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DATA FOR A BETTER FUTURE
In partnership with the Ministry of Community Development and National Statistical Centers
Household Income and Expenditure Survey 2019 is Announced
- The survey covers more than 20,000 households in the country in the largest socio-economic statistical project
- The fieldwork will take one year and cover all seven Emirates
- 350 field researchers will be supported by advanced statistical tools
20 December 2018 – Dubai, UAE
The Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority announced the official launch of the 2019 Household Income and Expenditure Survey at a press conference today. The announcement was made by HE Hessa bint Isa Buhamaid, Minister of Community Development and the UAE and was attended by HE Abdullah Nasser Lootah, Director General of the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority. Also present at the event was HE Humaid Rashid Humaid Al Shamsi, Secretary-General of the Executive Council of Umm Al Quwain, HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Humaid Al Qasimi , Director of Sharjah Department of Statistics and Community Development, HE Ahmad Abdulla Al Suwaidi, Director General, Statistics Center – Abu Dhabi, HE Arif Obaid Al Muhairi, Executive Director, Dubai Statistics Center, HE Dr. Ibrahim Saad, Director of Fujairah Statistics Center, Dr Ibrahim Akoum, Executive Director, Ras Al Khaimah Center for Statistics and Studies and Mrs Hessa Zayed, Fieldwork Manager, Ajman Statistics and Competitiveness Center.
During the press conference, HE Hessa bint Isa Buhamaid announced the launch of the survey’s fieldwork that will be targeting more than 20,000 Emirati and non-Emirati families distributed across the seven emirates. Her Excellency said that the UAE family has been and will remain the focus of the Ministry of Community Development and all government agencies for decades and until this very moment. This focus, she added, will grow further in the future in accordance with the directives of the UAE leadership. Her Excellence also noted “The happiness of the UAE community and ensuring prosperity and sustainable development is the focus of our attention, which is why we work with the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority and all national statistical centers on the Household Income and Expenditure Survey Project.”
“We recognize the importance of this survey because it provides data and statistics that are an accurate reflection of the income and expenditure levels at a household level in the country. Thus, decision makers will be able to utilize the data produced by the survey to design, launch and implement various impactful social and economic programs aimed at improving all aspects of life for individuals and families such as housing, education and health; reiterating the UAE’s status as a destination for happiness and prosperity,” Added HE Buhmaid.
Her Excellency also stressed the importance of the families’ response and cooperation, “Cooperating with with the field researchers is imperative for the success of this important national project.”
HE Abdulla Nasser Lootah, expressed his excitement in launching the Household survey. “We are proud to launch the Household Income and Expenditure Survey 2019. This national project, which is being implemented over a period of one year, reflects the strong cooperation, collaboration and teamwork spirit between the Ministry of Community Development and the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority and all national statistical centers in the UAE,” he added. “This survey is regarded as one of the most importance statistical projects because of the type of data it produces. Data that is crucial for any decision makers who is seeking to develop strategic plans and initiatives that can positivity impact the lives of families in the UAE”
Approximately 350 field operators, consisting of observers, supervisors, researchers and experts spread across all emirates, will be working on the project. This number does not include the office staff providing support at the FCSA and national statistics office.
All field teams attended intensive training and are equipped with latest advanced field tools and methodologies such as geo-spatial positioning systems, mobile applications on handheld devices, and other advanced techniques and modern statistical methods to ensure accuracy and quality of results.
| Emirate | Sample Familes per Emirates | Percentage |
| Abu Dhabi | 8784 | 42% |
| Dubai | 3816 | 18% |
| Sharjah | 2304 | 11% |
| Ajman | 1632 | 8% |
| Umm Al Quwain | 1248 | 6% |
| Ras Al Khaima | 1632 | 8% |
| Fujairah | 1296 | 6% |
| Total | 20712 | 100% |
Table (1) Sample breakdown per Emirate
The survey will help extract more than 65 indicators such as the basket of goods and services, consumer price indices, cost of living index, and price indices to help assess the level, direction and structure of the economic well-being of families.
The survey also provides accurate information on the demographic, social and economic characteristics on the components of society, including gender, age, nationality, educational level, marital status, labor force, occupation, economic activity, employment status and others.
The survey helps to update the base years of statistical indicators, such as inflation rates, as the periodicity of survey implementation extends to five years, providing seasonal coverage of household income and expenditure rates.
Session taking place on sidelines of World Data Forum will discuss how traditional statistics gathering is making way for digital forms
Dubai, October 24, 2018
The impact of the data revolution on statistics gathering and fieldwork will be an issue under the spotlight at a side session of the forthcoming United Nations World Data Forum, which is being organised by the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority (FCSA) and takes place October 22-24 at Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai.
Titled Bye ‘Bye-Bye Statistics,’ the activity being presented by Saber bin Saeed Al Harbi, Director General of GCC-Stat, will examine how advances in technology are creating breakthroughs in data collection and negating the labour intensive, traditional methods for harvesting and promulgating statistics.
