Dunston Pereira is the CEO of the Royal Office of Sheikh Ahmed bin Faisal Al Qassimi. JONATHAN YBERA/EXPAT MEDIA

Call it out of this world but perhaps the UAE’s next biggest project will be a $5.4 billion man-made Moon. In an exclusive interview with Expatmedia.net, Dunston Pereira, the CEO of the Royal Office of Sheikh Ahmed bin Faisal Al Qassimi, revealed details of this and other megaprojects that UAE royals are keen on turning to reality. As CEO of Sheikh Ahmed’s Royal Office, Dunston is privy to discussions on the multi-billion-dollar project. “The motive of the royal office is to provide a better environment for the future generation. That is my key target as CEO,” Dunston says. Sheikh Ahmed, a member of the Ras Al Khaimah royal family, is the founder of Al Qassimi Group of Companies and Investments, which has businesses in diversified sectors helping investors launch their businesses in the UAE, GCC and globally. “The Moon is something we are planning to have in Dubai. It’s a project conceived by a Canadian company and I am one of the advisory board members of that project. We are now in discussions with the Al Maktoum family to see how the project can be implemented in Dubai,” Dunston tells Expatmedia.net. The brainchild of Canadian entrepreneur Michael Henderson, the Moon will be a 274-metre replica of the Red Planet, which would have a destination resort complete with a 4,000-room hotel, an arena that can seat 10,000 people and a “lunar colony” that would allow visitors to experience a moon walk. “In the top portion of the Moon, they are recreating the actual surface of the Moon. In a span of an hour, 1,000 people can be taken to that place on a space ship inside the structure and they will be wearing space outfits,” Dunston describes to Expatmedia.net. “I think this project will be a very successful one and it will be the next destination in the UAE after Burj Khalifa,” he says. “We are planning to have this project approved this year, and if everything goes well, construction should start sometime next year. It’s a huge project. We are just waiting for the right partnership,” Dunston says, adding that the team is looking at the Meydan area or Dubai Pearl as possible locations. ALSO READ: 5 megaprojects coming up in Ras Al Khaimah While that is in the works, some solid projects have already taken off. “A casino has been approved in Ras Al Khaimah and development is ongoing. We are trying to develop Ras Al Khaimah as the next destination in the UAE,” Dunston says. PIA/Expat Media This story also appears in the Expat Media Special Edition magazine
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