Media Center
DATA FOR A BETTER FUTURE
- Release of the first edition of the report titled "From Goals to Reality: UAE and 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development"
- Introducing UAE SDGs Portal
- Discussing National Plan to Achieve SDGs and Collaboration of all Stakeholders.
Dubai, United Arab Emirates: 27 April 2017
Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority (FCSA) chaired the first meeting of National Committee on Sustainable Development Goals formed upon a decision made by H.E. Reem Bint Ibrahim Al Hashemi, Minister of State for International Cooperation and FCSA Chairman.
The first meeting of the committee witnessed the release of a report titled "From Goals to Reality: UAE and 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development", which includes a record of a wide variety of UAE achievements in 2016, and their relevance to the 17 goals.
This edition of the book is the first, and has been produced by the FCSA and in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation’s team. Further editions of this book will be released annually to monitor achievement of SDGs indicators from all aspects, in addition to shedding light of the achievements of National Committee on Sustainable Development Goals.
The committee members also agreed no developing a national plan that monitors and follows up on committee activities, initiatives and governance. The plan should also links to key and important indicators such as global competitiveness reports and UAE ranking, to achieving the national agenda and SDGs and their prioritization, since the achievement of any of these themes reflects positively on achieving the goals of other aspects, which is needed by the decision makers.
During the course of the meeting, representatives of the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority presented smart SDGs Web Portal; a project launched about earlier this month in the presence of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, during his follow-up on the projects of UAE National Agenda and Vision 2021.
HE Reem Bint Ibrahim Al Hashemy, Minister of State for International Cooperation and Chairman of the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority, stressed that the work of the National Committee for Sustainable Development aims to complement the development process launched by the Founding Fathers of the UAE. "The wise leadership has a well-defined national economic and social development plan and goals, and the country’s strategy for Vision 2021 is a true reflection of our leaders’ vision of the future of the UAE and its people," she said. Her Excellency thanked all members of the Committee for their efforts and wished them success in achieving the objectives of the Committee and the success of its mission.
HE Abdullah Naser lootah, Director General of FCSA, said "We are very pleased with the success of the first meeting of members of the National Committee on Sustainable Development Goals and the level of commitment and enthusiasm we have seen from the members of various governmental bodies. Formation of the Committee is a translation of the trust bestowed by the UAE wise leadership upon our government institutions thanks to the efforts of their members and their joint work, which serve the interests of the State and its advancement towards globally advanced levels in all fields."
Lootah added that a number of pivotal points were agreed upon at the meeting, which will be followed up in future meetings such as the preparation of an operational plan for the years 2017-2021, which will be updated periodically and in line with regional and global changes. It was also agreed to develop a simulation system for SDG indicators that helps the team to look into the future and all that may affect the performance of indicators from internal or external factors.
"We have had a successful experience in the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority for years in developing and harnessing the power of simulation systems to identify successful goals and strategies in improving global competitiveness, and we will harness this experience to support the SDG committee teams to achieve the goals of the National Commission for Sustainable Development," he said.
Engineer Khaled Harmoudi, Director at Government Performance Department of Ministry of Cabinet Affairs and the Future, said: "The objective of the UAE government is to maintain a happier community through sustainable development in the state. There is a need for the government to focus on the social and economic development goals. Hence, National Committee on Sustainable Development Goals’ meeting aims to focus on four pivotal aspects: society, economy, foreign relations and environment. Our goal at the Ministry of cabinet Affairs and the Future is to align the sustainable development indicators and the indicators of the National Agenda and the initiatives that support achieving UAE Vision 2021".
"Today’s meeting is a gathering of all government bodies under one roof to harmonize the National Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals, with a view to cooperate and coordinate to achieve the strategic goals of the State. We, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, shall be a point of contact between the members of the Committee and all our external partners, where our role is to focus on linking the humanitarian assistance with the related sustainable development goals; i.e. eradicating hunger and poverty, supporting education and other goals with humanitarian and social dimension. ", added Mr. Yacoub Yousef Al-Hosani, Assistant Minister for Foreign Organizations Affairs at Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
On her part, Amal Mohamed Alkous, Secretary General of the National Commission for Education, Culture, Science and Communication for UNESCO and the National Coordinator of Education Agenda 2030 said: "SDGs target all countries and individuals without discrimination globally, under a unified global framework, thus a unified regional framework, which helps to joint planning and utilization of local and international expertise, in order to achieve sustainability and development in the specific areas. This global framework provides an opportunity for UN Member States and relevant organizations; such as UNESCO and others, to launch joint and supportive initiatives and policies and to promote qualitative global and regional cooperation that contributes to effective capacity-building. On its national level, the UAE is always ahead of unlimited efforts linked to the national agenda and the national strategic plans. This requires the existence of a National Committee on Sustainable Development goals to reflect these efforts through a clear vision and strategic and operational plan to serve the country in the coming years to 2030".