“We are facing a sea-change in the way data is collected, stored, analysed and disseminated, with rapid leaps forward in technology creating a fundamental shift in the way that information is gathered. The ‘Bye-Bye Statistics’ session on the side-lines of the UN World Data Forum aims to show attendees how it is now possible to do away with time-consuming fieldwork and the compiling of static tables. It will reveal the latest developments in virtual statistics and how to best utilise data acquired from sensors, satellite imagery data and GPS integrated data,” Saber bin Saeed Al Harbi
Bye-Bye Statistics will discuss the future demographic of the statistics world, which the session coordinators say will feature fewer compilers and more analytics, with those involved in the field also being younger. It will highlight how statistics will be defined by networks instead of buildings, with the work increasingly involving smart skills and machine learning. It will also examine the process of initiating change and the policies that managers responsible for data collection can adopt to ensure that their teams become enthusiastic early adopters of the new models.
“The Bye-Bye Statistics session will examine the best ways for managers to introduce these changes to bring their teams along with them. We will be examining the various stages involved in creating successful change, such as establishing a sense of urgency, creating a guiding coalition, developing a strategy, generating short-term wins and consolidating gains,” added Saber Al Harbi
Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, Ruler of Dubai, the UN World Data Forum 2018 brings together more than 1,500 data experts, high-ranking government officials and prominent policy makers from around the world. Now in its second edition, the globally-recognised event contributes to the establishment of a scientific incubator environment to enhance the role of data and statistics in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals 2030; namely food security, health and learning.
Memorandum of Understanding will see bodies work together to meet the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals
Dubai, October 24, 2018
The Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority (FCSA), the UAE government body tasked with developing the UAE’s performance in data collection and in improving the country’s ranking across global indices, has announced that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN).
Under the terms of the agreement, the FCSA will partner with SDSN – a body that operates under the auspices of the United Nations Secretary-General to mobilise global scientific and technological expertise for sustainable development – to share knowledge and resources. The specifics of the MoU relate to SDSN’s research network on data and statistics ‘TReNDS’ and the organisations’ mutual objective of providing better-quality data to monitor sustainable development.
The agreement was signed on the sidelines of the UN World Data Forum 2018, which was hosted by the FCSA at Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai from October 22-24. The second edition of the global summit aimed at exploring ways of improving the collection and analysis of statistics to meet the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) under Agenda 2030. The signatories to the agreement were H.E. Abdullah Nasser Lootah, Director General of the FCSA and Chairman of the Organising Committee of the UN World Data Forum 2018, and Jessica Espey, Senior Adviser at SDSN.
“Our new partnership with the Sustainable Development Solutions Network will see the UAE run SDG pilot initiatives when needed to support the network’s research, while the network will reciprocate by supporting the FCSA with capacity building when possible, participating in SDG-related events where feasible, and contributing to the UAE’s annual report on SDGs. We see our relationship, which will last until at least 2020, as an important step in helping the UAE meet its obligations towards the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals,” said H.E. Lootah.
Organised by the FCSA and held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, Ruler of Dubai, the UN World Data Forum 2018 attracted more than 1,500 data experts, government officials and policy makers from around the world. Following the inaugural event in Cape Town, South Africa in 2017, the successful second edition of the Forum has established the event as the preeminent global activity to discuss the role of data and statistics in achieving the UN SDGs in the areas of food security, health and learning.
- Program Celebrated its 50th anniversary at FCSA headquarters in Dubai
Dubai, October 25, 2018
The Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority (FCSA) has hosted the third Governing Board Meeting of the International Comparison Program (ICP) at its headquarters in Dubai Festival City, marking the first time the meeting takes place in the Middle East.
Held in collaboration with the World Bank, the meeting was chaired by Statistics Austria, the country’s federal statistical office, and follows the three-day UN World Data Forum 2018, organised by the FCSA in Madinat Jumeirah on October 22-24, bringing together more than 2,500 data experts, policy-makers, and representatives from academia, private companies and civil society organisations (CSOs) from around the world.
FCSA Director General His Excellency Abdulla Nasser Lootah welcomed the Board members to the Authority’s headquarters, congratulating them on the International Comparison Program’s Golden Jubilee. “The initiative has come a long way since 1968 and has evolved into the largest statistical partnership in the world with participation from more than 200 countries, 20 institutions and many renowned experts,” H.E. said.
“The United Arab Emirates joined the programme in 2011 and is fully committed since then to all its requirements,” H.E. Lootah added, noting that the UAE was one of the first countries to implement sub-national Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) in 2015. “We believe that the ICP outcomes are very important for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), national statistics requirements, the UAE National Agenda, and competitiveness reports,” he concluded.
"Producing regular high quality data on Purchasing Power Parities is of utmost importance for reliable international economic comparisons of countries and lies at the heart of the International Comparison Programme. Strong commitment at the highest level as we have seen it from members and observers of the ICP Governing Board in its meeting in Dubai make me confident that the currently running ICP exercise will be a big success.", says Konrad Pesendorfer, Co-Chair of the ICP Governing Board and Director General of Statistics Austria.
