ABU DHABI, 2nd December, 2025 (WAM) -- The United Arab Emirates is celebrating its 54th Eid Al Etihad as it continues its steady journey towards a bright future, reinforced by a series of domestic and global achievements that distinguished 2025, the Year of Community, under its wise leadership.
The UAE has strengthened its active presence on the international stage and consolidated its status as a major economic force regionally and globally. It also continued its significant contributions across humanitarian fields, while locally, several notable achievements provided fresh momentum to the country’s sustainable development drive.
The UAE economy maintained its position as one of the world’s fastest-growing economies, supported by strong non-oil sector performance and investment-attracting strategic initiatives. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) projects UAE economic growth at 4.8 percent for the current year, while non-oil foreign trade reached AED1.7 trillion in the first half of the year, a growth rate of 24.5 percent compared with the same period of the previous year.
The UAE approved the largest federal budget in its history for 2026, totalling AED92.4 billion, and launched the National Investment Strategy 2031 to raise foreign investment to AED240 billion annually.
Total banking assets surpassed AED5.199 trillion at the end of September 2025, and total credit rose to around AED2.478 trillion during the same period. The UAE also continued expanding its network of comprehensive economic partnership agreements with countries around the world.
This year saw the launch of the UAE Global Centre of Trade progamme, which aims to attract 1,000 major international companies and expand UAE export markets through a global digital gateway.
The tourism and travel sector continued its strong performance across attraction, revenues and projects. The sector contributed AED257.3 billion to GDP, representing 13 percent of the national economy.
Hotel establishments welcomed more than 16.1 million guests during the first half of the year, generating revenues of AED26.1 billion. Abu Dhabi International Airport, Dubai International Airport and Sharjah International Airport recorded around 108.59 million passengers by the end of September.
The UAE achieved a historic milestone with Shaikha Nasser Al Nowais being elected to the position of Secretary-General of the United Nations Tourism Organisation for 2026–2029. The year also witnessed the launch of major tourism and investment projects including the Al Tay Hills project in Sharjah, phase two of the Al Khor Waterfront in Umm Al Qaiwain, the announcement of the development of Disney World and Resort in Abu Dhabi and the Therme Dubai wellness and entertainment project.
Development projects aimed at enhancing quality of life and supporting economic and urban growth also accelerated, such as the launch of the high-speed rail project between Abu Dhabi and Dubai, and the announcement of a national roads and transport plan exceeding AED170 billion until 2030. The plan includes expanding federal roads and increasing their efficiency by 73 percent, constructing the fourth federal highway with a capacity of 360,000 trips per day and laying the foundation stone for the 30-kilometre Dubai Metro Blue Line.
In 2025, the UAE announced the awarding of contracts for four major projects to develop Dubai’s stormwater drainage system at a cost of AED1.439 billion under the Tasreef project. It inaugurated the Um Funnain substation in Sharjah at a cost exceeding AED500 million, commenced full commercial operation of the Fujairah F3 power plant with a capacity of 2.4 gigawatts to supply electricity to more than 380,000 homes and launched the development of Dubai Auto Market over an area of 22 million square feet, making it the largest of its kind globally.
The UAE also announced the construction of a VIP terminal and private aircraft hangars at Ras Al Khaimah International Airport, among other development projects across the Emirates.