The Ministry of Finance issues the Union Budget Yearbook 2026 under the title: "Investing in people to ensure a prosperous future"

DUBAI, 13 March / WAM / The Ministry of Finance launched the annual book of the general budget of the Union for the year 2026, under the title “Investing in people to ensure a prosperous future.” The book embodies a pivotal vision that places people at the heart of every development decision, no matter how rapid the pace of external developments and variables, which confirms the strength of the financial system of the UAE and its ability to continue supporting development efficiently.

The launch of the book comes within the framework of the Ministry of Finance’s keenness to enhance financial transparency and inclusiveness, highlight the integration between financial planning and national strategic goals, and shed light on government spending paths that place people at the top of the government’s priorities, in a way that supports building a cohesive society and a prosperous future in the UAE.

His Highness Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, First Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, confirmed that the Union’s general budget for 2026 represents a practical translation of the vision of the wise leadership in building a sustainable future, based on investing in people, enhancing the quality of life, and consolidating financial stability in the long term. His Highness pointed out that this budget reflects the federal government’s commitment to directing resources efficiently and flexibly towards sectors that have a direct impact on the life of society, in a way that supports the UAE’s readiness for future changes, and enhances the capacity of the economy. National Council to deal efficiently with various developments.

His Highness pointed out that the process of preparing the general budget of the Union in the UAE is a prominent model that combines efficiency and effectiveness, as it has witnessed continuous development to keep pace with economic changes, represented by the effectiveness of the strategic linkage of budget items, leading to effective financial planning, efficiency in government spending and development of federal revenues, in addition to employing artificial intelligence in budget management, which contributed to strengthening the financial sustainability framework.

His Highness added that the Union’s general budget for 2026, as the “investing in people” budget, reflects a clear direction of government resources towards supporting society, as this is embodied in the budget structure and spending priorities, in order to achieve a sustainable development impact that enhances the quality of life and consolidates social and economic stability in the long term.

The federal budget continues to achieve financial balance for the second year in a row, as the balance between revenues and expenses amounting to 92.4 billion dirhams, compared to 71.5 billion dirhams in the 2025 budget, an increase of approximately 29%, reflects the solidity of the national economy and its ability to achieve financial sustainability.

The priorities for distributing spending in the federal budget for the year 2026 reflect a clear trend towards supporting vital sectors that directly affect the life of society, as the budget allocated 30.8 billion dirhams to the public services sector, and 16.9 billion dirhams to the education sector, emphasizing the priority of investing in human building and developing national capabilities. 5.7 billion dirhams were also allocated to the health sector to support the development of health services and raise the quality of life, in addition to 3.7 billion dirhams to the housing sector to support family stability. and society, and 1.4 billion dirhams for the economic affairs sector to enhance economic growth and stimulate various development activities, in addition to 33.9 billion dirhams for other sectors.

For his part, His Excellency Mohammed bin Hadi Al Husseini, Minister of State for Financial Affairs, confirmed that the annual book of the Union’s general budget for 2026 reflects an integrated financial vision based on medium and long-term planning, and linking government spending to performance and results, ensuring the highest levels of efficiency in the use of public resources.

His Excellency explained that financial sustainability represents a strategic approach based on efficient financial planning, rationalization of spending, diversification of revenue sources, strengthening public debt management, and expanding partnership between the public and private sectors, in order to ensure continued growth and achieve financial balance, and enhance the ability of the national economy to maintain its stability and durability.

His Excellency added: The Ministry of Finance continues to develop the budget preparation and implementation system by adopting the best international financial practices and enhancing integration with federal agencies, which contributes to achieving national goals and supporting the UAE’s competitiveness regionally and globally. He pointed out that the annual book presents the budget in a special way, highlights the achievements achieved, anticipates future development prospects, adopts a modern financial discourse that moves from presenting numbers to creating impact, and simplifies budget concepts in a clear and influential manner that enhances society’s understanding of its developmental role.

The Annual Book of the General Budget of the Union 2026 comprehensively reviews the general framework of the federal budget and the methodologies for its preparation and development, in line with the “UAE Centenary 2071” and long-term national directions, as it highlights the integration between financial planning and the state’s strategic objectives. The book reflects the qualitative shift in budget preparation from focusing on inputs and numbers to measuring outputs and development impact, which enhances the efficiency of resource allocation and ensures the achievement of tangible results for society.

The book also reviews the most prominent achievements and goals of national initiatives in vital and development sectors, most notably education, health, government services and the national economy, in a way that supports the building of a cohesive society and a sustainable competitive economy, and enhances the flexibility of the UAE economy and its ability to continue steady growth.

The book highlights the UAE’s leadership in keeping pace with future trends, adopting sustainable development initiatives, supporting entrepreneurship and building national capabilities, in addition to providing a flexible and attractive investment environment that enhances economic partnerships locally and globally.

The book highlights the evolution of the size of the federal budget and spending priorities, with a clear focus on investing in people to ensure a sustainable future.

The book highlights the role of digital transformation and the use of artificial intelligence technologies, which supports decision-making, raises operating efficiency, contributes to eliminating bureaucracy, and keeping pace with global trends in the digital transformation of government services, in a way that enhances the experience of beneficiaries, achieves a positive financial impact on the efficiency of government spending, and meets human needs at the best level.

The issuance of this book confirms the federal government’s commitment to transparency and enhances the confidence of society and partners in the state’s financial policies, in a way that supports the process of sustainable development and enhances the UAE’s position as a leading model in government financial management.

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