The attending Board members discussed the overall progress made in the implementation of the ICP’s 2017 cycle and interim activities, examined regional progress reports, and evaluated outstanding risks and mitigation measures, before concluding the meeting with preparing for the ICP 2020 cycle.
The ICP is a worldwide statistical initiative led by the World Bank under the auspices of the United Nations Statistical Commission, with the main objective of providing comparable price and volume measures of gross domestic product (GDP) and its expenditure aggregates among countries within and across regions. Through a partnership with international, regional, sub-regional and national agencies, the ICP collects and compares price data and GDP expenditures to estimate and publish purchasing power parities (PPPs) of the world’s economies.
The Governing Board (GB), meanwhile, is a strategic and policy-making body, which sets the policies that govern the production of regional and global PPPs; approves the methodology and any methodological improvements; conducts outreach to policy-makers to ensure the inclusion of the ICP in the national permanent statistical work; and helps with fund-raising at country level to increase national funding for the ICP.
Austria currently co-chairs the ICP Governing Board with India; the Board includes members from Belarus, Brazil, China, Fiji, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, South Africa, Suriname, and the United States, as well as from organisations such as the Asian Development Bank, African Development Bank, International Monetary Fund, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, the United Nations Statistics Division, and the World Bank. The Statistical Office of the Commonwealth of Independent States and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (UN_ESCWA) also serve on the Board as observers.
Dubai, October 19, 2018
The Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority (FCSA) hosted the meetings of the UN Global Working Group (GWG) on Big Data across an entire day. The meetings explored the five key pillars of utilising Big Data to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the UN’s 2030 Agenda.
H.E. Abdullah Lootah, FCSA Director General and Chairman of the Organising Committee of the UN World Data Forum 2018, opened the meetings, which discussed ways to improve the quality of statistics, strategies for addressing challenges in the Big Data sector, and mechanisms to consolidate partnerships with leading statistics entities from around the world, as well as data developers and experts on Big Data.
Ms. Heather Savory, Co-Chair of the UN Big Data Group and Director-General of Data Capacity at the National Statistical Office of the United Kingdom, said: “I would like to begin by thanking the UAE for hosting these meetings, which provide an international platform and ideal environment that enhances cooperation and partnership among all sorts of institutions and organisations. We are waiting to catalyse research and development efforts to provide secure services and applications, which, in turn, can be used to implement various projects in collaboration with leading tech companies and academic institutions. We look forward to exploring the best practices that enable the international statistics community to embrace modern technologies, improve the collection of data and utilise them to drive development and achieve SDGs locally and internationally.”
Meanwhile, Niels Ploug, Co-Chair of the UN Big Data Group and Director of the Department of Social Statistics of the Statistics Office of Denmark, said: “Independent official statistics serve both governments and the private sector, providing data about economic, social and environmental sectors. With that in mind, technology and data can help outline a clear image of the challenges that lie ahead for our society. Meeting here in Dubai is ideal to address our ability to utilise these resources and we look forward to partnering with the private sector to access its data and develop wider-reaching services.”
Mohamed Hassan Ahli, Executive Director of the National Statistics and Data Sector at the FCSA, said: “The UAE is hosting GWG’s Open Day meetings, in line with the directives of our wise leadership in supporting and encouraging innovation, benefiting from the data revolution and harnessing advanced technology to achieve strategic objectives and sustainable development plans locally, regionally and internationally.”
“Big Data is the cornerstone of optimising the use of artificial intelligence to employ cutting-edge technology in forecasting the future,” Ahli added. “Such forecasts are a key pillar of data-driven strategic planning, which is used across all UAE Government entities. These meetings will undoubtedly offer an opportunity to introduce international best practices in data and statistics across economic, social, environmental, health and educational spheres.”
The GWG meeting agenda included over five sessions showcasing the most prominent experiences and expertise in harnessing Big Data to achieve SDGs.
Session 1 highlighted the developments of the GWG’s Global Platform for Big Data and its contributions to producing official statistics. It also underlined new platforms for reliable methodologies and algorithms and monitoring of Earth’s data, e.g. Earth Observation Data, to collect and analyse data and integrate AI and machine learning applications.
Exploring agriculture and crop statistics, Session 2 shed light on the experiences of Canada, Colombia and the World Food Programme through satellite imagery data. Session 3, meanwhile, focused on assessing the movement of individuals and groups through analysing data collected from mobile electronic devices and methods of utilising such data to derive statistics on tourism, migration, daily commute and refugee movements.
Session 4 dealt with price fluctuations and their impact on the future forecast of commodity prices and spending behaviours through collecting data from bar codes, as well as from store and market reports. This while Session 5 addressed the challenges of Big Data and privacy, showcasing best practices in protecting personal data and making relevant decisions.
Around the end of the sessions, members of the GWG proposed key learnings and takeaways, which included: The need for statistics offices to modernise in order to benefit from the Big Data revolution; the necessity of optimising the insights that can be gathered from satellite imagery; tapping into machine learning and artificial intelligence; benefitting from the insight provided by data sources and technologies to improve the quality and relevance of official statistics and enable better decision-making for policymakers in the UAE and abroad.
