Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE, shared rare glimpses of a personal meeting with Elon Musk in Dubai, drawing widespread attention on social media. The meeting highlighted high-level discussions on space exploration, advanced technology and the future of humanity, reflecting the growing relationship between Dubai’s leadership and the world’s richest man.Photos shared by Sheikh Hamdan on his official Instagram account showed him personally driving Elon Musk in Dubai, a gesture that quickly captured global interest. Other images revealed the two leaders seated together inside what appeared to be a private jet, exchanging a warm handshake and walking into a majlis overlooking Dubai’s skyline.In his post, Sheikh Hamdan described the meeting as a multifaceted discussion focused on space, technology and humanity. He expressed optimism about the future, signalling confidence in continued collaboration between Dubai and Musk’s global ventures.The meeting was also attended by Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, First Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, underlining the strategic importance of the visit. One of the photos showed Sheikh Hamdan and Elon Musk walking together while holding the hands of their sons, adding a personal and symbolic touch to the encounter.The rendezvous reflects Dubai’s deepening ties with Elon Musk’s companies, which span space exploration, electric vehicles, artificial intelligence and next-generation transport solutions. Personal hosting and engagement by the Crown Prince are typically reserved for partnerships of long-term strategic value to the emirate.Dubai is advancing major collaborations with Musk-led enterprises, including The Boring Company’s Dubai Loop project announced at the World Government Summit in February 2025. The planned underground transport system will span 17 kilometres, include 11 stations and transport more than 20,000 passengers per hour at speeds of up to 160 kilometres per hour.Dubai’s partnership with SpaceX has also expanded significantly. In 2025, the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre launched the PHI-1 satellite aboard a Falcon 9 rocket, supporting technology testing in orbit. SpaceX has also deployed Etihad-SAT, strengthening disaster monitoring and environmental observation.Earlier milestones include SpaceX’s role in enabling Emirati astronaut Dr Sultan Al Neyadi’s six-month mission to the International Space Station in 2023, the longest Arab space mission to date. Elon Musk has also been a regular participant at the World Government Summit, appearing in 2017, 2023 and 2025 to discuss innovation, artificial intelligence and future infrastructure.The timing of the meeting is notable as Elon Musk recently became the first person in history to surpass a net worth of $700 billion. The interaction further reinforces Dubai’s position as a global hub for future-focused partnerships and visionary leadership.
