The UAE’s General Budget Committee held today its 13th meeting to discuss the draft general budget for the fiscal year 2026.
Held at Qasr Al Watan in Abu Dhabi, the meeting was attended by His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court; H.H. Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, First Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance; and H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Also present were Mohamed Hadi Al Hussaini, Minister of State for Financial Affairs; and Khaled Mohamed Balama Al Tameemi, Governor of the Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE), in addition to representatives of the Presidential Court and the Ministry of Finance.
Committee reviews budget proposals submitted by federal entities
During its meeting, the committee discussed a number of topics, including the UAE’s draft general budget for the fiscal year 2026 as part of the budget plan for the years 2022-2026. This was done in accordance with the coordination carried out by the Ministry of Finance with all federal entities for the purpose of preparing the federal budget, taking into account developments in the local and global economic landscape.
All necessary procedures were undertaken in line with the provisions governing the preparation and presentation of the budget, as outlined in Federal Decree-Law No. (26) of 2019 on Public Finance, its amendments and the relevant decisions and recommendations.
The committee also directed that the necessary procedures be completed for preparing the draft federal budget for the year 2026, to be subsequently submitted to the Cabinet. It also reviewed the budget proposals submitted by various federal entities for the 2026 fiscal year.
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Committee reviews H1 2025 budget performance
During the meeting, the UAE budget committee also reviewed the financial position for fiscal year 2025, taking into account cash inflows and outflows recorded during the first half of the year, along with the projected outlook for fiscal year 2026. The projections were driven by updated revenue forecasts and expenditure estimates submitted by federal entities, reflecting sustained recovery across key economic sectors and positive national growth indicators.
The committee recommended taking the necessary measures accordingly and commended the Ministry of Finance’s efforts in updating the draft budget for the fiscal year 2026 and for its effective coordination with federal entities throughout the preparation process.
In 2025, the UAE Cabinet approved the country’s largest-ever budget of AED71.5 billion ($19.5 billion) in revenues and AED71.5 billion in estimated expenditures, maintaining a balanced approach between income and spending. The 2025 budget was allocated across key sectors, including social development and pensions, government affairs, infrastructure and economic affairs, and financial investments, alongside other federal expenses.