The session underlined the importance of collaboration among the global community to achieve sustainable development in this new digital economy. This includes organising major events, such as the GWG ensure that knowledge is shared among statistics offices across the globe. The main objective from this type of event is to ensure that this is done in an open, transparent and collaborative manner. In addition to enhancing official statistics, Big Data also has great potential to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals to end poverty and hunger, ensure quality education, better healthcare and more equality, all the while addressing climate change and ensuring a better future for everyone.
The UN Global World Group for Big Data comprises 22 member countries, including the UAE, represented by the FCSA, which strives to develop national competencies and seek out the latest international technologies and experiences in government Big Data programmes and initiatives. Furthermore, the GWG aims to identify international best practices and innovation-driven initiatives in terms of official statistics, particularly the applications of Big Data.
The GWG also includes nine members of international entities, including Eurostat, the GCC Statistical Center, the International Telecommunication Union, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, the United Nations Statistics Division, and the World Bank.
Dubai, October 8, 2018
The Ministry of Interior has signed a partnership agreement with the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority (FCSA) to enhance bilateral collaboration and coordination in the lead-up to the second edition of the UN World Data Forum, set to be held in Dubai’s Madinat Jumeirah on October 22-24, 2018.
The Forum brings together high-ranking officials, prominent decision makers, and more than 1,500 experts and specialists in data and statistics from all around the world. The partnership agreement allows the Ministry of Interior to showcase the latest successes achieved in the police and security sector through a data-centred approach.
The agreement was signed at the Ministry’s headquarters by His Excellency Lt. General Saif Abdullah Al Shafar, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, and H.E. Abdullah Nasser Lootah, FCSA Director General and Chairman of the Forum’s Organising Committee, in the presence of Brigadier General Mohammed Humaid bin Dalmuj Al Dhaheri, Acting Secretary-General of the Office of the Minister of Interior, and a number of FCSA officials.
The agreement is in line with both entities’ efforts to promote cooperation among institutions across the UAE to better serve the community and establish the UAE as an example to be emulated around the region and the world, all the while highlighting the country’s credentials as a prime destination for major international conferences and events.
H.E. Lt. General Al Shafar noted that signing this partnership agreement with the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority reiterates the Ministry’s commitment to supporting events and initiatives revolving around statistics in general, and the activities of the UN World Data Forum 2018, in particular, which is a notable event for the international statistics sector.
The Lt. General went on to note that the Ministry, under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister of the UAE and Minister of Interior, is committed to building excellent relationships with entities across the UAE and facilitating the exchange of knowledge and expertise among them. This, in turn, catalyses sustainable development, ensures safety and security, and helps provide advanced services.
For his part, H.E. Abdullah Nasser Lootah said: “We are happy to be collaborating with the Ministry of Interior to harmonise all efforts and ensure the UN World Data Forum 2018, held in the UAE, is a resounding success. This partnership also echoes our dedication to strengthening partnerships with all stakeholders across the UAE to ensure sustainable development, secure the country’s spot at the top of international competitiveness indexes, and highlight its role in fostering collaboration to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).”
“This partnership is an important step forward; it supports all the efforts to create a massive, centralised database for the UAE – the first of its kind in the world – firmly establishing the country as a global leader in embracing data as a key ingredient in sustainable development,” H.E. Lootah added. “It allows us to benefit from expertise, explore best practices, build national capacities, and utilise advanced technologies to mine accurate data and use it as a foundation upon which to build a better future for coming generations.”
The agreement stipulates that the two parties are to cooperate and provide all resources necessary to support the world-leading Forum that examines the role of data in accomplishing the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda. The two entities will also benefit from the Forum’s discussions and takeaways to empower national talents and hone their statistical skills. Held under the aegis of the United Nations, the World Data Forum brings together prominent data producers and consumers to launch initiatives that improve available data on health, education, income, the environment, and climate, among other areas of interest for sustainable development.
Dubai, October 3, 2018
The Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority (FCSA) organised a panel discussion titled “Data and Artificial Intelligence: An Active Role in Building the World’s Future” as part of the “Data for a Better Future for Humanity” series in the lead-up to the second UN World Data Forum, set to be held in Dubai’s Madinat Jumeirah on October 22-24, 2018.
Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, Ruler of Dubai, the Forum brings together high-ranking officials, prominent decision makers, and more than 1,500 experts and specialists in data and statistics from all around the world.
Her Excellency Sarah bint Yousif Al Amiri, Minister of State for Advanced Sciences, attended the session, along with H.E. Abdullah Nasser Lootah, FCSA Director General and Chairman of the Forum’s Organising Committee; while H.E. Ohood Ali Abdullah Al Shuhail, Director-General of Ajman Digital Government; and Eng. Bashar Kilani, Region Executive, IBM Middle East, participated in an interactive discussion with officials from statistics centres, universities and youth councils around the UAE, debating how data affects the use of artificial intelligence (AI), particularly with regards to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) locally and internationally.
