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Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum approved the Dubai Longevity Authority strategy and operating budget after the body’s first board meeting which he chairs as president an announcement on his X account stated on September 27 2026. The strategy marks a new phase in Dubai’s ambition to shape the future of health and become a global centre for healthy longevity spanning research and development clinical trials manufacturing and global markets according to the post by Sheikh Hamdan. It targets annual growth of around 31 percent and aims to contribute more than AED 35 billion to Dubai’s economy over the next decade the announcement added.
The Dubai Longevity Authority which operates under Sheikh Hamdan’s presidency was established by law in June 2026 after His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum issued legislation to develop the emirate as the world’s leading hub for regulated longevity wellness and advanced healthcare a Dubai Media Office statement at the time reported. Helal Saeed Almarri director general of the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism serves as chairman of the authority under a separate decree. Since its launch the body has fast-tracked its foundational architecture by defining a governance model and setting the direction for an activity-based licensing framework minimum standards and enforcement mechanisms the Emirates 24|7 report on the latest approval noted.
The approved strategy focuses on accelerating regulatory development pilot implementation and market activation while the authority governs the full value chain from research and clinical trials through sourcing manufacturing market delivery and responsible commercialisation according to details released after the board meeting. This framework gives businesses certainty to build and advance healthspan solutions a board statement indicated. The authority will licence and supervise activities across that entire chain as outlined in the founding law published on the Dubai Legal Portal.
A Visiongain market analysis projected the global longevity sector to reach approximately $746 billion in 2026 with a compound annual growth rate of 8.6 percent through 2036 as preventive health gains momentum. The broader global wellness economy is forecast to expand to nearly $7.9 trillion in 2026 and grow at 7.6 percent annually through 2029 exceeding projected global GDP growth an assessment from the Global Wellness Institute found. An IMF study determined that healthy aging could contribute about 0.4 percentage point annually to global GDP growth from 2025 to 2050 through improved labour market outcomes for people aged 50 and older.
The Dubai initiative supports the Dubai Economic Agenda D33 and the Dubai Social Agenda 33 which seek to place the emirate among the top three cities globally for quality of life and establish a leading position in healthy life expectancy the founding decree stated. A Deep Knowledge Group analysis estimated that adding two to four healthy years across the GCC could generate between $70 billion and $100 billion in additional economic output by 2030 by reducing the burden of non-communicable diseases that currently cost the region about $50 billion yearly in lost productivity and treatment. The strategy aligns with those goals by creating an environment for advanced therapies preventive interventions clinical innovations and ethical practices the authority’s mandate describes.
Following the approval Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed posted on X that Dubai’s development model places people’s health wellbeing and quality of life at the heart of its priorities. He added that under the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Dubai continues to invest in initiatives that enhance quality of life create a brighter future and unlock new opportunities for investment and growth. The authority’s work builds on similar commitments in Abu Dhabi announced in 2025 to advance longevity science a Khaleej Times report on the sector noted.
