United Arab Emirates to get a new capital?

Dubai, Apr 17: The UAE is to have a new capital, some 15 km from Abu Dhabi, according to a master plan being mooted by the rulers.

The project, developed in Khalifa City, was founded on the plan by an international urban planning taskforce. The new capital will be a contemporary Arab city, reflecting a sustainable economy rather than uncontrolled growth. The city will respect, be scaled to, and shaped by the natural environment of sensitive coastal and desert ecosystems, the Khaleej Times reported. According to Falah Al Ahbabi, Director of the Urban Planning Council (UPC), the body in charge of executing the 2030 strategy in Abu Dhabi, the new capital will have an area of 4,900 hectares and its distance from the previous city's centre will be roughly 15-20 km.

Al Ahbabi said the new city would be able to accommodate three million people in less than 25 years.

He also pointed out that the headquarters of all federal authorities, ministries and local government offices will be in the new city. In addition, Khalifa City will house embassies and diplomatic delegations, decreasing the pressure on the city of Abu Dhabi.

There will be residential units, offices and exhibition centres, as well as offices that will accommodate companies and investors, which will all lead to keeping the buying/selling and renting property market under control in the city.

UNI