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 UAE Cabinet, formally the Council of Ministers, is the executive branch of the federal government. Chaired by the Prime Minister — a position held by the Vice President — the Cabinet is responsible for proposing federal legislation, drafting the national budget, implementing policy across all federal domains, and supervising the work of federal agencies and ministries. It is the primary mechanism through which national strategies, including economic diversification plans and social development programmes, are translated into operational policy.

UAE Context

The Cabinet is led by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister, and Ruler of Dubai. The current Cabinet, restructured in 2024, includes ministers of state and portfolio ministers covering domains from economy and finance to artificial intelligence and digital economy. The UAE has pioneered several governance innovations through Cabinet-level appointments, including the world’s first Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence (appointed 2017), a Minister of State for Happiness and Wellbeing, and a Minister of State for Food and Water Security.

Key Data

The UAE Cabinet typically comprises approximately 30 to 35 members, including senior ministers and ministers of state. It meets regularly and has increasingly used data-driven performance dashboards and retreat-style strategy sessions to align ministerial priorities. The Cabinet’s annual retreats set the government’s strategic direction, with recent sessions focusing on economic competitiveness, digital transformation, and climate action.

Vision 2031 Significance

The Cabinet is the central coordinating body for all Vision 2031 objectives. Every national strategy — from Operation 300bn (industrial policy) to the National Space Programme to the UAE Net Zero 2050 initiative — is approved, funded, and monitored through Cabinet mechanisms. The body’s willingness to create new ministerial portfolios in response to emerging priorities (AI, advanced sciences, food security) reflects the UAE’s agile governance model.

  • Federal National Council (FNC) — The advisory parliamentary body that reviews Cabinet-proposed legislation.
  • Supreme Council of the Union — The constitutional authority above the Cabinet, comprising the seven emirate rulers.
  • Smart Government — The digital transformation agenda implemented through Cabinet directives.
  • Vision 2031 — The national development framework that the Cabinet operationalises.