H.E. Sarah Al Amiri asserted that the UAE, guided by the forward-thinking vision of its wise leadership, has espoused a proactive approach, tailored to the requirements of the Government of the Future and rooted in data as a fundamental component in decision making. This is in line with the UAE’s quest to establish its lead in various sectors and find solutions for all challenges, particularly those with direct impact on the lives of individuals and society.
“Data is the cornerstone of knowledge; and knowledge is the driving force behind positive change,” H.E. added. “With that in mind, the optimal utilisation of data and scientific research will play a key role in establishing a developed ecosystem that embraces advanced science and technology to upgrade key services and provide a better life and brighter future for all members of the community.”
“We, at the Office of the Minister of State for Advanced Science, prioritise data, research and statistics, which, we believe, play an immense role in ensuring the optimal use of advanced science and research, as per the objectives of the National Advanced Sciences Agenda 2031,” H.E. Al Amiri noted. “The Agenda seeks to establish a conducive environment to help achieve the objectives of the UAE Centennial 2071 Plan, by placing science and technology at the disposal of sectors and establishing a comprehensive database to help identify the most important challenges and create solutions to address them.”
The Minister of State for Advanced Science concluded by asserting the importance of promoting scientific research, guiding the youth, and empowering them to remain aware of advanced sciences in order to ultimately build a generation of distinguished Emirati scientists and achieve further success to reflect the best possible image of UAE youth.
For her part, H.E. Ohood Ali Abdullah Al Shuhail said: “The Ajman Government is working to build a robust database in collaboration with all Government entities and according to the Ajman 2021 vision, which, in turn, aims to achieve the UAE leadership’s vision to build a better future for our societies and coming generations.”
“Processing data through advanced technologies is fundamental for adopting artificial intelligence,” H.E. Al Shuhail continued. “With that in mind, we consider the community to be a key partner in supporting Government entities by providing the necessary data to upgrade Government operations, while the private sector’s cooperation is paramount to build a comprehensive data ecosystem that facilitates forecasting future challenges and formulating adequate solutions for them.”
“Having realised the importance of these advanced technologies early on, the UAE appointed a Minister of State for Advanced Science to the Federal Government and proceeded to work on a National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence that echoes the 2021 Advanced Science Strategy and intersects with four of its main themes in nine key sectors,” H.E. explained.
Al Shuhail noted that the Ajman Digital Government emphasises developing technological skills among young generations and to that end, it has launched a series of initiatives, collaborating with Sandooq Al Watan and other entities to launch “Emirati Coder” to train 260 students in programming and robotics. The Ajman Digital Government also collaborated with Dark Matter Group’s educational arm, Ajyal Talent Management, to introduce four new courses to the curriculum at Ajman Academy as a prelude to implementing them in schools across the emirate.
Meanwhile, Eng. Bashar Kilani began by identifying artificial intelligence as a concept, which consists of using machines to simulate human intellect, noting that the first recorded implementations of this advanced technology emerged in the 1950s and 1960s in the form of devices that analyse voices and images. With the data revolution, these technologies made their way to other areas, such as analysis, machine learning and reading.
“The successful implementation of these future technologies relies on accurate data to support decision making,” Kilani said. “Data plays a pivotal role in improving performance and customer satisfaction, increasing companies’ bottom lines, and helping employees hone their professional skills by automating repetitive tasks and allowing them to shift their focus on more important duties.”
Kilani noted that the emergence of these advanced technologies will create new jobs on the market, where two-thirds of jobs in the future are expected to be completely new, while automation and robots will take over 80% of human tasks. The IBM Region Executive cited examples where this is already happening, such as in bank transactions, self-driving vehicles and drones.
“Data is the oil of the future, and we are on the cusp of great growth in the sector and the proliferation of related professions, such as data scientist. There will be increasing demand for data scientists in engineering, data scientists in medicine, etc.” Kilani concluded. “The UAE will lead the way in utilising this data to improve performance across key sectors and maintain the UAE’s steady rise on international competitiveness indexes.”
The UN World Data Forum 2018 is the most important international gathering of data and statistics in the world. It contributes to the establishment of a scientific incubator environment to enhance the role of data and statistics in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals 2030, namely food security, health and learning.
Taking place over the course of three days, the UN World Data Forum receives support from major strategic partners, namely: The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MOFA); the Ministry of Interior (MOI); GCC Statistical Center (GCC-STAT); the Smart Dubai Office (SDO); Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA); Dubai Statistics Center (DSC); DP World; Abu Dhabi Ports; Statistics Centre – Abu Dhabi; Sharjah Department of Statistics and Community Development (DSCD); Fujairah Statistics Centre; and the General Secretariat of the Executive Council in the Emirate of Umm Al Quwain.
