Department of Finance officials hail Dubai’s people-centric budget

On Sunday, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, approved the Government of Dubai’s general budget cycle for the fiscal years 2026-2028, and the general budget for the fiscal year 2026.

A key vision of the budget is to promote sustainable economic growth, enhance community well-being, and solidify its reputation as a land of opportunity and innovation.

The budget reflects Dubai’s commitment to supporting development projects, and prioritises social services and the development of health, education, culture, and infrastructure projects, allocating funds according to strategic priorities.

Several officials of Dubai’s Department of Finance (DoF) hailed the budget. Here are some of the comments…

Abdulrahman Saleh Al Saleh

Director General of Department of Finance (DOF)

“Announcing a flexible, scalable financial plan is important to enhance fiscal sustainability, competitiveness, and transparency – key pillars that strengthen Dubai to attract more investments.

“The 2026 budget aligns with the Dubai Strategic Plan 2033 and the Dubai Economic Agenda D33 and reflects the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and the directives of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum to enhance government support for social development, housing for citizens, government digitisation, scientific research, corporate agility, and global competitiveness.

“The Dubai Government remains committed to the guidance of His Highness Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, First Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, and Minister of Finance, in adopting disciplined fiscal policies. This approach established an annually funded general reserve, ensuring long-term fiscal sustainability and reinforcing the emirate’s financial resilience against future challenges.”

Aref Abdulrahman Ahli

Executive Director of the Planning & General Budget Sector at Department of Finance

“The medium-term financial planning and the announcement of a three-year budget plan reflects the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and the directives of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

“The 2026 fiscal year budget not only meets the requirements of the Dubai Strategic Plan 2033 and beyond, but also showcases the emirate’s stable financial position. This stability is attributed to disciplined financial policies rooted in best practices, which contribute to achieving an operating surplus of 22 per cent of total government revenues, ensuring the desired financial sustainability.

“At DOF, we strive to develop government spending efficiency programmes and continue to implement the programme and performance budget development plan, which aligns strategic planning with fiscal planning, reaffirming the Dubai government’s commitment to the principles of leadership and transparency. Government entities are playing a key role in ensuring the budget meets global standards, a commitment reflected in top-tier performance results under the international Public Expenditure and Financial Accountability (PEFA) framework.”

Ahmad Ali Meftah

Executive Director of the Central Accounts Sector at Dubai’s Department of Finance

“The Department’s sustained initiatives to foster innovation in revenue collection systems are gaining wide recognition. Strengthening transparency remains a core government priority, and the Financial Data Platform plays a key role in this effort by giving government entities, organisations, and individuals access to accurate and timely financial information. This openness supports informed decision-making and enhances the emirate’s overall competitiveness.

“DOF places strategic importance on advancing the digitalisation of life in Dubai. It continues to implement the Dubai Cashless Strategy, which aims to position the emirate as a global benchmark in reducing reliance on cash and expanding the adoption of secure, smart digital payments. Based on three pillars, Governance, Innovation, and Society, the strategy enhances the efficiency of government financial operations, accelerates the pace of digital transformation, improves transparency, and facilitates access to services. In doing so, it supports the objectives of the Dubai Economic Agenda D33 and reinforces the emirate’s status as a global hub for the digital economy.

“We continue to develop initiatives that support Dubai’s strategic objectives and advance its public finance ecosystem, including the adoption of International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS). This step positions Dubai among the first governments in the region to implement these global standards, which play a vital role in improving budget execution and enhancing overall government performance.”

Hamed Abdulghafoor Alawadhi

Executive Director of the Shared Services Sector at Department of Finance

“The sector plays a pivotal role in supporting the Dubai government ecosystem through specialised programmes that boost operational efficiency and enhance services quality. Additionally, the recently launched Dubai Government Unified Contact Centre (UCC) provides a platform that enhances communication with customers and delivers an integrated experience, reflecting seamless collaboration across government entities.

“The 2026 Budget supports such efforts by providing the necessary resources to advance technical infrastructure and drive innovation in shared services, contributing to the emirate’s digital transformation goals, elevating spending efficiency, and aligning with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum to build a smarter, more agile, and sustainable government.”