Six themes that make up The Dubai Plan 2021

How vision will reinforce Dubai’s position as global centre and destination

Dubai: Devising a strategic framework to develop a city that accommodates a melting pot of perspectives, aspirations and expectations is no easy task. The Dubai Plan 2021 has approached this complex task by a clear and lucid segmentation of the overarching strategy into six themes that collectively define Dubai’s ethos and progress. Each theme highlights a set of developmental aims that come together to form the city’s vision for 2021.

The six themes are:

1. A city of happy, creative and empowered people

Recognising empowered individuals as the bedrock of society, the Dubai Plan 2021 aims to empower and stimulate individuals to become educated, cultured and healthy. This main theme is subdivided into a number of aims, including promoting:

Educated, cultured and healthy individuals: Individuals who take care of their own well-being and that of their family through proactive measures to manage their health and enhance their skills and ability to contribute to the economy and society of Dubai building on their solid education and cultured upbringing.

Productive and innovative in a variety of fields: Individuals who strive to succeed, are financially self-sufficient, and embody the mindset and disposition of entrepreneurs and responsible citizens.

Happy individuals proud of their culture: Individuals who are generally satisfied with their life in Dubai, confident about their future and proud of their cultural origins.

Are the cornerstone for Dubai’s development across all fields: Emirati men and women playing an important role in the development of Dubai and filling critical roles across various sectors including social, economic, and urban.

2. An inclusive and cohesive society

Dubai Plan 2021 describes the future of Dubai through the promotion of holistic and complementary perspectives. The second theme is subdivided into a number of aims, which work together to create an inclusive and cohesive society:

Aims: A vibrant and sustainable multicultural society: A population that is economically and demographically sustainable and for which multiculturalism is a source of strength and pride.

A tolerant and inclusive society embracing the civic values of Dubai: A society in which people are treated equally and fairly and share a set of core civic values including tolerance, and personal responsibility.

Cohesive families and communities forming the bedrock of society: Families and communities that provide nurturing environments for personal development, including the raising of children inculcated with core values of personal responsibility, creativity and tolerance.

3. The preferred place to live, work and visit

The plan looks at the living experience of the people of Dubai and its visitors as a result of their interaction with this environment and the economic and social services provided. Aspiring to make Dubai an enjoyable destination for people with various needs, the Dubai Plan 2021 aims to make the city:

A city with the best educational, health care and housing services catering to everyone’s needs: To provide high-quality housing, education, and health care services that are accessible for each socioeconomic segment of society and a globally competitive cost of living.

Vibrant and active, providing a rich cultural experience and globally distinctive entertainment outlets: Dubai offers a diverse set of cultural and recreational options, including green spaces, beaches, sporting facilities, entertainment options and cultural experiences, making it an attractive and entertaining city for residents and a popular destination for tourists.

The most secure place: A feeling of safety and security among residents and workers living in Dubai and tourists visiting Dubai. The plan insists that any personal security concerns are dealt with efficiently and transparently by law enforcement authorities.

4. A smart and sustainable city

The plan aims to create a city that is environmentally conscious and one that facilitates accessibility of services to residents with the latest technology. The aims include:

A smart, integrated and connected city: Creating an infrastructure that supports the economic and social life of Dubai as a city matches world-class levels of efficiency and citizen accessibility, and that allows for future growth of the city.

Sustainable with its resources: A city that uses its resources sustainably over the long term and in line with international best practice levels in terms of consumption, efficiency, and management, and in its dependence on renewable energy sources.

Environmental elements are clean, healthy and sustainable: Dubai enjoys a clean and healthy environment in all its elements and ensures its sustainability in the long term, and in line with the world’s best practices.

A safe and resilient built environment: To uphold the highest safety standards across the built environment — including building and transport safety codes and emergency services and crisis/disaster response capabilities — that match the best of international practices.

5. Theme: A pivotal hub in the global economy

Progressing towards making Dubai’s position as an international hub involves some key thought processes:

Aims: A city that enjoys sustainable economic growth: Maintaining an economic growth that is resilient to disruptive shocks because it is underpinned by a diversified base of economic activity, innovation in business models and increasing productivity of labour and capital.

One of the world’s leading business centres: Ensure that Dubai is consistently ranked as one of the top five global centres for trade, logistics, tourism and finance as well as internationally recognised as the leading financial and trading centre at the heart of the Islamic economy.

The most business friendly city and a preferred investment destination: Ensure that Dubai is the preferred investment destination for foreign capital, and takes its position as the most business friendly city in the world.

6. A pioneering and excellent government

The Dubai Plan 2021 acknowledges that in order to meet the aims of every other theme an efficient and innovative government is needed. A number of aims have been dedicated to ensure that Dubai is administered by an ‘Excellent Government’:

Aims: Proactive and creative in meeting the needs of individuals and society as a whole: The plan maintains that the government needs to be forward-looking, proactively listening to and engaging all stakeholders. It must also ensure that its policies and services meet the needs of individuals and society as a whole, in the present and the future. It also aims to simplify the lives of people through the provision of smart, high-quality government services reflecting the individual activities and institutional requirements.

Sustainable and innovative in the management of its resources: The Government of Dubai must continue to adopt a culture of innovation and excellence in its approach to the management of public finances in a manner that sustainably supports city development and environmental friendliness, and human resource practices that ensure the accumulation and continuity of knowledge and experience for the government.

Transparent and reliable: The plan emphasises that the Government of Dubai must ensure a fair and reliable application of all laws and regulations in order to preserve the rights of the individuals and institutions. It is also committed to adopting a transparent approach in the development and implementation of all policies, legislation and services.