Cooperation with FCSA and Statistics Centers in Abu Dhabi and Dubai
Dubai, 5 May 2019
Having completed the requirements of the UAE Accredited Field Researcher License (AFRL) training program, 92 students from the Sociology Department enrolled in the Humanities and Social Sciences Faculty of the United Arab Emirates University (UAEU) got their licenses in a special ceremony held at FCSA premises. The training course was conducted in cooperation between FCSA, Statistics Center- Abu Dhabi (SCAD) and the Dubai Statistics Center (DSC) last April 2019.
The students were honored in a special recognition ceremony attended by H.E. Dr. Ateeq Al Mansouri, Associate Vice President for Student Affairs at the UAEU, H.E. Mohamed Hassan, Executive Director of the Statistics Sector at FCSA, along with a number of faculty members, trainers, program coordinators, and students.
H.E. Abdullah Lootah, Director General of the FCSA, highlighted the significance of data by saying: “Data is the key pillar for the process of decision-making, and the heart of strategies and future innovations, including artificial intelligence, robotics, and space exploration. Data is our national wealth, and we have to work hard to put data to optimal use to build our future and the future of the generations to come.”
He added: “We will find no onebetter than our sons and daughters to be entrusted with this strategic national wealth. Indeed, with the support we receive from the UAEU and the statistics centers in the UAE, and with cooperation with our society members, the UAE students will be fully able to play their role in supporting the national development process and achieving the vision and directives of our wise leadership and be one of the best countries in the world.”
H.E. Rashid Lahej Nasser Saeed Al Mansouri, Chairman of SCAD, said: “This initiative is a quantum leap to further enrich the national statistical and competitiveness work in the UAE. Statistics field requires creative human resources enjoying qualities of skillfulness, accuracy, intelligence, loyalty, and objectivity. Today, the UAEU students are joining the field teams who are committed to keep their promises they made, to meet the responsibilities they bore and to fulfill the obligations they have been entrusted upon by our wise leadership.”
H.E. Arif Obaid Al Muhairi, Executive Director of DSC, pointed out that the discipline of statistics is continually evolving with innovativestatistical products thatare rapidly accelerating in pace and diversity in application.
Al Muhairi emphasized on the importance of training programs in statistics by saying: “As a result of the variety of issues and phenomenas that are subjected to research, measurement, and evaluation, it is a must to have well-trained Emiratis who are able to keep pace with such rapid developments. Through offering training programs to our competent human resources and qualifying them to get certified in AFRL, these competent filed researchers will have the chance to join field teams who are monumental in conducting the most important stage of statistical surveys by collecting accurate and safe data.”
H.E. Dr. Ateeq Al Mansouri highlighted the significance of such initiatives in preparing students to be distinguished in their respective disciplines, productive in their communities and capable of improving their professional skills.
Dr. Al Mansouri highly appreciated the efforts exerted by the FCSA, SCAD, and DSC for providing support to the UAEU’s students. He also stressed the importance of this kind of training which links the outputs of education with the requirements of the society by equipping these students with the knowledge and skills they need.
Head of the Department of Sociology at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences of UAEU, Dr. Aqil Kazim, highly hailed the ongoing cooperation with the Department of Sociology which allowed the students to acquire applied skills in collecting data and conducting interviews while conducting social researches and be qualified to get their AFRL certificates.
He went on to say: “Training is one of the most important factors taken into consideration while preparing preparing students to join the labor market., Our department works closely with leading institutions in the UAE to provide various practical training programs, linking academic and theoretical studies with practical training experience.
92 female students from the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences were trained at the UAE University after attending a series of theoretical lectures and workshops followed by various tests.
During the one-week qualifying program, participants were introduced to various aspects of the statistical fieldwork in the UAE, data collection methodologies, types of questionnaires and surveys, techniques used for collecting responses, types of forms, data privacy protection in addition to several other topics relevant to statistics fieldwork.
The team in charge of this initiative pointed highlighted the long-term vision aiming at expanding the program through a series of practical steps, actions, and incentives to encourage competent Emirati students to join and experience this the journey of field statistics in the UAE.
Paris– Dubai, 1 May, 2019
The Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority (FCSA) participated in the meetings of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in the Middle East and Africa held in the French capital, Paris. The critical issues tackled by the participants were centered around statistics conducted in the member states.
FCSA received an invitation extended by OECD to attend the meetings and submit a working paper related to statistics. FCSA accepted the invitation and an official delegation headed by H.E. Abdullah Lootah, Director- General of FCSA, accompanied by a number of statistics and data experts and specialists attended.
In his presentation on the UAE model of the statistics sector management, H.E. Lootah shed a spotlight on how statistical work serves the process of managing the national competitiveness strategy and distinct initiatives to achieve the SDGs 2030.
“Participation in the meetings of the OECD in Paris was an important opportunity to bring before the member states the UAE’s experience in linking statistics and data with competitiveness and the SDGs,” said Lootah.
