Page 351 - MOE ENGLISH PR REPORT - SEPTEMBER 2024 (Part 2)

9/19/24, 11:58 AM Latest News
partnerships, and transitioning towards an economic model based on flexibility and innovation,” H.E. Bin
Touq added.

Furthermore, H.E Bin Touq highlighted that the positive results the national economy has achieved fall in line
with the economic objectives of ‘We the UAE 2031’ vision, which includes raising the country’s GDP to AED 3

trillion by the next decade.
Hanan Ahli: GDP growth represents the flexibility of UAE’s economic sectors

H.E. Hanan Ahli, Managing Director of the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre, said: “The
financial and economic data and indicators endorsing the growth of the UAE’s GDP Q1 2024 reflect the

resilience of the country’s vital economic sectors. It highlights the effectiveness of the concerted efforts to
implement the directives of the wise leadership to enhance sustainable economic diversification, reduce
dependence on oil, promote investments, and attract capital and innovative and emerging projects to the

country.”
She added that the UAE’s advanced rankings in multiple global economic competitiveness indicators can be

attributed to several factors, including the stability of the financial system, the strength of the national
economy, and the effectiveness of economic legislation and policies applied in the country, besides their
ability to adapt to changes and face regional and global challenges.

Non-oil economic activities showcase highest growth
Based on the data released by the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre, financial and insurance

activities have emerged as the leading non-oil economic sector contributing to the UAE’s GDP growth, with a
remarkable growth of 7.9 per cent. This growth can be attributed to the significant increase in the local credit

granted to the private sector, which led to a six per cent growth and positively impacting the rebound of non-
oil economic activities. Following closely behind in the second place are transportation and storage activities,

which saw a growth of 7.3 per cent. This growth was driven by a notable increase in the number of travellers
at the country's airports during the first three months of this year, reaching 36.5 million travellers, a growth
rate of 14.7 per cent compared to the same period last year. The UAE's ports have demonstrated exceptional

performance during this time, with Dubai's international ports witnessing a 3.7 per cent growth in the number
of containers handled, while Abu Dhabi's ports experienced a 36 per cent increase in cargo handling volume

on an annual basis.
Ranking third, construction and building activities experienced a growth rate of 6.2 per cent in line with the

several development projects initiated by the UAE government in early 2024. They saw a substantial rise in
the government’s public capital expenditures, reaching AED 4.8 billion, compared to that of Q1 2023.

The restaurant and hotel sector secured the fourth spot with a 4.6 per cent growth during the first quarter of
2024 compared to the corresponding period in 2023. Moreover, the UAE emerged at the forefront of global
tourism landscape, attracting a substantial number of tourists from around the world. In particular, Dubai

witnessed a remarkable influx of 5.18 million international tourists, representing an 11 per cent increase as
compared to the corresponding period in 2023. Abu Dhabi also maintained its exceptional performance in key

tourism indicators, including the average hotel occupancy rates and revenue per available rooms.

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