UAE: Dubai

Economic growth depends heavily on Dubai’s retail, tourism and real estate sectors. Following a peak of $1.2bn in 2008, the UAE’s advertising spend dropped significantly to $720m in 2009 due to the global financial crisis. However, there are positive signs that the sector is recovering as spending has stabilised between 2011 and 2012. Currently a $...

In February 2007 the government of Dubai released a blueprint outlining its future economic, social and political development goals. Named the Dubai Strategic Plan 2015, this document has largely guided the government’s approach to economic development. Although the global economic crisis has presented obstacles to further development, the...

Leveraging its tremendous economic growth and high per capita income, Dubai has developed a robust health care system that provides a high level of medical services to its citizens and others. Health care-related spending per capita across the UAE places the country among the top 20 in the world, with an average of $1544 per capita in 2010, down...

After the Second World War, winds of change were sweeping across the Gulf region – oil was flowing out, profits were flowing in and a polity was forming among the former Trucial States, which now make up the UAE. In this context of change and development, the authorities in Dubai were laying the groundwork for an economic growth strategy novel to...

Many of Dubai’s aspirations to develop further as a knowledge-based economy hinge on building core infrastructure to support businesses and the growing economy. Information and communications technology (ICT) is central to this strategy, particularly as the emirate is focused on leveraging its tourism, finance, media, and transport and logistics...