The UAE Breakfront on Sunday accepted a higher budget for 2019 as high oil prices are enhancing proceeds, permitting the government to increase spending on the security of citizens.
The Cabinet agreed a zero-deficit budget of Dh180 billion for the next three years and Dh60.3 billion for 2019 associated with Dh51.4 billion in the last year, an increase of 17.3 percent.
"I have chaired today a Cabinet meeting, during which we approved the federal budget of Dh180 billion for the next three years," His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Leader of Dubai, tweeted.
"Fifty-nine percent of the economy will go to education and social development," additional he said.
"Citizens are a top priority, and we have allocated the largest part of the budget to ensure their prosperity, health, education, and security," Sheikh Mohammed said.
The UAE has to be paid 42.3 percent of the inexpensive for community development, 17 percent for education and 7.3 percent for health care.
During the Cupboard meeting, a new federal law was assumed to adjust the space and progressive technology segments in the UAE.
"The goal is to open up the space sector to investment, research, and partnership building. It was a coincidence to adopt a large federal budget with the new law for the space sector. Both will take the Emirates to new heights," Sheikh Mohammed tweeted.
"The budget announced [on Sunday] indicates expenditure of Dh60 billion per annum over the next three years. This represents circa 17 percent increase over the 2018 budget of Dh51.4 billion. Higher oil revenues have enabled the government to increase spending which is very timely right now as some sort of increase in government spending is required to boost economic activity in the country," said Anita Yadav, head of Fixed Income Research at Emirates NBD.
"We are neither surprised to see the increase nor to see the sectors where the bulk of the budget will be spent. The federal level budget generally focuses on country-level funding of education, some roads, and community development and this is what is being planned now as well," she said.
Oil prices have been increasing in the last few months, going the limit $80 per barrel, resulting in increased incomes for the UAE government. Brent last imported at $82.73 per barrel on Friday. The regular Brent and WTI basic oil price started the year at $69.08 and $63.7 per barrel in January, correspondingly.
Monica Malik, the chief economist at Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, said the 2019 federal budget proposes a hastening in projected expenditure to 17.3 percent for 2019 from the 2018 budget, directing to suggestively more expansionary financial posture.
"This indicates a shift to a markedly more supportive fiscal position, in line with recent packages to support growth at country-wide and emirate level. We also envisage an acceleration in consolidated government spending in 2019, which is central to our assumption of stronger real-non-oil GDP growth," Malik’s statement.
Atik Munshi, the senior partner at Crowe UAE, said the UAE's zero-deficit budget for the next three years specifies that the government is self-assured and capitals are adequate.
"The focus on social welfare particularly on education and healthcare will reap long-term benefits. The rise in international oil prices will help the UAE as the Emirates is one of the few countries that has adopted technology very rapidly and the government budget, I hope, will also consider the additional investment in the technology which will catapult UAE to the next level," Munshi said.
He expected that the budget will also lift market gush.
Suresh Kumar, president of the Indian Business and Professional Council of Dubai, said the federal government is located his statement for economic growth in the years gaining by stating that the three years budget will be "balanced", highlights firmness and reliability in approach.
Kumar stated that higher distribution for socio-economic subdivisions such as education, healthcare, and civic development predict well for its citizens and such growth plans and capital spending create supportable properties.
"All in all, the economy will get a fillip for positive momentum," Kumar said.
