The UAE has significantly advanced its infrastructure sector during 2024, launching a series of vital projects that have been designed to meet the nation’s economic growth objectives and promoting development across various industries.
Key achievements include the historic start of commercial operations for Unit 4 at the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant, marking its full delivery. The Barakah Plant is now generating 40TWh of electricity per year, providing up to 25% of the UAE’s electricity, clean and carbon-free.
Meanwhile, the Executive Committee of the Initiatives of UAE President has approved a major infrastructure package, which includes the construction of nine new dams, the expansion of two existing dams, and the development of various embankment barriers.
These measures will enhance infrastructure resilience to cope with climate change and increase water reserves by collecting rainwater and floodwaters with over eight million cu/m of storage capacity. The projects will be completed within 19 months and will also include the construction of nine water canals, totalling approximately 9km.
In the UAE capital, the Abu Dhabi Projects and Infrastructure Centre announced the Executive Council’s approval of 144 projects across the emirate. These projects will span a number of sectors, including housing and quality of life, education and human capital, tourism, and natural resources.
Among the key projects, the Integrated Transport Centre unveiled the 25km median islands project, designed to accommodate 8,000 -10,000 vehicles per hour in each direction.
Other projects include traffic enhancements on Musaffah Road (E30), Al Khaleej Al Arabi Street (E20), and the construction of new bridges on Abu Dhabi-Al Ain Road (E22) and 79th Street in Mohamed bin Zayed City.
Moreover, in Dubai, the new passenger terminal at Al Maktoum International Airport is set to become the world’s largest airport on completion, with a cost of US $34.85bn and a capacity to handle 260m passengers and 12m tonnes of cargo annually.
The airport will accommodate 400 aircraft gates and feature five parallel runways, as well as introducing a raft of new aviation technologies. The second Dubai project, the ‘Tasreef’ initiative, aims to develop the emirate’s rainwater drainage network at a cost of $8.17bn, increasing capacity by 700%.
The third project involves doubling the capacity of the Dubai Exhibition Centre, meaning that by 2033 it will be possible to increase the range of major events hosted annually from 300 to over 600. Also in Dubai, 2024 saw the opening of a key, two-lane bridge – spanning 1,000m – connecting Hessa Street to Al Khail Street, reducing travel time from 15 minutes to three minutes.