Dubai: A wide-reaching report, released on Monday, looked into Dubai’s economy, standard of living, transport, and social issues in the backdrop of fast-changing, turbulent times.
Commissioned by the Dubai Executive Council (DEC), the document titled Dubai Pulse Report 2016 is now in its second year running.
It examined data from government bodies, and surveyed 2,500 residents and citizens in an effort to help the Dubai Government achieve its goals under the Dubai Plan 2021 strategy.
Commenting on the report, Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Crown Prince and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council, said that Dubai must build strength to face challenges that lie ahead.
INCLUSIVE CITY
“Today, more than ever, initiative and quick response are crucial to successful leadership,” he said. “My message is that we are building an inclusive city, a place where citizens, residents and visitors, are united by common human values based on peace and tolerance. This is a city where everybody can enjoy a high quality of life regardless of his or her background.”
Shaikh Ahmad Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Second Deputy Chairman of the Dubai Executive Council, attended the launch.
2nd Dubai Pulse report has been launched. It includes indicators that help us monitor progress in achieving Dubai Plan 2021 goals pic.twitter.com/gnylCRIFG1— Hamdan bin Mohammed (@HamdanMohammed) June 12, 2017
Our successes are testament to our determination to realise our goals; we will strengthen efforts to achieve further success— Hamdan bin Mohammed (@HamdanMohammed) June 12, 2017
The report’s results “indicate a disparity in the performance across all economic, societal, and urban indicators,” said Abdullah Al Shaibani, Secretary General of the Dubai Executive Council.
“This is quite predictable given the volatility in the global and regional environments. Specifically, I would highlight the dip in oil prices as well as the continuing instability in the region. But despite these challenges, Dubai’s performance across the key indicators remains far ahead of other countries in the region.”
RESILIENCE
He attributed the emirate’s “resilience” was a result of its diversified economy and infrastructure.
“2016 was marked by political uncertainty, due in large part to the transition in the administration in the US, and UK’s vote to exit the European Union,” Al Shaibani said.
However, the council is “confident that our government will continue on the path of the founding fathers in adapting to changes and challenges,” he added.
According to the data, Dubai’s economy grew 2.7 per cent in 2016, a drop from 4.1 per cent the year before. The UAE’s economy grew 2.3 per cent in 2016, and 4 per cent the year before.
Globally, economic growth stood at 3.1 per cent on average last year.
“[Last year] we saw a global trend of a drop in GDP [gross domestic product] growth,” said Aisha Abdullah Miran, Assistant Secretary General at the council.
“But Dubai is still able to perform quite well compared to the region, better than the GCC [Gulf Cooperation Council] and the UAE,” she added.
Projections by the council for this year and 2018 show an increase in growth.
“There is still optimism, there is still a positive outlook when we ask society and consumers about their economy perspective,” Miran said.
“About 70 per cent of people believe that the economy is improving in Dubai.”
The council is targeting an annual economic growth rate of 4.8 per cent by 2021.
Last year, construction and financial services shrunk by 0.2 per cent and 0.1 per cent, she said. But this was offset by a 9 per cent growth in tourism, a 4.5 per cent growth in logistics, and a 3.9 per cent growth in industry.
The council plans to make the full report available on the Dubai Plan 2021 website and social media channels.
Council looking into rise in living costs
The Dubai’s Executive Council is looking into why living costs in the emirate continue to rise despite a strong dollar and soft regional economy.
“[Living costs are] definitely something that we’re looking into, because if this is something that is affecting Dubai’s competitiveness, then we want to address it,” said Aisha Abdullah Miran, Assistant Secretary General at Dubai Executive Council.
The council has commissioned a study with the Chamber of Commerce that looks at the cost of doing business.
Fees charged for government services are also being examined, Miran told Gulf News.
Fee caps on school fees and the introduction of mandatory health insurance had helped raise living standards, she noted.
The council is also currently running a consumer survey, available to all residents of Dubai, to find out more about what people spend their money on.
“Because [as a resident] you can come and argue that cost of living in Dubai is high, when you want to maintain an even higher level of living [than normal], when you can maintain a lower level and still maintain a decent life,” Miran said.
Emiratis divorce rate declines
Last year saw a drop in the number of Emirati marriages than ended in divorce, the Dubai Pulse Report showed. The research covered couples living in Dubai, in which at least one partner is an Emirati.
In 2016, 34 per cent of marriages failed, compared to 47.5 per cent in 2015.
One of the main reasons for divorce was “lack of chemistry and understanding between spouses,” said Miran, the council’s assistant secretary general.
“We’re also working towards having mechanisms in place to raise awareness of responsibilities of both parties… to ensure divorced women and children are not lost within the divorce cases,” she added.
Meanwhile, Emirati women were also having fewer children, the report noted.
In 2011, the birth rate stood at 3.9 babies per woman. By 2015, that number had dropped to 3.5.
While fertility among Emiratis is well above 2.1 children per woman – the number needed to replenish the population – the council was looking into the matter, Miran said.
“Across the world, fertility rates are in decline,” said Miran. “So it is not an issue pertaining to Dubai in specific.”
She said that lower birth rates were in part due to more women joining the workforce and continuing their studies.
The same report noted that Emirati female participation in government jobs had grown to 15 per cent across 32 government entities.
“But we are trying to put measure in place in order to increase our fertility rate,” she added.