Alia Zaid Harbi, Director of the Center for Statistics and Health Research at the Ministry of Health and Prevention, concluded saying: "The process of managing, organizing and achieving the goals of sustainable development will help to improve the performance of the country in all development indicators, so as to be in line with the world’s leading countries in this field. And here lies the importance of the strategic role of the National Committee on Sustainable Development Goals, through which we will work to achieve our national goals and the UAE shall become one of the first leading countries in the world".
The meetings will be held periodically to follow up on the tasks and initiatives of the Committee, which are concerned with determining priority sustainable development goals, coordinating among the competent authorities in the state in all matters related to SDGs , exchanging information about them and proposing procedures and systems supporting their work, in addition to preparing reports on the status of the state and the efforts exerted to achieve the goals of sustainable development, identifying the data relevant to each body, supporting the work of the Committee and establishing a dedicated database for achieving SDGs nationwide.
Competed against Switzerland, Finland, Mexico and other bidding nations
Cape Town, SA, Dubai, UAE – January 18, 2017
The organizing committee of the UN World Data Forum announced today that the UAE is the destination of choice for the event’s second edition in 2018. Currently in session in Cape Town, South Africa and attended by over 1500 global data expert, the four-day knowledge event hosts scientists, government officials, private sector leaders and academics to share knowledge, ideas and best practices on gathering valuable data, and how data can support countries’ drive toward achieving UN Sustainable development goals.
Switzerland, Finland, Mexico, UAE and a number of countries applied to host the event’s second cycle in 2018. National bid teams presented the hosting files to UN officials for assessment and evaluation. The World Data Forum organizing committee decided, after careful assessment, that the UAE will be the hosting country of the event in 2018.
A team from the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority (FCSA) managed UAE’s bid dossier for the forum. The bid file presented UAE’s capability to host and organize large-scale events of all sort of theme and subjects. Some of the key points highlighted in the bid file is the availability of an advanced infrastructure, a wide area of hotels and high-tech conference facilities that can accommodate the largest events and activities, and served by the world’s top talented event management companies and individuals. In addition to the fact that UAE is ranked as one of the safest countries in the world.
"I am delighted and proud of this achievement,” said Her Excellency Reem Bint Ebrahim Al Hashimy, Minister of State for International Cooperation and Chairwoman of the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority. “I would like to congratulation the UAE leadership and people for this important accomplishment. Selecting the UAE asserts our leadership’s commitment to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals 2030, and hosting the World Data Forum reconfirms the UAE’s growing role within the international community. We aspire that the World Data Forum to become a platform for a global roadmap for excellence in data management and utilization, and to serve the UAE and the entire international community."
"The FCSA team put great efforts into building and presenting a compelling bid file. We were competing against countries that have a long history in hosting highly attended international events. Thankfully, the FCSA team was successful in presenting UAE’s capability to host the World Data Forum, thanks to the nation’s excellent record of accomplishments in hosting similar events and forums that discuss innovation, data and knowledge. We look forward to hosting the World Data Forum in 2018, as it will take us closer to achieving UAE vision 2021 and the sustainable development goals," added Abdulla Lootah, director general of the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority.
International Recognition:
Welcoming the announcement of the selection, various international officials congratulated the UAE on winning the hosting bid, and expressed their excitement on choosing the UAE as a location for the second edition of the World Data Forum in 2018.
We at the United Nations Statistics Division are looking forward to working with the colleagues from the United Arab Emirates to organize together an open and inclusive 2nd World Data Forum. This will be a unique opportunity to strengthen data and statistical systems for development not only at the national, but also at the regional and global level."said Mr. Stefan Schweinfest, Director, United Nations Statistics Division.
Dr Pali Lehohla, Statistician-General of the Republic of South Africa and Head of Statistics South Africa and host of the current World Data Forum 2017 stated "On behalf of Statistics South Africa, the host of the 1st UN World Data Forum, I would like to congratulate Director-General Mr Abdullah Lootah, as well as the Boards, Advisory Committees, and staff at Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority and all statistics centres as well as the people of United Arab Emirates for being selected as the hosts of the 2nd UN World Data Forum. We look forward to continue the pursuit of prosperity for the planet and its people through the Sustainable Development Goals Agenda (Vision 2030) in your beautiful country during the 2nd UN World Data Forum. We applaud all those involved in bidding for hosting the Forum and wish to let you know that Statistics South Africa is available to assist wherever possible."
"Statistics Denmark is looking forward to participating in the 2nd World Data Forum in Dubai as the event will have a major impact on the region’s production of statistics and strengthen the UAE role in the global statistical community," said Mr. Jørgen Elmeskov, Director General, Statistics Denmark.
