How Ghadan 21 is transforming Abu Dhabi’s economy, community

Programme aims to make city best to live, work and do business

The Abu Dhabi government accelerator programme, Ghadan 21, has transformed the emirate’s economy, knowledge ecosystem and community, said Shaikh Khalid Bin Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Member of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Office, marking a year since the launch of the Dh50 billion programme.

Envisioned by His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, Ghadan 21 was launched to support and deliver the transformation of the emirate’s economy, knowledge ecosystem, and communities from 2019 to 2021.

The government accelerator programme is driving the competitiveness and productivity of Abu Dhabi’s economy, while making the emirate one of the most inclusive places in the world to visit, live, work and do business.

Shaikh Khalid Bin Mohammad is leading efforts to implement the Ghadan 21 programme

via reinforcing the Abu Dhabi Government’s efforts to drive its initiatives forward, ensuring the sustained performance of active initiatives and formulating a new action in response to the needs of the emirate and its inhabitants.

Commenting on the strategic importance of the Ghadan 21 programme and its crucial role in driving progress and prosperity in business, innovation and social development across Abu Dhabi, Shaikh Khalid said: “I’m pleased to launch today the results achieved in the first year of the Ghadan 21 accelerator programme, which was launched to drive Abu Dhabi’s development by focusing on economy, knowledge and community.”

Shaikh Khalid added: “Through Ghadan 21 we are investing in initiatives that make doing business easier and more attractive, encourage ideas and support innovation for a tech-enabled future, as well as ensure the well-being of Abu Dhabi’s people. We will continue to launch initiatives in line with His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed’s vision and to accelerate Abu Dhabi’s journey to become one of the best and most inclusive places in the world to do business, invest, work, study and live.”

Ghadan 21’s efforts have been broad and sweeping, with a raft of programmes and initiatives rolled out to further improve Abu Dhabi’s infrastructure, health care, education, culture, environment and overall quality of life.

With a further two years to go, and more transformative Ghadan 21 initiatives in the pipeline, Abu Dhabi’s future is rapidly taking shape.

Additional legislative changes, policy development programmes and deregulatory and incentive schemes are well under way to effect further changes that will have an increasingly tangible impact on doing business, pursuing knowledge and innovation and quality of life across the emirate, benefiting Emirati nationals and expatriate residents in many facets and reinforcing Abu Dhabi’s stature as one of the region’s leading places to work, learn, and live.