The UAE’s cabinet has approved AED2 billion ($544.60 million) to deal with the aftermath of last week’s storm, revealed His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai.
Last week, the UAE saw the heaviest rains in 75 years, causing widespread flooding, which closed down several key roads.
The fund allocation comes following authorities’ assessment of damage last week, ordered by the President His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
“We discussed the impacts of the recent extreme weather conditions the country experienced over the past few days. The situation was unprecedented in its intensity. We are a country that learns from every experience. The central operations rooms responded to more than 200,000 reports, with the joint effort of over 17,000 members from the security, emergency and interior entities, 15,000 members from the local authorities, and thousands of volunteers to manage the consequences of this exceptional weather event,” Sheikh Mohammed said.
“The exceptional weather event turned out to be a blessing for us. The dams filled up, the valleys flowed with rainwater, and the underground water reserves replenished. We learned significant lessons on managing heavy rains in our cities, identified areas for development, and enhanced our readiness and preparedness, making us better prepared for the future,” the Vice-President added.
Earlier, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council, approved a series of initiatives and measures to urgently mitigate the impact of the severe weather in Dubai.
Tourism performance reviewed
The cabinet also reviewed the country’s tourism strategy and the sector’s achievements.
From January to December 2023, the number of hotel guests increased to 28 million, an increase of 11.3 percent compared to the same period of 2022.
Additionally, the number of hotel rooms reached 211,000, a 3 percent increase compared to 2022 levels.
Meanwhile, the sector’s contribution to the national economy reached 9 percent.
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