Dubai: H.H. 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, approved a set of policies and strategic models to enhance urban planning, housing, and digitalisation during a meeting of The Executive Council.
According to Emirates News Agency, the initiatives align with the Year of the Family announced by President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and the Dubai Social Agenda 33 launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. The new planning model for residential areas prioritises citizen welfare and family empowerment in Dubai's urban development, along with the Digital Resilience Policy and the general plan for The Executive Council's Agenda for 2026.
The meeting, held at Emirates Towers, was attended by H.H. Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, First Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance. Sheikh Hamdan affirmed Dubai's commitment to an integrated development path that prioritises its people and strengthens its position in urban and social planning, ensuring sustainable welfare for individuals, families, and society.
Sheikh Hamdan stated that citizen welfare and family empowerment form the foundation of Dubai's future plans, driving efforts to make it the best, most beautiful, and most advanced city in the world. The model focuses on creating socially interconnected, service-integrated communities that enhance quality of life through homes, neighbourhoods, parks, schools, and service centres.
He highlighted the importance of strengthening resilience and proactive standards to ensure the emirate's digital and service infrastructure can respond to transformation and challenges. With one of the most advanced digital infrastructures globally, Dubai aims to fulfil the objectives of the Dubai Digital Strategy launched in 2023, which includes digitalising life, strengthening the digital economy, and empowering society.
The general plan for The Executive Council's 2026 Agenda focuses on achieving the priorities and targets of the Dubai Plan 2033 through economic and social agendas. The new planning model for citizens' residential areas promotes sustainable living and enhances quality of life and social stability. It introduces an innovative planning concept to align housing needs with the highest standards, reinforcing the concept of the Fareej and its internal social cohesion.
The model promotes active mobility through shaded walkways and dedicated paths for walking, running, and cycling. It also transforms parks and squares into interactive hubs for social and cultural activities. The project aims to make residential areas more attractive and strengthen residents' sense of comfort and belonging.
Plans include 152 parks across Madinat Latifa and Al Yalayis, with a maximum walking distance of 150 metres to the nearest park. Over 33 kilometres of cycling paths will be added, alongside central parks with diverse activities and facilities. Community majlis and wedding halls will also be built, supporting the 20-Minute City concept and introducing community parks as an interconnected network of central green spaces.
In Madinat Latifa, the model allocates around 11% of the area to green and open spaces, with 12 kilometres of interconnected paths and comprehensive services including schools, early childhood centres, mosques, health clinics, and commercial hubs. Plans for the area envisage facilities covering 3,000 hectares, housing 141,000 people, and including 18,500 residential units and 77 parks.
In Al Yalayis, the model introduces a vibrant green corridor linking residential areas and offering recreational, service, and commercial facilities, creating an integrated living environment that promotes quality of life and sustainability. The plans provide for facilities spread over 1,108 hectares with the capacity to house 66,000 people, including 8,000 residential unit plots and 75 parks.
The Executive Council also approved the Digital Resilience Policy, a comprehensive framework to strengthen digital resilience and enable a thriving digital government, economy, and society. The policy aligns with the Dubai Resilience Strategy and complements the Digital Transformation Strategy aimed at simplifying lives and strengthening the digital economy using advanced technologies.
Compliance with the policy will ensure continuity of digital services, strengthen protection for systems and digital infrastructure, safeguard vital digital assets, and improve leadership dashboard indicators. The policy is built on a methodology that strengthens preparedness, response, recovery, and transformation. It ensures smooth digital operations, reduces response time, and optimises critical infrastructure availability.
The digital resilience policy emphasises coordinated efforts between public and private sectors to safeguard critical digital assets like data centres, networks, and cloud platforms. It promotes seamless collaboration and swift incident response, maintaining uninterrupted digital services and fostering public trust.
The Executive Council reviewed the achievements of the 2025 agenda and approved the 2026 plan, focusing on implementing Dubai Plan 2033 priorities through economic and social agendas. It covers sectors including social development, infrastructure, economy and investment, entrepreneurship, security, justice and safety, and public services.