“These high-level meetings shape the economic tendencies in the future, for they are an essential element in presenting the experiences of member states and taking advantage of the successful ones. The participating delegates highly appreciated the experience of the UAE as a role model for the developed countries. The UAE methodology is based on harnessing advanced technologies and data collection and data analysis to support the efforts of the UAE for improving its level on the global competitiveness indicators, on the one hand, and for supporting national initiatives gearing towards achieving the UAE sustainable development agenda,” Lootah added.
These remarks were made during the speech of the Director-General delivered at the fourth session held under the theme of “Statistics and Global Competitiveness.”
In his speech, the Director-General talked the Global Value Chains (GVC) and using the advanced statistical tools for overcoming the various challenges and for drawing upon the available expertise and skills.
Furthermore, participants discussed the importance and advantages of trade in services, which is now growing in importance due to the extensive use of the internet and digital payment platforms around the world. This makes the trade in services an open market to the global competition where survival will be only for innovative services and products of high specialty if they meet local needs.
During his keynote speech at the 2019 Global Summit, José Angel Gurria, Secretary-General of the OECD, highly acclaimed the UAE’s economic growth. He also hailed the big projects implemented for making the UAE society happy, particularly the infrastructure and housing projects, and projects related to environment, human development and community development which all aim at providing services and ensuring all means of comfort, stability, and decent life for all the segments and nationalities living in the UAE society.
The UAE Ambassador in Washington Acknowledges FCSA’s efforts Locally and Regionally
FCSA Highly Values the Role of the UAE Diplomatic Mission in Washington in Supporting the State’s Competitiveness Efforts in Global Reports and Indicators.
New York, Dubai, 24 March 2019:
H.E. Youssef Al Otaiba, the UAE Ambassador in Washington, received H.E. Hanan Ahli, the Executive Director of the Competitiveness Sector in the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority (FCSA), and the head of the UAE delegation visiting Washington D.C. to meet several representatives of the international institutions and organizations.
The UAE Ambassador welcomed the visiting delegation and highly commended FCSA’s efforts channeled to improve the performance of the UAE in the reports and indicators of global competitiveness and to support statistics and data sector.
H.E. the Ambassador discussed with the delegation different methods to boost and support the efforts of the UAE at the global level in all areas under the responsibility of the Authority. Al Otaiba praised the spirit of joint cooperation and action between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and the UAE’s diplomatic missions with the federal and local government authorities.
HE acknowledge the ongoing cooperation to serve the best interests of the UAEand enhancing international standing by achieving the vision of the wise leadership to realize the national agenda and the UAE Vision2071.
During the meeting, the delegation highlighted the achievements of FCSA and its partners of federal and local government institutions, in particular, the members of the executive teams concerned with the competitiveness reports, such as the Ease of Doing Business Report issued by World Bank.
A number of records were also tackled, such as hosting the world’s most important activities and events related to the statistics and data sector by the State. This included hosting the second session of the United Nations World Data Forum in October 2018 by the UAE, as an additional opportunity to meet with stakeholders and focus on how to harness data power to serve humanity.
H.E. Reem Bint Ibrahim Al Hashimy, Minister of State for International Cooperation and President of the National Committee for Sustainable Development Goals, said that since its inception, the UAE has placed sustainable development at the heart of its plans and strategies to ensure prosperity and development, noting the importance of cooperation between all parties, integrating the government and private sectors and strengthening partnership with the community to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
This came during her Excellency’s participation in the meeting of the National Committee for Sustainable Development Goals held under the umbrella of the Sustainability Wing of Expo 2020 Dubai in the presence of H.E. Hanan Ahli, Acting Director of the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre (FCSC), and government officials from the members of the National Committee for SDGs. During which the most important initiatives and steps taken by the members of the Committee were reviewed to ensure that the achievement of the goals in the UAE is strengthened and future efforts and plans are discussed in this regard.
Initiatives
H.E. Reem Al Hashimy said that the UAE government under the guidance of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, Ruler of Dubai, is keen to be at the forefront of active contributors globally in launching initiatives to assist human communities in achieving sustainable development goals. This is based on His Highness’s vision that shaping the future is not merely impromptu decisions, but rather strategic plans based on knowledge and clear objectives grounded in analytical data and accurate realistic information.
She said: “What distinguishes our meeting today is that we meet in this unique place “Expo 2020” in the heart of the UAE sustainability wing at Expo 2020 to link the vision of the past to the efforts of the present and the aspirations of the future and start the “decade of work” in conjunction with the 5th anniversary of the establishment of the National Committee on Sustainable Development Goals.”
Her Excellency stated, “The participating government entities in the committee contribute to enhancing the country’s efforts in supporting sustainable development goals by highlighting the most prominent efforts and initiatives implemented both locally and internationally. The global partnerships adopted by the United Arab Emirates to assist countries and communities worldwide, through the facilitations and logistical support services provided by the country during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the medical and food aid extended to various countries, all align with sustainable development goals such as eradicating hunger, combating poverty, providing good health, and other objectives.”
