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Dubai Announces Plans To Become A 20-Minute City
The move aligns with the Dubai Urban Plan 2040, which aims to create the world’s most liveable city.
Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has revealed an updated strategic plan for 2024-2030, which will help the emirate reach its goal of becoming the world’s most liveable city.
The Dubai “20-minute city” plan aims to make urban areas easily accessible by ensuring that 80% of regular journeys can be completed in a maximum of 20 minutes on foot or by bicycle.
The Higher Committee for Strategic Planning and Corporate Transformation at #RTA chaired by His Excellency Mattar Al Tayer, Director General, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of RTA, endorsed an updated RTA’s Strategic Plan 2024-2030. The plan is aligned with Dubai… pic.twitter.com/6apr3JG3to
— RTA (@rta_dubai) December 10, 2023
On Sunday, December 10, 2023, Dubai’s Higher Committee for Strategic Planning and Corporate Transformation at the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) announced that it aims to achieve 5 key objectives relevant to “integrated and innovative mobility”. The goals align with the Dubai Urban Plan 2040, which aims to make the UAE the world’s most liveable destination.
The latest plan is designed to facilitate the roads and transport development, creating systems that will support the 20-minute city plan and emphasizing accessibility and “multi-modal transport integration”. Officials also aim to expand smart mobility services.
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“RTA’s future entails studying and deploying integrated and soft mobility solutions along with connected and real-time mobility systems and self-driving transport. RTA intends to operate self-driving Chevrolet Bolt autonomous electric vehicles, positioning Dubai as the first city in the world to operate American Cruise self-driving vehicles outside the USA,” said Mattar Al Tayer, Director General Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of RTA.
Dubai’s latest objectives follow a list of ideas first revealed in 2021. Officials explained that they aimed to have around half of the population living within 800 meters of the nearest public transport hub and that space used for hotels and tourist activities would be increased by 134%. In addition, land designated for educational and health facilities would be increased by 25%.
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Checkout.com Set To Launch Card Issuing In The UAE
The payment service provider’s expansion is a first-of-its-kind investment and could reshape digital transactions across the region.
Checkout.com is laying the groundwork to become the first global payments platform to introduce card issuing in the United Arab Emirates — a move that could reshape how businesses in the region manage financial transactions.
The company plans to roll out its domestic card issuance offering in the UAE by 2026, subject to regulatory approval. The launch would give businesses the tools to issue both physical and virtual branded cards. This, in turn, opens up new ways to reward customers, streamline expense processes, and handle B2B payouts efficiently.
Checkout.com’s CEO and Founder, Guillaume Pousaz, revealed the plans during Thrive Abu Dhabi, the firm’s debut conference in the Emirates. Joined on stage by Remo Giovanni Abbondandolo, General Manager for MENA, Pousaz presented to an audience of over 150 partners and merchants at Saadiyat Island. Also in attendance was H.E. Omar Sultan Al Olama, the UAE’s Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications.
Abbondandolo highlighted the strategic importance of the announcement: “As a global business, we focus on bringing products to markets that our customers want and need. Today’s announcement is proof of our commitment to the MENA region and its rising influence in the digital economy. The appetite for innovation here is real, and we’re proud to be building the infrastructure that powers it”.
One early adopter of Checkout.com’s UAE acquiring services is Headout, a travel experiences marketplace, which recently named the payment provider as its main partner in Europe. The company has already begun card issuing there and is keen to expand that offering into MENA once approval is granted.
The expansion of services in the UAE and beyond builds on Checkout.com’s track record in the region. It was the first global payments firm to secure a Retail Payment Services license from the UAE’s Central Bank and was instrumental in rolling out Mada and Apple Pay in both the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
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The firm has also been rolling out new products: One of the latest is Flow Remember Me, currently in beta testing. It allows shoppers to store their card information once and access it across Checkout.com’s entire network, potentially cutting checkout times by up to 70%.
Earlier this year, Checkout.com also introduced Visa Direct’s Push-to-Card solution in the UAE, enabling both domestic and international payouts. Its collaboration with Mastercard has grown as well, making it easier for businesses to send funds directly to third-party cards securely and quickly.
With regional tech ambitions on the rise — spurred by initiatives like Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and the UAE’s 2031 Agenda — Checkout.com sees its role as one of a key enabler. “Our mission is to help ambitious businesses navigate the complexity of payments, so they can move faster, go further, and make the most of every opportunity,” said Abbondandolo. “In MENA, performance is personal. It’s local. It’s built on trust. And when payments perform, businesses thrive”.
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