UAE Cabinet approves first electric cargo plane amid expectations of increased tourism

As World Cup tickets in Qatar cross over 2.45 million, Dubai and Abu Dhabi is expecting a major boom in tourism, hotels are expecting near full occupancy during the World Cup season.

The Cabinet also approved temporary licensing for the first electric operated cargo aircraft in the region. The Cabinet also reviewed the UAE’s competitive and development indicators, which showed the country is seeing growth levels higher than before the pandemic.

“Our indicators today are stronger than our indicators before the pandemic, and our economic growth is faster than before the pandemic, and our tourism, commercial and development sectors are larger than before the pandemic,” Sheikh Mohammed said on Twitter.

“Under the leadership of my brother Mohamed bin Zayed, the UAE has managed to overcome the Covid-19 pandemic. Our country has become globally prominent for its significant economic growth and development.” he added.

UAE’s foreign trade for the first six months of this year exceeded AED 1 trillion, compared to AED 840 billion before the pandemic. 

Sheikh Mohammed said on Twitter, “We have approved in the Council of Ministers the temporary license for the first cargo plane in the region that operates on completely clean electric energy and without any emissions — an important step that may contribute to changing the future of the shipping sector and its environmental impacts,”

During the meeting, the Cabinet also issued a new law regulating the partnership between the public and private sectors.

“Our goal is to create opportunities and encourage the private sector to engage in developmental, economic and social projects and to develop partnerships that lead to improving the quality of public services,” said Sheikh Mohammed.

Figures released in August showed Dubai hosted 7.12 million international visitors in the first half of 2022.