Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai on Thursday announced a AED4.7 billion ($1.28 billion) permanent endowment district in Dubai to fund health and education projects worldwide through the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI).
Sheikh Mohammed said on X that the district’s proceeds will be directed to aid programmes focused on medical care and schooling. “Thanks God, we have launched an endowment project worth Dh4.7 billion under the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives. It is a perpetual charitable endowment whose proceeds will go towards supporting health and education projects around the world.”
He outlined the components of the development, which will generate revenue to sustain the endowment.
“The endowment district will comprise a hospital with a capacity to serve 90,000 patients annually, a medical university, schools accommodating more than 5,000 students, residential buildings with 2,000 housing units, as well as a boulevard, endowment-owned retail outlets, and more.”
Sheikh Mohammed thanked philanthropic supporters, including private-sector contributors, and noted the role of local developers in backing the initiative. “We thank God for His guidance. May He accept from us and from you all good deeds,” he said.
Project details and facilities
- According to the announcement, the endowment district will include:
- A hospital designed to serve about 90,000 patients a year
- A medical university
- Schools for more than 5,000 students
- Residential buildings comprising 2,000 housing units
- A boulevard and endowment-owned retail outlets
The facilities are intended to generate recurring income to fund MBRGI programmes, with the medical and education assets also serving as training and service hubs.
Health and education funding model
The initiative is structured as a perpetual endowment, with rental and operating income from the district earmarked for health and education initiatives beyond the UAE. Sheikh Mohammed said the proceeds will be allocated to global projects, reflecting MBRGI’s focus areas.
The plan adds to existing endowment and charitable efforts linked to MBRGI, which hosts programmes spanning healthcare, education and humanitarian relief. The statement did not provide a timeline for construction, delivery milestones or the governance structure for the endowment’s disbursements.
Middle East philanthropy context
Dubai has pursued endowment-based models to fund social programmes, drawing support from local businesses and donors. Sheikh Mohammed’s office highlighted private-sector participation, with contributors including Azizi Developments among those backing the district.
The announcement aligns with the UAE’s ongoing role in regional aid and development initiatives that target education and healthcare. The district’s revenue-generating assets are intended to provide a steady funding stream for projects outside the UAE as well as within the wider Middle East and other regions, according to the statement on X.
