Dubai prime minister admits in wide-ranging web chat that downturn will force a review

Dubai’s 2015 strategic plan is to be reviewed, but is mostly on schedule, said the prime minister yesterday.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid confirmed that the global financial crisis has prompted a "careful review" of the strategic plan to ensure that the current state of the economy is taken into account.

Sheikh Mohammed, who is also vice president of the UAE and the ruler of Dubai, made the revelations in an internet question and answer session with the general public. The prime minister emphasised that the economy was reviving and added that the country’s "strong legislative framework and diverse economy will aid recovery."

This is not the first time that Sheikh Mohammed has taken to the web to speak to the public, says The National, a Dubai newspaper. In April this year, he took questions from journalists, sparking controversy when he accused the foreign media of spreading "fabricated" news about the country.

He then went on to discuss the Emirati culture, commenting that only a "minority" of young UAE nationals have rejected traditional dress for western clothing, insisting that Emirati identity is deeply rooted.