PARIS- Total government expenditure in the United Arab Emirates rose to 119 billion dirhams ($32.40 billion) in the first quarter of this year, state news agency WAM reported on Sunday.

First-quarter spending for this year rose 21.6% from the same period a year earlier, WAM reported citing the country's central bank.($1 = 3.6730 UAE dirham)

(Reporting by Hadeel Al Sayegh; Editing by Saeed Azhar)