Pride and Excitement within the UAE data and statistics community:
His Excellency Ali Mohammad Hammad Al Shamsi as Deputy Secretary-General of the Supreme National Security Council said, "the UAE is always the pioneer in hosting leading global forums and events, especially ones that discuss knowledge and innovation; and for the UAE to win the hosting of UN Data Forum 2018, this is an important accomplishment for the development of statistics, open and big data fields in the UAE. Fields considered today as one of the most important foundations required for government policy and decision making."
"The UAE proved its ability to host some of the world’s most important knowledge forums that gather the best expertise from around the globe. That is attributed to the ongoing policy adopted by the wise leadership in making science, knowledge and innovation as the basis of social, cultural and economic growth and development," said His Excellency Rashed Lahej Nasser Said Al Mansouri, Chairman of Statistics Centre-Abu Dhabi and Director General of Abu Dhabi Systems and Information Center (ADSIC)
"We are proud that we will be able to gather the world’s elite in data and statistics under one roof in the UAE in 2018. Hosting the World Data Forum will be a strong boost for the national agenda, as the event will assert the importance of producing accurate, up-to-date and detailed data on population, health, education, environment and other developmental pillars," said His Excellency Abdulla Abdul Rahman Al Shaibani – Secretary General of the Executive Council of Dubai.
"UAE’s hosting of the World Data Forum reflects the wise leadership’s direction and objective for the UAE to be the number one destination for the world’s best minds and expertise, especially in the fields of data and statistics," said his Excellency Sultan Bin Butti Al Muhairi, Secretary General, Sharjah Executive Council.
"We are proud that the UAE will host the UN World Data Forum in 2018. Being able to gather the world’s top experts in the field of data and statistics will add great value in addressing the challenges the world face in gathering accurate statistics, and we will be able to draw unified roadmaps and methodologies for global statistical standards," said His Excellency Engineer Saeed Saif Al Matrooshi, Secretary-General of the Executive Council of Ajman.
"This accomplishment is a step forward in development the statistical ecosystem and providing better data, which is what we constantly work on achieving here in the UAE. Being selected to host the World Data Forum is a great opportunity to support the sustainable development goals 2030, and can also help unify the language that statisticians and data scientists use to produce data," said His Excellency Humaid bin Rashid bin Humaid Al Shamsi, Secretary-General of the Executive Council, Um Al Quwain.
"The UN Data Forum is a global forum that specializes in data and statistics and the UAE hosting is in 2018 is a great undertaking that will call for the collaboration of all related entities in the UAE to produce a great event, with positive and beneficial outcomes," His Excellency Mohammed Saeed Al Dhanhani, Fujairah Emiri Court.
"We are delighted that the UAE will host another global forum on data and invite the worlds’ best data practitioners to the country. This event is a global platform aimed for sharing ideas and proposing innovative initiatives in the field of data management, and confirms data’s vital role in dealing with developmental challenges, and how to utilize this data to fulfil future vision and produce an integrated framework of recommendation, for the purpose of excelling in the field of data," said his Excellency Dr Mohammed Abdullatif Khalifa, Secretary General, Executive Council, Ras Al Khaima.
"I am fully confident that the UN World Data Forum 2018 which the UAE will host for the first time, and FCSA will support in organizing, will wittiness exceptional collaboration between some of the world’s statistical offices and work on the continuous enhancement of global statistical frameworks, and devising practical solutions for all the challenges statisticians face. We hope, through this forum, that we will be able to launch new pioneering ideas that can help in the production, publishing and utilization of data in a way that can serve national plans and visions. We would also like to reassure that the Statistical Center- Abu Dhabi is committed via all its resources to the forum success in the UAE in 2018," said His Excellency Butti Ahmed Mohamed Bin Butti Al Qubaisi, Director General of the Statistics Centre – Abu Dhabi.
"The UN World Data Forum is a unique collaboration opportunity for data producers and practitioners, and can serve a great platform to launch new initiatives that can provide better data on health, education, income and other data sets that are critical for successful and sustainable development," said His Excellency Aref Obaid Al Muhairi, Executive Director, Dubai Statistics Center.
"We are delighted that the UAE will be hosting UN World Data Forum as it will be a new milestone in the UAE’s journey to a knowledge based economy. Data is one of the most important pillars needed for a successful developmental strategy, which is based on capacity building and intellectual capital," said His Excellency Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulla Al Thani, Director General of the Sharjah Statistics Centre.
"We look forward to participate in this important global event which places the UAE on the global data and statistics map. We congratulate the UAE and its people for this accomplishment and we are fully committed to play our role to support this forum and all international forums held in the UAE," said Dr Ibrahim Saad, General Manager, Fujairah Statistics Center.
UAE ranked first in Arab world for 3rd year in row in Ease of Doing Business: World Bank report 2016
- First regionally in the general classification and the number of documented improvements.
- First regionally in six out of ten categories.
- First globally in the category of the impact of non- payment of taxes, which does not affect business.
