There has been a major change in the water and power sector since 1997. The first of these IWPPs was awarded to CMS of the United States for the establishment of a 720 MW power and 50 MGPD desalination plant. It is understood that Abu Dhabi will need an extra 2000 MW of electricity and a further 360 MGPD of clean water in the next decade to meet the needs of its burgeoning population. In the health sector too, the government is undertaking a large expansion programme. This is likely to involve a capital expenditure of over Dhs 1 billion, to the construction of new hospitals as well as numerous polyclinics in the rural areas.
British manufacturers have a very healthy share of the pharmaceuticals market.
The next few years are likely to see a major shift in the provision of health care from the public sector to the private sector. Abu Dhabi has a high standard of information technology. All the major computer manufacturers are represented here. In some ways, Abu Dhabi was likened to Bangkok, given the easy availability of counterfeit CDs and fake Lacoste, Chanel T-shirts, handbags and belts. To counteract this, a Federal Trade Mark Law came into effect in January 1993 and a Copyright Law in April 1993.