The Municipality of Abu Dhabi City has unveiled its vision for a world class souk in Abu Dhabi that will help transform the city by enhancing its rich cultural heritage for both the local community as well as regional and international visitors.

The traditional souk is one of a number of community-led investments and developments launched by the Municipality’s Investment Office division as part of its strategic plan to improve Abu Dhabi’s resident amenities and tourism offering.

This is in support of the Abu Dhabi Government’s vision to make the nation’s capital an attractive place to live, work and visit by building a safe, secure and sustainable society. The Municipality will act as a catalyst for building a prosperous future for the City and its people by playing an essential role in managing the diverse portfolio of Government investment assets. The community centric Municipal projects will be delivered through integration with the private sector to ensure best-in-class standards and efficient services.

The proposed traditional souk will be located at the historical gateway to Abu Dhabi Island opposite the Maqtaa Tower, between Sheikh Zayed and Al Maqtaa Bridges. The aspirational project will also link to Khalifa Park and Sheikh Zayed Mosque, two of Abu Dhabi’s biggest attractions.

The visionary masterplan capitalises on reinforcing Abu Dhabi’s cultural heritage and values to support the Abu Dhabi community.

The 150,000 sq.m mixed-use destination comprises a modern waterfront experience; featuring a traditional retail souq, food and beverage, entertainment and leisure outlets, combined with an open air performance space for up to and new hospitality offerings.

The souk is just one of a range of development and investment projects aimed at promoting integration and co-operation with the private sector to advance the comprehensive development drive to upgrade public facilities and introduce new projects required by the community.

The investment and development projects’ masterplan also encompasses the construction of community based projects throughout residential districts across the Emirate. This includes the establishment of a community market network based on the concept of “3-in-1”, delivered by the private sector. Each center will consist of three elements: community service center, customer service center and retail outlets such as supermarkets, restaurants and cafes.

The Municipality will work in partnership with the private sector through Public Private Partnerships (PPP) such as joint ventures, build-operate-transfer (BOT) and other financial models, to deliver and manage these long-term capital-intensive investments that will provide strong financial returns and social benefits to the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. Collaboration with the private sector will also help to deliver and upgrade community projects using the best global standards within expected timeframes..

The Municipality will soon be inviting tenders from developers and operators for the traditional souk, and four district community centers in Bani Yas, Shawamekh, Samha and Nahda, which will be funded through long term BOT models.  

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