- Second globally in the category of the process of construction permits.
- Fourth globally in the category of electricity delivery.
The UAE was ranked first regionally and 16th globally, maintaining its lead among the top 20 competitive economies in the world, according to the recent version of the Global Competitiveness Report 2016 issued by the World Economic Forum (Davos) in Switzerland.
The report is one of the most important global competitiveness reports, which monitors annual performance and competitiveness of the economies of countries in terms of strength, weakness, impact on quality of life, prosperity and well-being of people.
Reem bint Ibrahim Al Hashimi, Minister of State for International Cooperation and Chairperson of the Board of the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority, said that the UAE positions itself on the world stage, thanks to the efforts of the federal and local taskforces who are working as one team under one vision for 2021, and others in this respect.
She added that these taskforces work in accordance with the plans and strategy and subject to continuous evaluation and development in line with the aspirations of the wise leadership to make the UAE one of the best countries in the world by 2021 with the advent of the golden jubilee on the establishment of the Union.
This year’s report surveys the economies of 138 countries rated through 114 performance indexes and in 12 basic axis, including institutions, infrastructure, education, health, innovation, efficiency of the labour market and other topics. Evaluation is based on statistics and data from participating countries in the report in terms of opinion polls and surveys on executives and major investors in those countries.
The UAE was ranked in the first 10 positions globally in three basic themes in the report. It is also among the best 20 countries globally in half of these axes. The UAE came in third place globally in the axis of efficient goods market, which is the sign of success of the diversification policy of the economy in the state, clarity of vision and strategic plans on the performance and efficiency of the business market.
It also came in fourth place globally in the infrastructure hub. This is an indication of activity in infrastructure projects across the country and its role in supporting the UAE economy in all areas and sectors, making it an attractive environment for investment and business at the regional and global level.
High-performance and efficient government institutions
At the level of indicators, the UAE was ranked among the 20 countries globally in 76 out of 114 indicators evaluated in this report. Regarding the institutions, the UAE was ranked first globally in the absence of the impact of crime and violence at work index, and second place globally in the people’s trust in the leadership and lack of wasteful government spending indexes.
The UAE was ranked in the third place globally in the efficient government index. This reflects the success of the leadership strategy and steps taken toward achieving the high performance and efficiency in the government work at the federal and local levels to ensure the happiness of citizens and residents and well-being on the territory of the state.
World-class infrastructure
On the infrastructure, the UAE has won the first place globally in the road quality index and second place globally in the airport infrastructure and means of air transport quality index. It also came in the third place globally in the seaport infrastructure quality and rate of mobile phone subscriptions per 100 users indexes. The UAE was ranked in the fourth place in the global index of quality of infrastructure and fifth in the index of number of airline seats available for each million passengers a week.
This performance reflects the huge investments made by the state to develop and improve the infrastructure in terms of extending road network, building new airports and the expansion of existing airports, the development of seaports and plans to link the UAE rail network within the Union Railway project.
Mature and sophisticated markets
In tribute to the development of the UAE market at various levels, the report reveals the UAE has been ranked in many of the first places in each of goods market efficiency and the labor market efficiency indexes. The UAE was ranked first globally in the lack of impact of taxes on investment index. And the second place globally on the lack of the tax impact on the labour market and the ability of the state to attract international skills indexes. The UAE also came third place in the global index of lack of tariff barriers and the ability of the state to retain the World skills.
Technological development and innovation
On the readiness of the technology sector, the maturity of the business sector, and higher education and training areas, the UAE has achieved the first position globally in the index of the government spending on new technologies” and the second place globally in the index of provision of specialised trade zones (free zones), and the third place in the global index of foreign direct investment and technology transfer to the state. The state was also ranked fourth globally in the index of the Internet connection to the schools and fifth place in the global index of availability of scientists and engineers in the state.
The Global Competitiveness Report issued by the World Economic Forum (Davos) in Switzerland, is one of the world’s most important reports and issued since 1971, and aims to help countries around the world to identify the obstacles to sustainable economic growth and development of strategies to reduce poverty and increase prosperity. It assesses the countries abilities to provide high levels of prosperity and well-being of their citizens. The report also provides a comprehensive assessment of the strengths and challenges facing the economies of countries.
Federal Competitiveness & Statistics Authority Launch “Emaratiyah… UAE’s Inspiring Women” Book A book that tells the success stories of inspiring Emirati women achievers who had a valuable contribution to the progress and development of the nation
Her Excellency Reem Al Hashimi, Minister of State for International Cooperation and Chairwoman of the Federal Competitiveness & Statistics Authority (FCSA) unveiled “Emaratiyah … UAE’s Inspiring Women”, a special edition book that documents the journey of 24 inspiring Emirati women who contributed to the development of the UAE and prospered in different domains of life such as economic, cultural, scientific and social. The featured women personalities in the book attended the launch event that took place in Jumeirah Emirates Towers hotel in Dubai today, along with the independent judging panel that worked on the selection criteria, media representative and FCSA team members who worked on the production of the book project.
