It was a year of both considerable achievement and great mourning in Dubai.

Before the end of the year, the emirate's government announced a Dh46 billion budget for 2016 with zero deficit and only 6 per cent of it is from oil revenue. Dubai is leading the way to becoming the first non-oil economy in the Gulf.

The emirate also launched an initiative to measure the happiness and satisfaction of the public in government services.

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, approved the launch of the Dubai Innovative Strategy involving 20 initiatives to be implemented over the next three years, to make Dubai the world's most innovative city.

But in September, the whole country was unified in grief for the loss of Sheikh Rashid bin Mohammed, son of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai.

Sheikh Rashid died of a heart attack aged 33.

Source: The National