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ABU DHABI / WAM
The General Budget Committee has held its 14th meeting to discuss the draft general budget of the UAE for the fiscal year 2026. The meeting was attended by His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court; and HH Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, First Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance. Also present were Mohamed bin Hadi Al Hussaini, Minister of State for Financial Affairs; Khaled Mohamed Balama Al Tameemi, Governor of the Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE), in addition to representatives of the Presidential Court and the Ministry of Finance.
During the meeting, the budget committee discussed a number of topics, including the draft general budget for the fiscal year 2026, as part of the 2022–2026 budget plan in light of the updates made pursuant to the directives of the General Budget Committee at its 13th meeting held on July 10, 2025, along with the related decisions and recommendations.
Following the coordination carried out by the Ministry of Finance with all federal entities and, in line with the provisions of Federal Decree-Law No. (26) of 2019 on Public Finance and its amendments, the committee directed that the necessary procedures be completed for preparing the draft federal budget for the year 2026, to be subsequently submitted to the Cabinet.
The committee also reviewed the federal government’s cash flows for fiscal year 2025 based on actual revenues collected up to the end of August of the current fiscal year, as well as general revenue forecasts for fiscal year 2026 considering updated tax legislation and federal entities’ projections of their expected revenues.
The committee addressed the federal government’s financial position for fiscal year 2025 taking into account actual expenditures and revenues recorded since the start of the current fiscal year up to the end of August 2025. The indicators highlighted significant progress across various sectors and economic activities in the country.
The committee also discussed federal entities’ requests for financing strategic projects and issued the necessary directives accordingly. In addition, it reviewed updates on approved capital and development projects completed during the elapsed period of fiscal year 2025, in line with applicable financial policies and procedures. The federal budget is a fundamental pillar in the UAE’s sustainable development journey and the wise leadership’s directions to achieve its developmental and social requirements for the years ahead. Designed with flexibility, it is subject to continuous review to keep pace with evolving changes and directives, ensuring the highest levels of financial efficiency within the federal government and advancing the UAE’s aspiration for global leadership in public finance and sustainable development.
The committee commended the Ministry of Finance’s efforts in updating the draft budget for the fiscal year 2026 and for its effective coordination with federal entities throughout the preparation process. The Cabinet has approved the general budget for the fiscal year 2025, with revenues and expenditures estimated at AED71.5 billion each, in line with the principle of maintaining balance between total financial resources and total public expenditures.