During the latest Cabinet meeting at Qasr Al Watan, Abu Dhabi, the UAE’s government initiated talks about establishing a clear national agenda for 2025 which focuses on three main tracks: family, national identity, and artificial intelligence (AI).
“We have requested all entities to present ideas, initiatives and projects that contribute to the development of their sectors, support our national priorities, and support establishing a clear national agenda for 2025,” stated His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.
The Cabinet also approved hosting the UAE Government Annual Meetings 2024 on November 5 and 6 in Abu Dhabi, which will tackle the three tracks. The meeting will feature UAE national leaders and decision-makers, and members of the federal and local governments teams. The UAE Government Annual Meetings aim to further unify government work as a robust system at both the federal and local levels, and discuss development issues annually.
2025 agenda’s key focus areas
In a statement on social media platform X, Sheikh Mohammed said that in 2023, the most important government expenditures were in public security and safety, health, education, economic affairs, social protection, housing, and utilities.
In recent years, the UAE has placed significant focus on enhancing the quality of life of the Emirati family with multiple initiatives that bolster its stability and growth. The UAE seeks to expand those efforts in 2025 by setting the Emirati family at the top of its priorities. Promoting and enhancing the national identity is another key focus area for the UAE Cabinet in 2025.
“Our government’s resources are growing, and we will continue to use them in ways that serve our people, our facilities, our economy, and the future of our journey,” added Sheikh Mohammed.
During the latest meeting, the Cabinet also approved the UAE’s stance on AI policy internationally, emphasizing transparency, ethical standards and international cooperation. Technology and AI development emerged as key areas of focus for the UAE’s agenda in 2025.
Cabinet reviews economic developments
Sheikh Mohammed added that the Cabinet approved the UAE’s National AML/CFT/CPF Strategy (2024-2027). This strategy aims to ensure the sustainability of oversight on financial institutions and virtual assets service providers, reinforcing the principles of governance and transparency in our national economy. In addition, it includes 11 strategic objectives that seek to enhance international cooperation, improve transparency, and strengthen the UAE’s position as a global leader in anti-money laundering, combating the financing of terrorism, and countering proliferation financing.
During its session, the UAE Cabinet reviewed the results of implementing the Ministry of Economy’s plans to develop the economic and investment legislative structure in the country’s markets, which have been approved by the leadership as part of the UAE’s largest project to develop the federal legislation and laws at all development sectors.
This initiative aims to anticipate and shape the future of the national economy. Moreover, it seeks to keep pace with global economic changes and rapid technological advancements. Over the past four years, the UAE updated more than 30 economic laws, policies, and decisions, contributing significantly to its transition towards a knowledge and innovation-driven economic model, and enhancing its competitiveness on a regional and global scale.
Read: UAE approves consolidated financial statistics for 2023 with $39.2 billion government surplus
Significant economic growth
The UAE Cabinet also discussed the substantial economic growth resulting from its efforts. The non-oil GDP grew 6.2 percent in 2023, placing the UAE fifth globally in real GDP growth, and among the top 10 economies in the world in a set of global GDP competitiveness indices.
The Cabinet also reviewed updates on the National Agenda for UAE Non-Oil Exports Development in 2023, which saw record figures. The UAE’s foreign trade of non-oil goods value exceeded AED2.614 trillion, with a growth rate of 14.3 percent compared to 2022. The value of the UAE’s non-oil commodity exports also reached an unprecedented value of AED440 billion, with a growth rate of 16.3 percent compared to 2022.
Additionally, the Cabinet noted that the UAE concluded 15 comprehensive economic partnership agreements with countries on four continents, ensuring exceptional opportunities for the business community. Four agreements have entered into force, with the economic partnership efforts expected to increase UAE exports by 33 percent and contribute more than AED153 billion to the country’s GDP by 2031, representing a growth of around 10 percent compared to 2022.
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