Her Excellency Al Hashimi welcomed the attending audience with a special keynote, and extended congratulations to the leadership of the UAE headed by His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE president, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai; and their highnesses the Rulers and Crown Princes of the Emirates on the occasion of the Emirati Women’s Day.
Her Excellency Al Hashimi also extended congratulations to Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Chairwoman of the General Women’s Union, Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation and President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood.
Minister Al Hashimi expressed her excitement and privilege to take part of this special day dedicated to celebrate the great accomplishments, achievements and contributions of Emirati women.
In her address, Her Excellency stressed that women empowerment has always been one of the key indicators of a nation’s social and economic progress and development. She also highlighted that societies simply cannot sustain a comprehensive development agenda without the full and active participation of women in the community. Her Excellency also indicated that the role of the Emirati women has rapidly expanded and evolved since the establishment of the union and Emirati women contributions and clear marks are visible on all aspects of UAE life.
Quoting His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum note on how UAE enables its society via the empowerment of women, Her Excellency asserted that Emirati women’s journey towards success and prosperity in the UAE was inked by the principles laid by the country’s leadership; underlined by true belief and conviction of the significant importance of women’s role as a key partner in building the future of the country.
Abdulla Lootah, Director General of the FCSA pointed out that the FCSA produced that book following direct instructions of Her Excellency Al Hashimi and in recognition and appreciation of the role of the Emirati women in supporting the UAE’s competitiveness in both individual and institutional levels. The book documents the journey of a group of inspiring Emirati women that contributed to the development of the nation and progress in so many different fields and domains such as economic, social, cultural, scientific and entertainment, and achieved ranks and accomplishments that are in par with the most advanced nations in the world.
The UAE Women’s Day is a celebration of the mother, sister and wife. A celebration of women who gave birth and fondle sponsored and carried the worries of the nation, taking responsibility and excelled in giving back to her family, society and country. These are some of the achievements translated in numbers and statistics:
- There are 8 ministers in current UAE cabinet. Making up 27.5% of ministerial roles.
- Emirati women is currently leading the Federal National Council, the country’s highest legislative authority, along with the occupancy of 9 seats on the council, making its 22.5% of women representation one of the highest in parliamentary bodies in the region.
- There are over 23000 registered businesswomen in the UAE running investment worth AED 42 billion.
- Since joining the labor force, women participation increased by 400%
- Women make up 66% of the public sector workers, with 30% in leadership roles and 15% in technical and academic roles. Also, 44% of leadership roles in Federal entities are taken by women.
- Women in the UAE make up 65% of total higher education graduates, and they have been active participants in previously male-denominated roles such as judiciary, aviation, military and defense and law enforcement.
Dr. Belhoul: Developing an Integrated Educational Ecosystem Supports UAE’s Competitiveness
His Excellency Dr. Ahmed Belhoul Al Falasi, UAE Minister of State for Higher Education, and during a visit to the headquarters of the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority in Dubai, stated that the development of the educational ecosystem in the UAE is an ongoing process that is driven by the changes the world is witnessing on the global arena today.
His Excellency also praised the efforts of the FCSA in providing counsel, advice and recommendations aimed at improving the international rankings by providing educational statistical data required according to international standards. The FCSA team presented to the minister a special report and an analysis of a number of global competitiveness and statistical indicators that are related to higher education, as well an analysis of the performance of the UAE in these global reports.
His Excellency directed the FCSA team to continue the collaboration efforts with all federal and local educational institutions, he also stressed that all educational institutions should prioritize the process of provisioning information and statistical data that reflects the performance and development of the educational system in the UAE.
His Excellency also highlighted the importance of developing the educational sector via the training and building the capacity of UAE national talent, and how that consequently can have a positive impact on improving national competitiveness.
The minster indicated that education and building UAE talents is in-line with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE President and his brother, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai. The UAE leadership’s vision that aspires for the UAE economy to be driven by innovation, creativity and knowledge. His Excellency also pointed out that the nation has full confidence in the capabilities of every Emirati man and woman, as national talent is the true wealth of the nation.
Abdullah Lootah, Director General of the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority added: "Due to its strategic significance and importance, the FCSA has always worked very closely with officials in the education sector across the UAE. Such collaboration has a direct impact on the country’s performance in competitiveness reports and indicators. The visit of His Excellency Dr. Al Falasi to the FCSA and his direction for further engagement and joint collaboration is a testament to the deep belief in the role of education as one of the most important pillars that support the country’s global competitiveness drive.”
