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DATA FOR A BETTER FUTURE

Press Release
Household Income and Expenditure Survey 2019 is Announced
Asset 11
24 Dec 2018

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.

‘Bye-Bye Statistics’ to Highlight Revolution in Data Collection
Asset 11
20 Nov 2018

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.

FCSA Signs Agreement to Partner with United Nation’s Sustainable Development Solutions Network
Asset 11
20 Nov 2018

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.

In collaboration with the World Bank Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority Hosts 3rd Governing Board Meeting of International Comparison Program
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25 Oct 2018

  • Program Celebrated its 50th anniversary at FCSA headquarters in Dubai

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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.

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Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority Hosts ‘Global Working Group for Big Data’ Meetings in Dubai
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21 Oct 2018

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.

Ministry of Interior Signs Partnership Agreement with Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority
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08 Oct 2018

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.

Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority Organises Panel Discussion on Utilising Data and Artificial Intelligence in Sustainable Development
Asset 11
04 Oct 2018

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.

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Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre builds the capabilities of its employees in the fields of programming and data science
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02 Nov 2023

Dubai, Nov. 2 (WAM) — The Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre (FCSC) has launched an initiative to build the capabilities of its employees in the fields of programming, data science, artificial intelligence and machine learning, through a digital training platform that provides interactive courses and workshops, in partnership with the global platform "Data Camp" specialized in training and capacity building in the fields of data science and artificial intelligence.

​The launch of the capacity development initiative "Grow@FCSC", was featured as part of the “Project Showcase" segment for UAE Codes 2023. This day was launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, as an annual national occasion to celebrate the community of programmers in the country on October 29 of each year.

H.E. Mohamed Hassan, Executive Director of the Statistics and Data Science Sector at the FCSC, stressed the Centre’s keenness to build the capabilities of the employees on a sustainable basis, ensuring that they keep pace with the most prominent technological developments in the fields of data science, artificial intelligence, and advanced technological solutions, in a way that enhances their capabilities and benefit from the program.

His Excellency said that the platform was developed by specialists in the fields of learning, training, institutional business intelligence and data science, pointing out that the capacity development initiative "Grow@FCSC" represents a virtual training camp centered on data science that can be accessed through participation in webinars, to enhance learning levels, and keep up-to-date  with the latest developments in institutional business intelligence and data science.

The training program adopts a unique model that combines courses, workshops, and competitions which enables participants to acquire the skills and experience required to keep pace with the rapid technological advancements in data science and artificial intelligence. The participants of the program receive experience in the tracks they successfully complete, which include data engineering, business analysis, statistics and advanced modeling, machine learning skills, reporting and programming basics, and data processing and analysis. The program engages them with interactive experiences to enable the participent to acquire advanced skills in the use of tables and coding tools, taking advantage of advanced technology tools and solutions.

It is noteworthy that His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, directed the adoption of October 29 of each year, as a day of programming bearing the slogan "UAE Codes", to upgrade the capabilities of talents and pioneering minds and qualify them in the fields of programming and the use of modern technology. Dedicating a day for programming reflects the UAE government’s efforts to enhance the process of development and comprehensive digital transformation, and supports the efforts of the National Program for Coders to help talented people master and excel in the programming field, and motivate them to be ready to deal with the requirements of the future with high efficiency.

National SDGs launches “Studio 2030” podcast to enhance community awareness
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09 Oct 2023

Dubai, Oct. 9 — The National Committee for Sustainable Development Goals (NSGs), in partnership with the Bostirti Institute and the Global Council on Sustainable Development Goal 13, has launched the first-of-its-kind Studio 2030 podcast that provides content on sustainability in Arabic, aimed at members of the community.

The podcast aims to provide rich content on sustainability, to keep pace with the more severe impacts of climate change, environmental, social and economic challenges in the Middle East and North Africa, and seeks to raise community awareness of the climate and sustainability challenges associated with the global sustainable development goals, by introducing them in a simplified manner, which contributes to enhancing community participation in building the future.

Studio 2030 podcast will be presented by Ibrahim Al-Zoubi, President of the Global Council for Sustainable Development Goals No. 13 (Climate Change Action), and the podcast will be broadcast across various platforms such as YouTube, Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Podio, Spotify, and Anghami Podcast.

H.E. Abdullah Nasser Lootah, Assistant Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Competitiveness and Knowledge Exchange, said The Chairman of the National Committee for Sustainable Development Goals said that active community participation in supporting governments’ efforts to achieve the global sustainable development goals is a key factor to accelerate the achievement of sustainability goals, and to consolidate their culture and practices as an approach to community life, pointing out that the podcast "Studio 2030" will work to enhance and build community awareness, and provide members of Arabic-speaking communities with a new perspective focused on achieving sustainability, and continuous work to address the major global challenges that we will witness in the future.

