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Aldar and Arada revealed the AED15 billion partnership through a joint announcement covered by the Emirates News Agency, encompassing a masterplan joint venture for a mixed-use community at Seih Sdeirah on the Abu Dhabi-Dubai border and the sale of three residential plots on Yas Island to Arada. The Seih Sdeirah project will span up to 1.5 million square metres and focus on villas, townhouses, retail outlets and recreational facilities, with Arada taking the lead on development and construction management while both companies jointly handle branding and sales. The Yas Island component involves Arada acquiring plots totalling more than 27,500 square metres in area and nearly 130,000 square metres in gross floor area, including two canal-facing sites that will yield premium residential communities. This initial phase sets the foundation for broader collaboration across the UAE, according to the developers.
The agreements were signed in the presence of Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed bin Talal Al Saud, executive vice chairman of Arada, and Talal Al Dhiyebi, group chief executive officer of Aldar, the Emirates News Agency reported. Jonathan Emery, chief executive officer of Aldar Development, and Ahmed Alkhoshaibi, group chief executive officer of Arada, executed the documents. The partnership brings together Aldar’s extensive land bank and platform in Abu Dhabi with Arada’s track record in master-planned communities, marking the Sharjah-based developer’s first foray into the capital’s market.
Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre figures show the emirate’s residential property sales reached AED84.5 billion in the first half of 2026, a 174 percent increase from the same period a year earlier, with transaction volumes rising 103 percent to more than 16,500 deals. Off-plan sales accounted for 78 percent of transactions during that timeframe while median apartment prices climbed 22.5 percent to AED1,927 per square foot. The surge reflects sustained demand for new housing stock in a market that recorded AED117 billion in total real estate transactions across the first six months, up 112 percent year on year according to the regulator.
Aldar reported a development backlog of AED71.6 billion at the end of June 2026, including AED59.9 billion within the UAE, a company filing with the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange indicated. The group had launched several projects in the first half, such as Yas Point, a AED6 billion mixed-use waterfront community on Yas Island. Its investment portfolio and regional operations contributed to a first-half net profit of AED4.9 billion, an 18 percent rise from the prior year.
Arada’s expansion into Abu Dhabi aligns with its recent moves into new sectors, including an AED2 billion commitment to acquire a majority stake in Reem Hospital and expand healthcare facilities across the UAE, separate corporate statements show. The developer has established a reputation for large-scale communities in Sharjah and is now extending that model to the capital. Further opportunities between the two firms may cover additional asset classes and locations beyond the current agreements.
The Yas Island acquisitions will add to the destination’s residential offerings while the Seih Sdeirah community aims to create a self-sustained neighbourhood with integrated amenities. Both components form part of Abu Dhabi’s broader push to increase housing supply, with the emirate projecting an additional 71,000 residential units by 2030 according to Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre forecasts. The partnership is expected to deliver more than 4,000 units in total across the initial projects.
