The United Arab Emirates General Budget Committee held its 15th meeting on 30 September to discuss the draft federal budget for 2027 as part of a medium-term plan covering fiscal years 2027–2029. The meeting took place at Qasr Al Watan in Abu Dhabi and included senior federal officials and the governor of the Central Bank of the UAE. The Ministry of Finance said the discussions followed coordination with federal entities and were conducted under the Public Finance Decree-Law of 2019, as amended, and updated tax legislation. The committee directed that procedures needed to prepare the draft for the planning period be completed. The announcement records a review and preparation step; it does not mean the budget has been approved or final allocations have been fixed.

Discussions focused on preliminary expenditure estimates and revenue forecasts for fiscal year 2027. The committee also reviewed the federal government’s financial position for 2026 using revenue and spending recorded so far during the year. The ministry pointed to continued growth in economic activity and progress across UAE sectors, but did not publish detailed 2026 totals or aggregate revenue and expenditure figures for 2027–2029 in this announcement. Requests from federal entities for funding new strategic projects were considered and the committee issued related directions. It also reviewed progress on approved capital and development projects completed during 2026 to date, applying the government’s existing financial policies and procedures. The release describes the subjects before the committee, not the outcome of every request.

The new strategic cycle places artificial intelligence among the tools intended to improve planning and analysis of financial data, simplify procedures, reduce requirements and raise fiscal efficiency across the federal government. The Ministry of Finance also presents the federal budget as a tool for future readiness and improved public services, alongside its basic role of aligning revenue and spending. This direction points to more strategic use of public finance and data in budget preparation. However, the 30 September release does not identify the AI systems that will be deployed, their costs, the processes to be changed first or the indicators that will be used to measure savings and service improvements. Those operational details were not provided in the announcement.

The committee recalled that the previously approved 2026 federal general budget set total estimated revenue and expenditure at AED 92.4 billion each, maintaining a balanced budget principle. That figure is the approved framework for 2026, not a new allocation for the 2027–2029 cycle. Drafts for the coming period will be developed alongside revenue forecasts, spending priorities, requests for strategic projects and legal updates. The committee’s instruction advances the drafting process, while the final amounts still depend on subsequent approval. The meeting therefore signals the government’s planning priorities but does not establish exact appropriations for federal entities or determine future fiscal outcomes. Later budget documents will be needed to compare the draft assumptions with approved figures and actual execution.