Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid launches ‘decade of development’

The Prime Minister signalled the start of a “decade of development” yesterday as the Cabinet approved a federal budget of Dh61.3 billion. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, also Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, said a third of the budget is allocated for social development, a third for government affairs and the rest to infrastructure, economic resources and living benefits. “2020 will be the beginning of a new decade of development,” he tweeted.

Among the main areas of spending is Dh26.7bn for social development programmes and social benefits to “enhance the lives of citizens and provide them with a decent life”, a Cabinet news release read.

There is a further Dh10.4bn for public, higher and university education programmes to strengthen scholarships and study programmes. Dh4.9bn will be set aside for healthcare programmes to “provide the highest levels of medical services to citizens”.

A further Dh3.5bn is for Ministry of Community Development projects, which covers services for those with disabilities and welfare payments known as social aid. Sheikh Mohammed also welcomed Emirati astronauts Hazza Al Mansouri and Sultan Al Neyadi, who presented a report on the space industry in the Emirates.

It detailed how about 1,500 people now work in the sector, which includes the development and management of satellites such as KhalifaSat and the construction of the Mars probe Hope. To date, about Dh22 billion has been invested in the UAE’s space sector, according to a press release from the Cabinet.

Maj Al Mansouri made headlines when he became the first Emirati to travel to the International Space Station last month. He blasted off from Baikonur Cosmodrome on September 25 and spent eight days on board the station, before returning to Earth and landing in Kazakhstan on October 3.

The Cabinet also confirmed the UAE’s participation in the International Solar Alliance, a group of more than 120 countries, established by India, to pursue greater use of solar energy and reduce dependency on fossil fuels.

Last year’s Dh60.3bn budget was part of a three-year, Dh180bn budget for 20192021. The 2019 budget allocated 42.3 per cent of spending to community development, while 17 per cent was set aside for upgrading education systems. The federal government also earmarked 7.3 per cent for the health sector.