During the meeting, the FCSA team presented methodology analysis of competitiveness reports monitored by FCSA, followed by a discussion on how the quality of education-related data can have an impact on the ranking of the UAE in such reports. For example, the Global Competitiveness Report by the World Economic Forum (Davos), includes education as a key indicator under the ‘basic requirements’ and ‘efficiency enhancers’ stages of economic development. This means that nations aiming to shift from the ‘basic requirement’ and ‘efficiency enhancers’ stages and onto the ‘innovation and business sophistication’ stage, must have a globally recognized, strongly established and highly efficient higher education institutions.
The FCSA also monitors other competitiveness reports that measure the competitiveness of the education sector, such as the Annual Competitiveness Yearbook published by the Institute of Management Development (IMD) in Switzerland, the Global Innovation Index by INSEAD Institute and the Human Development Report by the United Nations. In these reports, education related pillars and indicators have a direct impact on the overall outcome of the findings and overall country ranking and scores.
Mr Lootah concluded: "Moving up the ranking in some of the global competitiveness reports and indicators reports is only the beginning for us. We aspire to become among the top a global players in the most significant reports and indicators. And we can only achieve that through successful joint cooperation and effective collaboration with all federal and local government agencies, specifically in matters related to building and maintaining an advanced statistical database that is current, accurate and up to the required global standards"
| Indicator | Report | UAE Global Rank |
|
Quality of the education system |
Global Competitiveness Report (WEF) | 12 |
|
Quality of management school |
Global Competitiveness Report (WEF) | 20 |
|
University education |
World Competitiveness Yearbook (IMD) | 20 |
|
Management education |
World Competitiveness Yearbook (IMD) | 21 |
Table 1: UAE global ranking in higher education related competitiveness indicators
“President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan has issued a Federal Decree No. (6) for the year 2015 establishing the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority (FCSA) under the UAE Cabinet.
The new Authority, to be based in the emirate of Dubai, effectively replaces the National Bureau of Statistics and the Emirates Competitiveness Council by integrating the functions of both the entities.
As per the decree, the Authority will work to strengthen the UAE’s position across all global competitiveness indicators as well as promote sustainable development, in addition to serving as the apex body that organises and manages the statistics and competitiveness sectors.
The Authority is also mandated to build an integrated national statistical system. The establishment of the FCSA supports the goals of the UAE Vision 2021, a strategic roadmap to make the UAE among the best countries in the world by 2021.
Functions of the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority Aiming to support the UAE’s competitiveness indicators, the new Authority will undertake a wide array of functions to achieve its goals.
The functions of the Authority include proposing policies, strategies and plans for statistics and competitiveness in coordination with the government and the related entities, as well as evaluating international best practices in all areas of the statistics and competitiveness sectors.
The FCSA will also work to promote a culture of competitiveness, and provide training and support to all government entities for the advancement of statistics and competitive operations.
It will act as an incubator for promoting best and specialized national skills in the UAE, in addition to preparing and implementing a unified statistical system for various sectors in the country.
The Authority will also represent the nation at various international forums in the field of statistics and competitiveness. Enhancing coordination with local entities FCSA is entrusted with a bigger vision and wider tasks to make significant positive changes in strategies to strengthen the efforts of the UAE to increase its competitiveness, especially through information and data revolution.
As per the decree, the Authority is the first and only official reference for all matters related to competitiveness for global reports and surveys.
It will be also a source of official statistics regarding the nation. The Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority also will serve as the main link between all the federal and local governments, as well as private sector and international organisations in all matters related to the competitiveness and statistics.
The new Federal decree also nullifies the Federal Law No. 9 of 2009 concerning the National Bureau of Statistics, and eliminates all regulations contrary to or inconsistent with its provisions.
The federal decree will be published in the official newspapers, and shall be effective from the day following the date of publishing. The UAE Cabinet also issued a decree appointing Reem Ibrahim Al Hashimi, Minister of State, as Chairperson of the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority.
The board will include representatives from the Executive Councils of Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Qaiwain, Ras al-Khaimah, and Al Diwan Al Amiri in Fujairah.
