. It also aims to triple the number of Emiratis working in Dubai’s private sector.

The goal of the welfare project is to ensure Dubai becomes one of the top three cities in the world in terms of living standards, as well as one of the top 10 in terms of life expectancy.