He said that the initiative of the National Committee for Sustainable Development Goals to launch this platform distinguished in its content and the way it presents global sustainability challenges, comes as part of the government’s efforts to support the country’s initiatives, enhance its leading global role in shaping the future, and participate in leading the global pace seeking to achieve the global sustainable development goals.

Ibrahim Al Zoubi, President of the Global Council for Sustainable Development Goals on SDG 13 (Climate Change Action), said: "Studio 2030 podcast will present the latest developments and solutions related to the SDGs and their impact. to the world and the Middle East and Africa region in particular, and will reveal the most prominent solutions and aspects of cooperation between all segments of society to achieve these goals." "I am honored to host the most prominent minds and guests who will enrich the discussion and share their practical experiences."

Through its platform, Studio 2030 podcast brings together experts, innovators and thinkers to talk about the Sustainable Development Goals, and in each episode, its followers will discover new ideas, challenges and innovative solutions to build a more sustainable and inclusive future, in addition to the latest trends in sustainable development and its links to daily life.

The podcast series will address key global and regional trends, showcase their potential impact on the MENA region and emerging markets, and provide actionable guidance, while Studio 2030 will introduce the community to how to implement the SDGs locally, ongoing initiatives, innovative solutions and emerging technologies that allow countries to overcome challenges. The

​UAE’s National Committee for Sustainable Development Goals was formed in January 2017 and chaired by H.E. Reem bint Ibrahim Al Hashemi, Minister of State for International Cooperation, The Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Center is the secretariat of the committee, which includes the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and 13 federal government entities. The Committee aligns the SDGs with national priorities, supports the implementation of the SDGs, and collaborates with local and international partners to expand the circle of active participants in the implementation of the United Nations Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals 2030.

The General Women’s Union (GWU) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre (FCSC) to improve the production and management of data on women in the UAE.
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27 Sep 2023

ABU DHABI, 27th September, 2023

Their collaboration also aims to improve the country’s stature in quality of life and competitiveness indexes related to women in international reports.

Noura Al Suwaidi, Secretary-General of the GWU, and Hanan Ahli, Director of the FCSC, signed the MoU.

Al Suwaidi stressed that the optimal utilisation of data and technology could help provide accurate information for decision-makers in a timely manner, allowing them to adopt a forward-looking vision.

She also highlighted the importance of strengthening partnerships with relevant national entities, which will allow the GWU to implement the directives of H.H. Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, the “Mother of the Nation", Chairwoman of the General Women’s Union (GWU), President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, and Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation (FDF), and translate them into effective initiatives and strategies that outline a sustainable future for women and strengthen the role of Emirati women in all aspects of life.

Ahli highlighted the importance of leveraging information and statistics to improve decision-making and draft policies that affect women’s empowerment.

​The MoU will enable the drafting of innovative strategies and initiatives that strengthen the role of Emirati women, highlight the UAE’s related efforts, and improve the country’s performance in international competitiveness indexes, she added.​

Launching “Road to Sustainability” to enhance community awareness
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18 Aug 2023

The National Committee for Sustainable Development Goals, in partnership with Emirates Transport, launched the "Road to Sustainability" campaign, which is organized as part of the UAE government’s efforts and projects in the Year of Sustainability, and within the framework of initiatives to enhance community awareness of the global sustainable development goals, and the importance of achieving them to ensure a better future for societies. A large number of government agencies and companies are participating in the campaign at the national level, and will continue until the end of 2024, and aims to spread awareness at the national level of the global goals for sustainable development.

H.E. Abdullah Lootah, Deputy Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Competitiveness and Knowledge Exchange, Deputy Chairman of the National Committee on Sustainable Development Goals, stressed that the campaign embodies the UAE government’s approach to motivating community members to adopt a sustainable lifestyle that contributes to building a better world for future generations.

Alex Rentier, CEO of Emirates Transport, expressed the company’s blessing for this purposeful national campaign.

The campaign was launched at the Head Office Building of the Emirates Transport in Dubai, in the presence of H.E. Abdullah Lootah and Shatha Al Hashimi, an advisor in the Government Experience Exchange Office. The event included a presentation that discussed the history of transportation in the UAE since its inception and gave a brief overview of its services. Following that, the "oad to Sustainability" started from its first station at the company’s headquarters, commencing its extended agenda until the end of the next year. The campaign utilizes an electric bus provided by the company to facilitate the team’s travels to various stations, destinations, and entities across different regions of the country.

​Khaled Shukr, the Director of Quality, Environment, Safety, and Occupational Health Department at Emirates Transport, explained that the electric bus has a capacity for 41 passengers in addition to the driver. It operates on a 315-kilowatt-hour battery that can be fast-charged in one hour and forty minutes (with a 180-kilowatt charger), allowing it to travel approximately 300 kilometers on a single charge.