“
The Ministry of Interior stressed the importance of global peace and security in achieving the sustainable development goals and the UAE’s keenness to achieve a balanced and comprehensive development path that does not only affect the national level, but also benefits all countries of the world. This came during the participation of Lt. Col. Dana Humaid Al Marzouqi, Director General of the International Affairs Office at the Ministry of Interior, as part of the UAE delegation in the activities of the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development of the United Nations held in New York, organized by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs until July 17, in which the Ministry of Interior reviewed its international initiatives in climate action and community security. Lieutenant Colonel Dana Humaid Al Marzouqi noted the UAE government’s keenness to continue raising and enhancing global peace and security levels through law enforcement institutions, national security strategies, and modernizing the legislative system in line with the growing requirements of societies to achieve sustainable development goals worldwide. She said that our wise leadership realized early the importance of achieving the 16th goal of the sustainable development goals to achieve the rest of the goals, which requires the implementation of a comprehensive approach to make leaps Quality in the levels of achievement of all seventeen sustainable development goals, it is important to have strong and effective institutions, and a governance system, which will address and address various social, economic and environmental challenges, and the interest reflects the state’s keenness to achieve a balanced and comprehensive development path that does not have an impact only at the national level, but also to provide an effective development model that reaches its benefit to all countries of the world. She stressed that the State of U.A.E. continues as a leading model in achieving the sustainable development goals of 2030 and 2045. During her intervention at a session on the sixteenth goal on promoting peace, justice and strong institutions and its interrelationship with the rest of the sustainable development goals, she stressed that there is a need for more police cooperation at the international level, and issued an invitation to join in cooperation for a safer world. In her intervention, she referred to the International Law Enforcement Initiative for Climate (I2LEC), launched by the Ministry of Interior at the World Government Summit in partnership with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime last year 2023, which aims to establish a joint approach to inter-agency law enforcement action. International organizations and governments to develop global frameworks aimed at building the global research capacity of law enforcement agencies to address crimes that affect the environment. During its first year, the initiative achieved many results, including the support of more than 60 law enforcement agencies around the world, while joint international operations under the umbrella of the initiative contributed to the seizure of more than $ 32 million in environmental crime proceeds and the training of more than 270 law enforcement officials from more than 40 countries around the world. She stressed that such an initiative reflects the UAE’s belief that sustainable development cannot be achieved without ensuring the safety and stability of all societies, and strengthening cooperation and partnership globally. Al Marzouqi reviewed the latest developments in the strategic partnership between the Ministry of Interior and the United Nations Regional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI), which aims to provide protection for children using artificial intelligence applications to facilitate the fight against crimes against children and conduct the necessary investigations to detect and prosecute perpetrators. Since its launch in 2020, the initiative has announced projects that have a prominent role in disseminating working methods that have an impact on making the lives of the world’s children. Safer The entities participating in the initiative reached more than 580 entities from 106 countries around the world who benefited from 80 artificial intelligence applications that serve the protection of children around the world, including reducing the time to detect child victims. Among the most prominent projects launched by the initiative is a set of training courses for all those working in areas related to law enforcement. In May 2023, the first specialized training courses in the field of artificial intelligence for safer children began, and to date, 7 training courses were held, in which 415 officers and employees of executive agencies from 20 countries participated. She pointed to the UAE’s role as a responsible global partner in achieving the sustainable development goals through its pioneering efforts in the global humanitarian system, where it provided material and development assistance and exchange of experiences to regions suffering from conflicts, climate-related disasters and other humanitarian disasters. Participating in a session on gender balance, climate, peace and security, held in collaboration with UN Women and the Permanent Mission of Australia to the UN, Lieutenant Colonel Dana Al Marzouqi said: "The relationship between sustainability As the world faces the climate crisis and its growing impacts, we must work to address and reduce environmental crimes such as illegal logging, wildlife trafficking, and dumping of toxic waste, which, according to all studies and reports, have far-reaching consequences beyond environmental damage, undermining sustainable development efforts and exacerbating poverty and corruption levels, and often the effects of this on the levels of women’s participation in economic and societal advancement, and lower levels of equality and gender balance Consequently, development in those societies is disrupted. The High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) is the main platform of the United Nations on sustainable development issues, and since its establishment in 2012, it has played a pivotal role in following up and reviewing what has been implemented at the country level in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This edition of the International Forum is held under the theme "Promoting the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Eradicating Poverty in Times of Multiple Crises: Effectively Implementing Sustainable, Resilient and Innovative Solutions". Delegates participating in this year’s edition of the Forum are working Throughout its session, it has been conducting in-depth reviews of five of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Goal (1) to eradicate poverty in all its forms everywhere; Goal (2) to end hunger, achieve food security, improve nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture; Goal (13) to support climate action and call for urgent action to combat climate change and its repercussions; Goal (16) to promote peaceful and inclusive societies to achieve sustainable development, provide justice for all and build effective and efficient institutions; and Goal (17) which focuses on Establish global partnerships to promote the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. Follow Ajman News on Google News
Ministerial Roundtable of XDGS foresees the future of the world 2030-2045, discusses international cooperation efforts to overcome challenges
As part of the World Governments Summit 2024, the XDGS Ministerial Roundtable was held on the first day of the summit to strengthen international cooperation and address growing global challenges.
Participating ministers from various fields met to set an ambitious agenda for global development and cross-border cooperation, under the theme “XDGs 2045: Navigating the Future of Our World," with the aim of stimulating concrete actions in line with global dialogue and the urgent need to strengthen sustainable development plans by following a comprehensive mechanism and a forward-looking approach to future global development.
This meeting came amid a constantly changing landscape in the twenty-first century and in light of challenges such as climate change, technological developments, and changing geopolitical dynamics, as world leaders face unprecedented challenges, which impose the need to intensify international efforts and coordinate action among countries to confront these challenges and shape the future of international cooperation.
