The UAE is ranked first in the Arab world and region, and third in the world, in easing the issuing of building permits, as per the World Bank's Doing Business 2020 report, said a top official.

The report underlines the pioneering role played by the UAE in global competitiveness, and attributed this progress in the area of building permits to the support of the leadership at the national and emirate levels, Dawoud Al Hajri, director-general of Dubai Municipality and chairman of the Committee for Developing Building Permits in Dubai, was quoted as saying by state news agency Wam.

He pointed out that Dubai, representing the UAE in the area of building permits, has achieved pioneering and sustainable results in this area, surpassing more than 190 countries in the world participating in the global competitiveness race.

He added that this achievement supports the position of the UAE and the emirate in international forums. It also supports and encourages the construction sector and real estate investment, and is considered a high-level global standard enjoyed by government departments in providing leading and innovative services to investors and customers, which enhances the investment and competitive environment of the country.

As for the current and future plans, and the sustainability of the results, he added that an interactive service has been added to the smartphone app that is synonymous with the electronic Dubai Building Permits System.

The Ease of Building Permits is a global standard in which the World Bank measures the performance of countries through sub-areas that differentiate between building permits in all countries.