Dubai’s development in the past few decades has been characterized by its great economic transformations inspired by its visionary leaders. The foresight and energy of the late Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, provided the impetus for transforming Dubai from a small trading outpost into one of the world’s busiest trade centres.

His Highness Sheikh Rashid’s business-friendly policies and strategic investments in an ultra-modern infrastructure created a high quality business environment that made Dubai the centre of the Middle East economy.

His Highness Sheikh Rashid’s son His Highness General Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and UAE Defence Minister later consolidated Dubai’s successes. He introduced a progressive and transparent government and guided the implementation of a first-class social and economic infrastructure. He encouraged the vigorous diversification of the economy and reduced dependence on oil through the development of several high-value sectors.

Today, Dubai and the UAE are on the threshold of yet another remarkable change. HH Sheikh Mohammed has conceived of a visionary strategy to transform the region’s society into a knowledge society and its economy into an information economy.

Knowledge-Economy Vision

Dubai has set its sights on joining the ranks of the world’s leading knowledge economies with a comprehensive strategy to enhance knowledge-driven development.

In a determined bid to extend its economic success to the knowledge sector, Dubai seeks to transform itself into a knowledge-based society and economy by the year 2010. To achieve this objective it has set itself many strategic targets. By 2010, it aims to generate 25 per cent of its GDP from knowledge-based industries. The overall service sector is projected to represent 70 per cent of GDP. The GDP itself is targeted to increase to $30 billion by 2010. Dubai seeks to raise the role of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the country’s economy to 4 per cent of the GDP.

To embrace and exploit the potential of the knowledge economy Dubai’s economic development is being directed towards three growth horizons. The first horizon involves strengthening its existing expertise in trading and logistics or “doing what we do best better.” The second horizon entails the application of established competencies to develop knowledge-based fields like technology-enabled services in financial, media and telecom/IT sectors. The third growth horizon involves developing new competencies in high-value sectors that can make a big impact on knowledge economy development. These include R&D and education as well as emerging sectors like pharmaceuticals, biotech, nanotech and wireless.

The lynchpins of this visionary strategy are Dubai Internet City, Dubai Media City, Knowledge Village, Dubai International Financial Centre, Dubai Biotechnology and Research Park, Dubai Outsource Zone, the International Media Production Zone, Dubai Healthcare City and many more.

• The Most Pro Business Attitude
• The Best Regulatory Environment 
• Multi-lingual workforce 
• Relatively Low Cost Work Environment 
• The Best Connected Location in the Region 
• Consistently Strong Economic Outlook 
• Easy Access to Regional Markets 
• Strong Foreign Trade 
• Thriving Tourist Destination 
• Cosmopolitan Work Environment 
• Island of Calm in a Turbulent Region 
• Stringent attrition laws