Dubai Municipality Leads New Era of Urban Growth and Innovation

Dubai Municipality is at the forefront of a transformative phase of urban development, embracing innovation and sustainability as it reshapes the emirate’s future. Driven by a commitment to enhancing the quality of life, fostering community well-being, and ensuring long-term resilience, the Municipality is executing strategic projects that align with Dubai’s ambitious vision of becoming the best city to live, work, and visit.

During a recent media briefing hosted by the Government of Dubai Media Office (GDMO) as part of its ‘Meet the CEO’ series, His Excellency Marwan bin Ghalita, Acting Director General of Dubai Municipality, outlined the entity’s latest achievements and future plans. From infrastructure and AI-based services to housing, public health, food safety, and environmental sustainability, Dubai Municipality continues to expand its role in the city’s development.

A Vision Shaped by Leadership

Bin Ghalita emphasized that Dubai’s sustained progress is rooted in the far-reaching vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. He also credited the leadership and directives of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence, and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai.

He noted that this visionary leadership has propelled Dubai to the forefront of global competitiveness rankings, in pursuit of the goal to make Dubai the world’s most livable and dynamic city. “Guided by the vision of our leadership, Dubai has moved beyond the concept of a global city to firmly establish itself as the city of the future,” Bin Ghalita said.

He added that Dubai Municipality follows a proactive, forward-looking approach to support long-term strategies. This includes investing in human capital by training teams to manage crises effectively and building on their extensive experience in urban services.

Media’s Role in Dubai’s Development

Bin Ghalita expressed appreciation for the media professionals attending the briefing, acknowledging their crucial role in publicizing strategic initiatives and supporting community development. He reaffirmed the Municipality’s commitment to active media engagement, describing it as essential to fostering dialogue and generating new ideas that drive Dubai’s ambitions forward.

Integrating Master Plans and Strategic Visions

The session, attended by senior industry stakeholders and editors-in-chief from UAE media outlets, featured insights from Nasser Bushahab, CEO of the Planning and Governance Sector at Dubai Municipality. He outlined the alignment of Dubai Municipality’s efforts with major policy frameworks such as the Dubai Economic Agenda D33, Dubai Social Agenda 33, and the Dubai Urban Master Plan 2040.

Bushahab highlighted the Urban Master Plan as a comprehensive roadmap aimed at ensuring Dubai becomes the top city globally for quality of life. The plan also seeks to attract talent and skills that will stimulate long-term economic growth and innovation.

Pioneering Infrastructure and Waste Management Initiatives

Adel Al Marzouqi, CEO of the Waste and Sewerage Agency at Dubai Municipality, shed light on critical infrastructure advancements. Among them is the ‘Tasreef’ project, the most advanced and efficient rainwater drainage system in the region. With an investment of AED30 billion, the project is currently under development, with the initial four phases covering nine key districts in Dubai. Contracts for these phases, totaling AED1.439 billion, were signed in April 2025.

Al Marzouqi also updated stakeholders on the AED80 billion Dubai Strategic Tunnels for Sewerage Project, which has just completed the tendering stage for public-private partnership agreements. He further discussed the Warsan Waste-to-Energy Centre, a pioneering facility that processes two million tonnes of waste annually and generates 220 megawatts of renewable energy per hour. The energy output—equivalent to 5,280 megawatts daily—can power more than 135,000 homes.

Developed through a collaboration involving Dubai Holding, Dubal Holding, ITOCHU Corporation, Hitachi Zosen Inova, and BESIX Group, the Warsan centre underscores Dubai’s sustainable development goals. Al Marzouqi confirmed that plans are in place to shut down all existing landfills by 2027, moving Dubai closer to a zero-waste future.

Innovative Housing Solutions and Urban Planning

Maryam Al Muhairi, CEO of the Building Regulation and Permits Agency, highlighted Dubai Municipality’s efforts in delivering progressive housing and urban planning strategies. She emphasized the ‘Home is a Priority’ initiative, which offers comprehensive housing solutions designed to strengthen Emirati family units and community ties. The programme supports both the ‘Year of Community’ and the Sheikha Hind bint Maktoum Programme for Families, aligning with the goals of the Dubai Social Agenda 33.

Al Muhairi also reported on land allocation efforts for UAE nationals and detailed masterplans for high-priority development zones like Latifa City and Al Yalayis 5, where final planning has been completed. She stressed the Municipality’s drive to digitize construction services through a unified, AI-powered platform.

This approach includes the introduction of bundled service offerings and advanced solutions such as digital twins, with applications deployed on platforms like the Digital Buildings Platform and Dubai Build Platform. One of the major technological milestones is the completion of the ‘Dubai Digital Twin’ project, which digitally replicates the city through detailed 2D and 3D maps of assets, infrastructure, and landmarks. This model aids in planning, analysis, simulations, and service delivery.

Public Health and Food Safety at the Forefront

Dr. Naseem Mohammed Rafie, Acting CEO of the Environment, Health, and Safety Agency, discussed initiatives designed to promote public health and food safety. She spotlighted the ‘Safe Water for a Healthy Community’ programme, which assesses water safety systems in senior citizens’ homes across 10 districts. The programme, aligned with the ‘Year of Community,’ began with inspections in 42 homes to verify safety and compliance.

Dr. Rafie also described a variety of advanced digital tools and initiatives that reinforce Dubai’s food safety ecosystem. A key tool is the ‘Montaji Plus’ app, an integrated platform regulating the trade of health-compliant products. The app features a database of over 1.7 million registered items, facilitating efficient import-export procedures and incorporating supervisory functions to ensure high standards are maintained.

She noted that Dubai handles approximately nine million tonnes of food and related products annually through its ports. Ensuring the safety of this volume involves round-the-clock inspections and collaboration with relevant authorities, all carried out by skilled and dedicated teams.

Urban Greening and Recreational Infrastructure

Bader Anwahi, CEO of the Public Facilities Agency, emphasized Dubai Municipality’s dedication to expanding the city’s green and recreational spaces. He explained that teams plant around 600 trees each day and that the city’s nurseries—powered by robotics and advanced agricultural technologies—produce 90 million seedlings every year.

Anwahi elaborated on multiple public space development projects. These include the ‘Community Councils’ initiative, which involves constructing new majlis venues in Nad Al Sheba 2, Al Awir 2, Al Barsha South 1, Al Warqaa 2, and Hatta. In addition, upgrades to Al Mamzar Beaches—encompassing both Creek and Corniche areas—are underway. A new public beach along Jumeirah is also under construction and set to open by July 2025.

Strengthening Public-Private Partnerships

Sayed Ismail Al Hashimi, Acting CEO of the Corporate Support Sector, underlined the importance of strong collaboration with the private sector to support a business-friendly ecosystem. Dubai Municipality’s current portfolio of public-private partnership initiatives totals AED28 billion between 2024 and 2026. These include 13 critical projects centered on enhancing the quality of urban life.

Al Hashimi reiterated the Municipality’s mission to elevate customer satisfaction through streamlined, integrated digital services. He highlighted the upcoming launch of a virtual appointments system, which will allow customers to engage with service advisors online, eliminating the need for physical visits. The first phase of this system is expected to cover more than half of all services offered by Dubai Municipality.