By sapping Dubai's economic growth, the COVID-19 pandemic will also ultimately erode the emirate's political and economic independence from neighboring Abu Dhabi. Without the tools and funding needed to support its own recovery, Dubai will likely be forced to rely on another bailout from wealthy Abu Dhabi, which could impact Dubai's development plans, especially in tourism and finance. Dubai’s COVID-19 Crisis The COVID-19 pandemic is jeopardizing growth in the key sectors that have fueled Dubai's economy over the past decade, including real estate, construction, tourism and financial services. Services that rely on robust consumption are also in decline, including restaurants, bars, gyms and movie theaters. According to the Dubai Chamber of Commerce, up to 70 percent of these businesses expect they'll be closed by fall 2020.