Partnership agreements between the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Center and international institutions producing smart data
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16 Feb 2023

​Dubai, Feb. 16 (WAM) — In a move to promote digital transformation in the UAE and to employ big data to support decision-making, the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Center (FCCC) announced on the sidelines of the World Government Summit, which concluded yesterday in Dubai, the signing of cooperation agreements and strategic partnerships with the aim of benefiting from the large inventory of big data produced by major international and national companies producing data, thus contributing to supporting decision-making and building development policies and strategic initiatives.

The cooperation and partnership agreements signed by the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Center included the signing of an agreement with Visa, a global leader in digital payments, as well as an agreement with Majid Al Futtaim, one of the oldest national brands with a regional reach, which owns a major chain of shopping malls, stores and entertainment establishments in the Middle East and North Africa.

– Visa and partnership in vital sectors.

Under the cooperation agreement with Visa, the UAE government, represented by the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Center, will be able to develop development initiatives. Based on the data provided by Visa to the health, education, tourism, consumption and other vital sectors data, which contributes to drawing an accurate perception of reality that is reflected on the community through innovative government initiatives, which contribute to improving the quality of life and promoting sustainable well-being.

– Majid Al Futtaim, mutual collaboration for knowledge partnerships. According to the agreement signed between the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre and Majid Al Futtaim, the two parties will work together to cooperate in the fields of statistical data and information, exchange experiences and information to enhance the country’s competitiveness in global reports and indicators, in addition to cooperation in the implementation of statistical surveys, training and holding seminars and workshops related to data science and statistics.

Joe Abi Akl, Chief Corporate Development Officer and Chief Communications Officer, Majid Al Futtaim Holding, stressed the importance of strategic partnerships and understandings between the public and private sectors, which represent an added value in optimizing the use of data to support innovative initiatives and knowledge-based government policies.

It is worth noting that all data The resulting agreements of understanding concluded between the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Center and its strategic partners are guaranteed confidentiality and protected by the Federal Law on the Protection of Personal Data, which represents an integrated framework to ensure the confidentiality of information, and protect the privacy of community members by providing sound governance for data management and protection, as the law defines the general frameworks for dealing with data, how to collect, process and store it, means to ensure its protection, and the rights and duties of all concerned parties.

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“RASMI” Initiative

A strategic initiative within the "Unified UAE Numbers" project, which was launched by His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court.

“RASMI” is a mark of accreditation for national data and statistics issued by the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre, across all vital sectors, to create new bridges for the UAE through unified, accurate and consistent data and statistics.

The “RASMI” accreditation mark aims to:

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Highlight the strength of the Unified UAE Numbers to support the UAE’s global competitiveness journey.

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Ensure the highest levels of transparency and accuracy in producing national data.

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Reduce duplication and support mechanisms for integration and coordination between federal and local data-producing entities.

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Enhance community trust in published national data and statistics.

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Raise statistical awareness among individuals in society through interactive visual content.

مبــــــادرة "رســـــــمي"

هي مبادرة استراتيجية ضمن مشروع "أرقام الإمارات الموحدة" الذي أطلقه سمو الشيخ منصور بن زايد آل نهيان، نائب رئيس الدولة نائب رئيس مجلس الوزراء، رئيس ديوان الرئاسة، بمثابة علامة اعتماد للبيانات والإحصاءات الوطنية الصادرة عن المركز الاتحادي للتنافسية والإحصاء لكافة القطاعات الحيوية لمد جسور جديدة لدولة الإمارات عبر بيانات وإحصاءات موحدة ودقيقة ومتسقة.

تهـــدف علامــــة اعتمــــاد "رســــمي" لـ:

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إبـــــراز قـــــوة أرقـــــام الإمـــــارات المـــــوحدة، لدعـــــم مسيـــــرتنــــــا في التنــــــافسيــــــة العــــــالميــــــة.

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ضمــــــان أعــلى درجــــــات الشـــــفـــــافيــــة والــــــدقــــة في إنتــــــاج لبيــــانــــــات الـــــــوطنيــــــة.

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دعـــــم آليـــــــات التكـــــــامل والتنسيـــــــق بيــــــن الجهـــــات الاتحادية والمحـــــلية المنتجــــــة للبيانــــــات لتقــــــليـــــــل الازدواجيـــــة.

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تعـــــزيـــــــز ثقـــــــة المجتمــــــع فـــــي البيـــــــانــــــات والإحصــــــاءات الــــــوطنيـــــــة المنشـــــــورة.

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نشـــــــر الـــــــوعي الإحصـــــــائي بيـــــــن أفــــــراد المـــــــجتمع عبـــــــر محتــــــوى مـــــــرئي تفــــــــاعلي.