Two decades after Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, assumed chairmanship of Dubai's Executive Council, the emirate has recorded sweeping advances across its economy, infrastructure and public services.
Since Sheikh Hamdan took the helm of the Executive Council in September 2006, Dubai's GDP has doubled to Dh937 billion, while non-oil foreign trade has passed Dh3 trillion, cementing the emirate's status as a global centre for trade and investment, state news agency Wam reported on Monday.
Real estate transactions alone reached Dh917 billion in 2025, reflecting sustained confidence in the city's long-term prospects.
The emirate's global rankings tell a similar story. Dubai International Airport remains the world's busiest airport for international passenger traffic, while the city ranks first globally for attracting greenfield foreign direct investment projects, Wam reported.
It tops the Global Financial Centres Index regionally and is in the world's top 10, and it has been named the world's cleanest city for the sixth consecutive year by the Global Power City Index.
Healthy life expectancy has reached 80.75 years, 99.9 per cent of residents report feeling safe, and customer happiness across government services is at 95 per cent. Dubai also ranks among the world's top five in several international education assessments, while integrated housing solutions for citizens have totalled Dh50 billion over two decades.
Government expenditure of Dh1.2 trillion across key sectors over the past 20 years has underpinned much of this development, funding infrastructure, services and social programmes, reported Wam.
A tribute
Also on Monday, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, paid tribute to the achievements of Sheikh Hamdan, his son, with a post on social media.
"I write to you this message filled with pride and honour for you," Sheikh Mohammed wrote.
Sheikh Mohammed said his pride came "because you have carved for yourself a unique path, blazed a new trail, and taken from me and from our family experiences to create something no one before you has achieved".
