The law applies to funds licensed and regulated to operate in free zones including the Dubai International Financial Centre. Photo: DIFC
The law applies to funds licensed and regulated to operate in free zones including the Dubai International Financial Centre. Photo: DIFC
The law applies to funds licensed and regulated to operate in free zones including the Dubai International Financial Centre. Photo: DIFC
The law applies to funds licensed and regulated to operate in free zones including the Dubai International Financial Centre. Photo: DIFC

Dubai issues new law to support growth of real estate investment funds


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Dubai introduced a new law on Tuesday, aimed at promoting the growth of real estate investment funds in the emirate.

The law, issued by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, grants certain privileges to real estate investment funds, as part of efforts to strengthen the emirate's position as a "global destination for real estate investment" and to provide incentives to attract more funds into the emirate, the Dubai Media Office said in a statement.

It applies to real estate investment funds licensed and regulated to operate in the emirate, including those in special development zones and free zones, such as the Dubai International Financial Centre.

The law sets out incentives to encourage the funds to invest in various real estate projects in the emirate, as well as to attract international real estate funds to carry out their investment activities in Dubai, the statement said.

The law provides for the establishment of a register, called the Real Estate Investment Funds Register, at the Dubai Land Department.

Funds are eligible to be included in the register under the law provided that the value of the real estate assets they own is not less than Dh180 million ($49m) and these funds should not be under suspension from trading on the Dubai Financial Market at the time of application, the statement said.

They must also be licensed by regulators such as the Securities and Commodities Authority or the Dubai Financial Services Authority in the DIFC.

Those that meet the criteria for registration are eligible for various benefits under the new law.

The law also directs the establishment of a ‘Committee for Property Investment Funds,’ the purpose of which is to identify areas and properties that funds are allowed to invest in, either through full ownership or lease, for a period not exceeding 99 years, according to the statement.

The market value of the property to be owned by the funds should not be less than Dh50m, and such property should have an investment return, in accordance with the criteria set by the Dubai Land Department.

To ensure transparency in valuation of assets owned by real estate investment funds, the new law has also mandated the Land Department to appoint an independent appraiser approved by the Real Estate Regulatory Agency.

The new law comes as the Dubai property market continues to rebound with prices and transaction volumes, particularly in the residential sector, continuing to rise in recent months.

Average residential property prices increased 10 per cent in the year to June, with apartment prices nearly 9 per cent higher on average and villa prices increasing 19 per cent, a recent CBRE report said.

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Timeline

2012-2015

The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East

May 2017

The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts

September 2021

Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act

October 2021

Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence 

December 2024

Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group

May 2025

The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan

July 2025

The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan

August 2025

Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision

October 2025

Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange

November 2025

180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE

'Cheb%20Khaled'
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GOLF’S RAHMBO

- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)

Politics in the West
Winners

Ballon d’Or (Men’s)
Ousmane Dembélé (Paris Saint-Germain / France)

Ballon d’Or Féminin (Women’s)
Aitana Bonmatí (Barcelona / Spain)

Kopa Trophy (Best player under 21 – Men’s)
Lamine Yamal (Barcelona / Spain)

Best Young Women’s Player
Vicky López (Barcelona / Spain)

Yashin Trophy (Best Goalkeeper – Men’s)
Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City / Italy)

Best Women’s Goalkeeper
Hannah Hampton (England / Aston Villa and Chelsea)

Men’s Coach of the Year
Luis Enrique (Paris Saint-Germain)

Women’s Coach of the Year
Sarina Wiegman (England)

LA LIGA FIXTURES

Friday

Granada v Real Betis (9.30pm)

Valencia v Levante (midnight)

Saturday

Espanyol v Alaves (4pm)

Celta Vigo v Villarreal (7pm)

Leganes v Real Valladolid (9.30pm)

Mallorca v Barcelona (midnight)

Sunday

Atletic Bilbao v Atletico Madrid (4pm)

Real Madrid v Eibar (9.30pm)

Real Sociedad v Osasuna (midnight)

WRESTLING HIGHLIGHTS
Abu Dhabi traffic facts

Drivers in Abu Dhabi spend 10 per cent longer in congested conditions than they would on a free-flowing road

The highest volume of traffic on the roads is found between 7am and 8am on a Sunday.

Travelling before 7am on a Sunday could save up to four hours per year on a 30-minute commute.

The day was the least congestion in Abu Dhabi in 2019 was Tuesday, August 13.

The highest levels of traffic were found on Sunday, November 10.

Drivers in Abu Dhabi lost 41 hours spent in traffic jams in rush hour during 2019

 

ESSENTIALS

The flights 
Emirates, Etihad and Swiss fly direct from the UAE to Zurich from Dh2,855 return, including taxes.
 

The chalet
Chalet N is currently open in winter only, between now and April 21. During the ski season, starting on December 11, a week’s rental costs from €210,000 (Dh898,431) per week for the whole property, which has 22 beds in total, across six suites, three double rooms and a children’s suite. The price includes all scheduled meals, a week’s ski pass, Wi-Fi, parking, transfers between Munich, Innsbruck or Zurich airports and one 50-minute massage per person. Private ski lessons cost from €360 (Dh1,541) per day. Halal food is available on request.

Frankenstein in Baghdad
Ahmed Saadawi
​​​​​​​Penguin Press

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Skoda Superb Specs

Engine: 2-litre TSI petrol

Power: 190hp

Torque: 320Nm

Price: From Dh147,000

Available: Now

Tamkeen's offering
  • Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
  • Option 2: 50% across three years
  • Option 3: 30% across five years 
hall of shame

SUNDERLAND 2002-03

No one has ended a Premier League season quite like Sunderland. They lost each of their final 15 games, taking no points after January. They ended up with 19 in total, sacking managers Peter Reid and Howard Wilkinson and losing 3-1 to Charlton when they scored three own goals in eight minutes.

SUNDERLAND 2005-06

Until Derby came along, Sunderland’s total of 15 points was the Premier League’s record low. They made it until May and their final home game before winning at the Stadium of Light while they lost a joint record 29 of their 38 league games.

HUDDERSFIELD 2018-19

Joined Derby as the only team to be relegated in March. No striker scored until January, while only two players got more assists than goalkeeper Jonas Lossl. The mid-season appointment Jan Siewert was to end his time as Huddersfield manager with a 5.3 per cent win rate.

ASTON VILLA 2015-16

Perhaps the most inexplicably bad season, considering they signed Idrissa Gueye and Adama Traore and still only got 17 points. Villa won their first league game, but none of the next 19. They ended an abominable campaign by taking one point from the last 39 available.

FULHAM 2018-19

Terrible in different ways. Fulham’s total of 26 points is not among the lowest ever but they contrived to get relegated after spending over £100 million (Dh457m) in the transfer market. Much of it went on defenders but they only kept two clean sheets in their first 33 games.

LA LIGA: Sporting Gijon, 13 points in 1997-98.

BUNDESLIGA: Tasmania Berlin, 10 points in 1965-66

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Updated: July 19, 2022, 6:44 PM