Profile
From The Report: Abu Dhabi 2016
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Located off the mainland on a number of islands, the city of Abu Dhabi is both the capital of the emirate and of the UAE. Under the constitution of 1971 the UAE operates as a federation of seven emirates and each of its constituent emirates has a high level of political and economic autonomy. Abu Dhabi’s ruler customarily serves as president of the UAE, while the ruler of Dubai serves as the country’s prime minister and vice-president. Of the emirate’s total population of 2.66m, Abu Dhabi City was home to the majority, with around 1.63m, or 62%, in 2014. Al Gharbia, Abu Dhabi’s Western Region, covers 71% of the emirate’s total land area and possesses 90% of its hydrocarbons reserves, which in turn account for around 90% of the UAE’s total reserves. Meanwhile, the emirate’s eastern region, Al Ain, was home to 704,100 people as of 2014, of which around 473,000 live in Al Ain City, the emirate’s second-largest city. This chapter contains an interview with Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs; and viewpoints from UK Prime Minister David Cameron and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

According to plan: Long-term development efforts aim to foster economic diversification with an eye towards sustainability
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Abu Dhabi is home to a rapidly diversifying economy that is among the largest in the region, with GDP reaching a total of Dh952.68bn ($259.32bn) at current prices in 2014, according to the “Statistical Yearbook Abu Dhabi 2015”. Looking forward, plans for future development are mapped out in Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030, a comprehensive economic policy document that aims to reduce dependence on oil and gas, thereby securing a more sustainable knowledge-based economy for the emirate and its…

Interview

High standards: OBG talks to Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs
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Interview:Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan What are your objectives in adopting the national Higher Policy for Science, Technology and Innovation in the UAE? SHEIKH MANSOUR BIN ZAYED AL NAHYAN: The UAE is pursuing various plans and strategies to both maintain an advanced standard of living for its citizens and ensure that our achievements in the field of development are sustained. That is why those of us in the government strive to diversify our sources of national income and reduce dependence…

Analysis

A helping hand: The nation provides development assistance in a range of countries
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The UAE has risen in recent years to become one of the world’s largest providers of official development assistance (ODA), while simultaneously ramping up efforts to support women and families within its own borders. Emirates Red Crescent (ERC) in particular has been active in rolling out urgently needed disaster and conflict relief around the globe, providing millions in assistance to refugees and victims of natural disasters, in addition to a host of local efforts aimed at supporting families…

Analysis

National heritage: Initiatives to preserve tradition and history gain speed
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Abu Dhabi’s evolution from desert oasis to modern metropolis has seen society undergo enormous changes over the past century, making the preservation of tradition and history an important and critical priority. Efforts to protect and promote Emirati culture and history have accelerated in recent years, as the National Archives moves to enact a host of initiatives aimed at digitising the UAE’s historical records, while the Qasr Al Hosn Festival has quickly risen to become one of the most important…

Viewpoint

Global partners: David Cameron, UK Prime Minister, on the importance of the UK and the Gulf for each other
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The UAE is one of the UK’s most important international partners, and we are proud of our friendship. Like the UK, the UAE has a rich cultural heritage, and we are delighted that its leaders are setting the UAE on an impressive course of innovation and openness. The UK is globally committed to peace, security, prosperity and development. The extent of this commitment is unique. We give 0.7% of our gross national income to overseas aid. We spend 2% of our GDP on defence. No other member of the…

Analysis

Focus on food security: GCC nations are working to improve logistics and supply chains as well as secure farmland overseas
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Since Saudi Arabia began reducing its domestic wheat production in 2008, the issue of food security has been high on the agenda for GCC governments. The kingdom, which was once self-sufficient in the grain and even exported to the wider region, recognised a fact that is true across the whole of the Arabian Peninsula: it is running out of water and local production of many agricultural products is unsustainable. As the preservation of dwindling water supplies trumps a secure domestic source of food,…