DUBAI
Dubai’s economy is expected to continue expanding over the next two years, according to the Chairman of Dubai’s Economic Development Committee, who said that the emirate had outperformed global economic growth and defied downward trends that prevailed worldwide in 2016.
In a statement from Dubai Economy on Sunday, Shaikh Ahmad Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Second Deputy Chairman of The Executive Council and Chairman of Economic Development Committee, highlighted the results of the annual Dubai Plan 2021 report, titled Dubai Pulse, which suggested that the economic performance of the emirate is better than other economies in the region.
Shaikh Ahmad added that Dubai’s stable macroeconomic environment, its diversification and sustainability policies, growth strategies and infrastructure initiatives continue to fuel “outstanding” economic performance even when the global economy faces headwinds.
“Diversification, resilience and sustainability are enshrined in every project, policy and strategy that Dubai adopts, including, for example, the Dubai Plan 2021, Dubai Industrial Strategy 2030, and Expo 2020. The oil sector now makes up for less than one per cent of Dubai’s GDP, while varied initiatives have opened up unprecedented opportunities for global businesses in several non-oil sectors,” he said.
Sector-wise, trade accounted for 28 per cent of Dubai’s GDP in 2016, followed by transportation and storage at 12 per cent and financial services at 11 per cent. The local tourism sector grew by 11 per cent in 2016, and is expected to record further growth in the coming years, growing at 5 and 5.1 per cent in 2017 and 2018, respectively, Shaikh Ahmad said.
