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Founded in December 1971 as a federation between six of its seven constituent entities, the UAE includes the emirates of Abu Dhabi (the capital city), Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain. The emirate of Ras Al Khaimah joined the federation the following year. The UAE is governed by the UAE Constitution, which permits each emirate to have its own legislative body and judicial authority. Accordingly, there are both federal courts and local courts in each individual emirate that uphold the constitution. Abu Dhabi courts apply UAE federal law, as well as the emirate’s unique legal framework.

The UAE currently has no system of federal income taxation. Instead, most of the emirates – including Abu Dhabi – enacted their own corporate tax decrees in the late 1960s. These emirate-level corporate tax decrees are of general application and remain in force. These decrees are similar in nature and text, and deal in broad terms with the identities of taxable persons, rates, administration, computation of taxable profits and loss relief. The decrees limit the scope of taxation to “bodies corporate” carrying out a trade or business in the respective emirates. This chapter contains a viewpoint from Mark Schofield, Partner, PwC Middle East Tax & Legal Services Leader.

The local authorities are continually looking at ways to improve domestic food production, efforts which can in turn support and work alongside the various strategies in place to ensure Abu Dhabi’s food security as well as that of the wider UAE. Despite a desert climate and significant barriers to large-scale agricultural production, a strong focus has been placed in recent years on the management of key resources such as water, with an increased push into areas like greenhouses, hydroponics and the overall modernisation of the agriculture sector. This comes at a time when Abu Dhabi’s population, and therefore its food requirements, continue to grow. This chapter contains an interview with Mariam bint Mohammed Almheiri, Minister of State for Food Security.

With a strong pipeline of retail space under construction, including major regional destination malls and shopping developments to serve untapped communities, Abu Dhabi’s consumers can look forward to new experiences, fresh brands and greater choice. Existing operators are re-thinking mall management to give more prominence to food and beverage outlets, such as fine dining and the latest fast-food concepts, to reflect the changing tastes of a cosmopolitan population. Retail has a key role to play in the business environment as part of the emirate’s strategic shift towards a more diversified economy as described in the Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030. Entrepreneurial Emiratis are currently behind many of the enterprises that form the bedrock of the sector. This chapter contains an interview with Tariq Ahmed Saeed Al Wahedi, CEO, Agthia Group.

Abu Dhabi’s media sector has enjoyed rapid growth in recent years as a result of sustained emirate and federal government support as well as the increase in local content being created in its dedicated media free zone twofour54. The presence of major international media corporations in the free zone has underlined the quality of the facilities on offer, while efforts to cultivate the emergence of a skilled local workforce for the sector are paying dividends thanks to the various training and outreach programmes on offer. Strategic partnerships with regional and international media players alike should cement the emirate’s reputation as a leading media centre in the years ahead. This chapter contains an interview with Maryam Eid AlMheiri, CEO, Media Zone Authority – Abu Dhabi and twofour54.

The UAE is at the forefront of developments in the regional telecoms market, boasting one of the highest smart phone penetration rates in the world, a reputation as a testing ground for emergent capabilities, and rapidly developing infrastructures for wireless broadband and fibre-optic services. At the emirate level, the Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030 established targets for investment in and adoption of new ICT infrastructure, such as increases in ICT spending and internet penetration to match the levels of international industry leaders Singapore and New Zealand. Similarly, the Abu Dhabi Plan, published in June 2016, outlines 25 goals where success will depend on making advances in ICT infrastructure. This chapter contains interviews with Rauda Al Saadi, Director-General, Abu Dhabi Smart Solutions and Services Authority; and Saleh Abdullah Al Abdooli, CEO, Etisalat Group.