February 23, 2026
Methodology About Newsletter
WE THE UAE 2031
The Vanderbilt Terminal for the UAE's National Transformation
INDEPENDENT GLOBAL INTELLIGENCE FOR THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
UAE GDP: AED 2.03T ▲ 5.7% | Non-Oil GDP Share: 84.3% ▼ -5.2pp | FDI Inflows: $45.6B ▲ 48.7% | GDP Growth: 4.0% ▲ -0.3pp vs 2023 | Inflation: 1.7% ▼ +0.0pp vs 2023 | Female Participation: 55.1% ▲ +0.6pp vs 2023 | Population: 11.0M ▲ 4.8% | Emiratisation Rate: 12.5% ▲ 2.1pp | Global Competitiveness: #7 ▲ 3 places | Clean Energy Capacity: 7.2 GW ▲ 18.4% | ADX Index: 9,842 ▲ 4.7% | DFM Index: 4,621 ▲ 6.2% | UAE GDP: AED 2.03T ▲ 5.7% | Non-Oil GDP Share: 84.3% ▼ -5.2pp | FDI Inflows: $45.6B ▲ 48.7% | GDP Growth: 4.0% ▲ -0.3pp vs 2023 | Inflation: 1.7% ▼ +0.0pp vs 2023 | Female Participation: 55.1% ▲ +0.6pp vs 2023 | Population: 11.0M ▲ 4.8% | Emiratisation Rate: 12.5% ▲ 2.1pp | Global Competitiveness: #7 ▲ 3 places | Clean Energy Capacity: 7.2 GW ▲ 18.4% | ADX Index: 9,842 ▲ 4.7% | DFM Index: 4,621 ▲ 6.2% |

Definition

The Dubai Economic Agenda D33 is a comprehensive economic development plan launched in January 2023 by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister, and Ruler of Dubai. The “D33” designation refers to Dubai and the year 2033. The agenda establishes 100 transformative projects across multiple economic sectors with the overarching objective of doubling Dubai’s GDP over the decade and consolidating the emirate’s position among the top three economic cities in the world.

UAE Context

D33 operates through the Dubai Economic Council and encompasses targets across foreign trade, digital economy, tourism, financial services, and urban development. The agenda aims to increase Dubai’s total foreign trade to AED 25.6 trillion over the ten-year period, attract AED 650 billion in foreign direct investment, and add 400 industrial companies to Dubai’s manufacturing sector. The strategy also prioritises 65,000 new Emirati entrants into the private sector workforce and the development of Dubai as a global capital for digital economy, green economy, and innovation-driven business.

Key Data

D33 targets include: doubling the emirate’s GDP from approximately AED 430 billion to AED 860 billion; increasing non-oil foreign trade to AED 25.6 trillion cumulatively; making Dubai a top-four global financial centre; expanding tourism to 25 million annual visitors; and tripling the manufacturing sector’s contribution to GDP. The agenda is structured around five pillars: trade, investment, future sectors, human capital, and quality of life.

Vision 2031 Significance

As the most detailed economic blueprint issued by Dubai’s leadership, D33 provides the operational roadmap for the emirate’s contribution to the UAE’s national economic ambitions. Its targets are calibrated to complement federal-level strategies including Operation 300bn, the National Tourism Strategy, and the UAE’s digital economy framework, making D33 a key sub-national pillar of Vision 2031.

  • Dubai Expo City — A legacy development supporting D33’s innovation and sustainability targets.
  • DIFC — Dubai’s financial centre, targeted for expansion under D33.
  • Operation 300bn — The national industrial strategy that D33’s manufacturing targets align with.
  • Economic Diversification — The foundational principle underlying D33.