To effectively navigate this uncertain future, leaders must first address a critical question: How can we collaboratively design a strong and just post-2030 global agenda that reflects the changing needs and aspirations of our interconnected world?
The XDGs 2045 Ministerial Roundtable aims to set a joint and ambitious agenda to promote sustainable development, and identify practical steps to achieve these common global goals, through the exchange of experiences and ideas between ministers and government leaders, as the roundtable contributed to developing innovative and effective strategies to achieve sustainable development goals in the short and long term.
The roundtable discussions cover the XDGs 2045 “Shaping The Future of Our World" Report, which indicates the role and obligations that each country must have towards implementing the sustainable development system and standards, which were previously presented in February 2023. The United Arab Emirates activated the concept of the XDGS 2045 Ministerial Roundtable as a dedicated event at the World Governments Summit. For governments to develop radical solutions to the challenges of the unknown future the world may face and practical strategies to achieve specific goals.
The ministerial roundtable was chaired by Eng. Suhail Mohammed Faraj Al Mazroui, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure and Chairman of the Global Council on SDG 11, Hanan Mansour Ahli, Managing Director of the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre, and Dr Mahmoud Mohieldin, Executive Director of the International Monetary Fund and Special Envoy of the United Nations for Financing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Chairman of the Global Council on SDG 1.
Ulvi Ramiz oglu Mehdiyev, Chairman of the State Agency for Public Service and Social Innovations under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and Dr. Heika Harmgart, Managing Director Europan Bank for Reconstruction & Development, Raouf Mazou, Assistant High Commissioner for Operations, UNHCR, and Bora Muzhaqi, Minister of Youth and Children of the Republic of Albania, also participated.
Suhail Al Mazrouie said: “The United Arab Emirates, through the visionary leadership, is working to solidify the country’s position as an active participant in implementing sustainable development goals through collective action with all nations worldwide, benefiting peoples and communities to achieve development goals and create a better future for all."
He added: “There isn’t much time left until the final deadline agreed upon by the international community in 2030. Promises, ideas, and visions alone are not sufficient today. Instead, the focus must be on action, implementation, and achievement. The challenges facing the world are increasing in size and complexity day by day, making it imperative to launch immediate solutions to enable governments and individuals to efficiently and effectively address the larger and more complex challenges."
"The summit serves as a platform where governments, international organizations, institutions, academia, and civil society convene to address the challenges and opportunities of the future," His Excellency emphasised. He further highlighted that the Global Governments Summit offers governments a forum to facilitate and stimulate the sharing of ideas, foster collaboration, and forge partnerships aimed at advancing the global goals beyond 2030.
His Excellency Abdulla Nasser Lootah, Deputy Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Competitiveness and Knowledge Exchange, and Vice Chairman of the National Committee on Sustainable Development Goals, stated that the ministerial roundtable presents a significant opportunity to expand upon the discussions held during last year’s World Governments Summit, which addressed the need to develop the global development agenda for 2030, review current commitments, and analyse future opportunities.
He further added: “The commitment of the United Arab Emirates to sustainable development is at the core of the visionary leadership’s vision for the future of the country, aiming to be one of the best countries in the world. At a time when its experience in dealing with sustainable development goals has become a global benchmark to be guided by, and an inspiring practice from which many governments around the world benefit, aspiring to achieve their national sustainability agendas."
Dr. Mahmoud Mohieldin said: “The global community must endeavor to make 2024 and the subsequent years a period of fast acceleration towards attaining the 2030 SDGs through effective public, private philanthropy partnerships, significant finance stimulus, knowledge and technology sharing and capacity development," he added.
A detailed outline of the renewed global commitment was developed as one of the most important points of discussion, as participants seek to identify effective mechanisms to ensure the commitment of countries and international organizations to achieving the set goals. Emphasis will be placed on developing specific action plans and defining responsibilities and incentives to ensure that agreed commitments are implemented effectively and comprehensively.
Through these proposed points of discussion, the XDGs 2045 Ministerial Roundtable demonstrates a strong commitment to sustainable development and international cooperation in multiple areas. Hopes are high that this meeting will contribute to developing specific and sustainable action plans to build a better and more sustainable future for all.
It is worth noting that the XDGs 2045 Ministerial Roundtable aims to identify the practical steps that should be taken to achieve sustainable development and focus on cooperative efforts among ministers to overcome global challenges and promote sustainable development.
50 Years of Unified UAE Numbers
The UAE … A Leading Competitive Model in Excellence, Innovation, and Future-Making
H. H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Visits UAE Statistics Mural
The UAE National Data and Statistics Platform
Non-Oil GDP Grows by 6.1% in the First Nine Months of 2025
Emirati Women’s Day… From Numbers to Achievements, Driven by Your Vision
Close X
Date will get updated
test