She commended the efforts of the committee members and their keenness to achieve the sustainable development goals in the country at the local, regional and international levels, stressing that the Sustainable Development Goals before they be a global approach and a UN agenda are essentially a humanitarian task to improve societies and promote human life, which is the basis of development projects in societies, pointing out that the Sustainable Development Goals represent a large and important part of Expo 2020, where this international event represents an unprecedented opportunity for the world to ensure a sustainable future and bring about change. Positive and looking forward to new prospects in the field of sustainability in the UAE and the world.
She praised the efforts of the committee members and their commitment to achieving sustainable development goals in the country at the local, regional, and international levels. She affirmed that sustainable development goals, before being a global approach and a UN agenda, are fundamentally a humanitarian mission to uplift societies and enhance human life, which is the foundation of development projects in communities. She pointed out that sustainable development goals are a significant and integral part of Expo 2020, where this international event represents an unprecedented opportunity for the world to ensure a sustainable future, create positive change, and envision new horizons in the field of sustainability at the level of the United Arab Emirates and the world.
Her Excellency highlighted that the UAE has made significant strides in the realm of sustainable development. International institutions closely monitoring the country’s performance in various competitive indicators associated with sustainable development have recognized its achievements. The UAE excelled globally in 97 competitive indicators related to sustainable development goals and secured a position among the top ten in 268 other indicators. In its pursuit of regional and international leadership, the government has been actively working to attain the Sustainable Development Goals. Additionally, there is a concerted effort to foster partnerships between the government and private sectors to make sustainable development a top community priority in the UAE.
She stated, “Integrated data provided by government and private entities play a crucial role in enhancing the UAE’s efforts to achieve sustainable development goals across various vital sectors. This includes the development of innovative initiatives and making informed decisions based on accurate data.” She emphasized the importance of leveraging the global platform of Expo 2020 and the international events and activities it hosts. This platform serves as an opportunity to showcase the successful experience of the UAE in achieving these goals to the world.
Competitive
The participants in the meeting reviewed the performance of the UAE in major global competitiveness reports, which include indicators related to sustainable development goals. Committee members also discussed the importance of providing open data through official platforms, emphasizing its contribution to achieving sustainable development goals and enhancing the country’s performance in the Open Data Inventory report. They also delved into mechanisms for identifying priority statistical indicators related to sustainable development goals and their alignment with the timeline for measuring indicators of sustainable development goals.
UAE Participation in the 50th Annual Meeting of the International Statistical Commission
- Nusseibeh: Data plays a vital role in enhancing the reputation of the UAE
- Lootah: The Permanent Mission is making every effort in support of the visiting delegations
Dubai, March 9, 2019
The UAE official delegation participating in the 50th Annual Meeting of the International Statistical Commission headed by H.E. Abdulla Nasser Lootah, Director-General of the Federal Authority for Competitiveness and Statistics (FCSA), paid a courtesy visit to the UAE Permanent Mission to UN in New York.
The delegation was received by HE Ms. Lana Zaki Nusseibeh, the UAE Permanent Representative to the UN. During the meeting, they discussed the role of national statistical centers in providing, making available and disseminating data, in addition to other several topics and issues of mutual interest.
H.E. Lana Nusseibeh underlined the importance of the role of data in achieving sustainable development. She stated: “Indeed, the participation of the UAE delegation in the meetings of the UN International Statistical Committee and exhibiting UAE’s efforts in this field will contribute in elevating the reputation of our dearest homeland as one of the most committed countries in consolidating the international partnership and cooperation and supporting the global sustainable development goals through innovation, global partnerships, modern technologies, artificial intelligence and other sectors that shape the future of UAE and the role of UAE future generations will play.”
H.E. Lana Nusseibeh hailed the diligent and dedicated efforts of the delegation for their contributions to the progress of UAE rank in one of the most critical global competitiveness reports and indicators.
The UAE delegation participating in the International Statistical Commission includes a number of the senior officials of the statistics and data centers in the UAE.
In his turn, H.E. Abdullah Naser Lootah, Director-General of FCSA expressed his gratitude for the outstanding role played by the Permanent Mission of UAE to UN, especially in supporting the State delegations in their official missions.
He said: “The Permanent Mission of the State at the United Nations has always been a pioneer in facilitating the tasks of official missions from the UAE with all efforts to overcome any obstacles which may be faced by any of the members of the delegation.”
The UAE delegation is participating intensely in this year’s annual meetings of the United Nations Statistical Committee, following the hosting of the United Nations World Data Forum by the State at its second session held in Dubai in October last year. The State’s hosting of this forum has a tangible impact on data experts, statistics and national competencies in the country as a result of the exchange of information, experiences and the best success stories of data and statistics.
H.E. Abdullah Nasser Lootah highlighted , during his meetings with all directors of statistics centers in the world participating in the meetings of the Statistical Committee, the importance of putting the “Dubai Declaration” into effect so that the countries of the world can continue their march towards achieving SDGs agenda in 2030.”
At the end of the meeting, H.E. Lana Nusseibeh thanked the delegation of the FCSA for visiting the headquarters of the Permanent Mission in New York and wished them success in their meetings at the fiftieth session of the International Statistical Commission in New York.
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