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DATA FOR A BETTER FUTURE
H.E. Reem Bint Ibrahim Al Hashimy, Minister of State for International Cooperation and President of the National Committee for Sustainable Development Goals, said that since its inception, the UAE has placed sustainable development at the heart of its plans and strategies to ensure prosperity and development, noting the importance of cooperation between all parties, integrating the government and private sectors and strengthening partnership with the community to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
This came during her Excellency’s participation in the meeting of the National Committee for Sustainable Development Goals held under the umbrella of the Sustainability Wing of Expo 2020 Dubai in the presence of H.E. Hanan Ahli, Acting Director of the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre (FCSC), and government officials from the members of the National Committee for SDGs. During which the most important initiatives and steps taken by the members of the Committee were reviewed to ensure that the achievement of the goals in the UAE is strengthened and future efforts and plans are discussed in this regard.
Initiatives
H.E. Reem Al Hashimy said that the UAE government under the guidance of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, Ruler of Dubai, is keen to be at the forefront of active contributors globally in launching initiatives to assist human communities in achieving sustainable development goals. This is based on His Highness’s vision that shaping the future is not merely impromptu decisions, but rather strategic plans based on knowledge and clear objectives grounded in analytical data and accurate realistic information.
She said: “What distinguishes our meeting today is that we meet in this unique place “Expo 2020” in the heart of the UAE sustainability wing at Expo 2020 to link the vision of the past to the efforts of the present and the aspirations of the future and start the “decade of work” in conjunction with the 5th anniversary of the establishment of the National Committee on Sustainable Development Goals.”
Her Excellency stated, “The participating government entities in the committee contribute to enhancing the country’s efforts in supporting sustainable development goals by highlighting the most prominent efforts and initiatives implemented both locally and internationally. The global partnerships adopted by the United Arab Emirates to assist countries and communities worldwide, through the facilitations and logistical support services provided by the country during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the medical and food aid extended to various countries, all align with sustainable development goals such as eradicating hunger, combating poverty, providing good health, and other objectives.”
She commended the efforts of the committee members and their keenness to achieve the sustainable development goals in the country at the local, regional and international levels, stressing that the Sustainable Development Goals before they be a global approach and a UN agenda are essentially a humanitarian task to improve societies and promote human life, which is the basis of development projects in societies, pointing out that the Sustainable Development Goals represent a large and important part of Expo 2020, where this international event represents an unprecedented opportunity for the world to ensure a sustainable future and bring about change. Positive and looking forward to new prospects in the field of sustainability in the UAE and the world.
She praised the efforts of the committee members and their commitment to achieving sustainable development goals in the country at the local, regional, and international levels. She affirmed that sustainable development goals, before being a global approach and a UN agenda, are fundamentally a humanitarian mission to uplift societies and enhance human life, which is the foundation of development projects in communities. She pointed out that sustainable development goals are a significant and integral part of Expo 2020, where this international event represents an unprecedented opportunity for the world to ensure a sustainable future, create positive change, and envision new horizons in the field of sustainability at the level of the United Arab Emirates and the world.
Her Excellency highlighted that the UAE has made significant strides in the realm of sustainable development. International institutions closely monitoring the country’s performance in various competitive indicators associated with sustainable development have recognized its achievements. The UAE excelled globally in 97 competitive indicators related to sustainable development goals and secured a position among the top ten in 268 other indicators. In its pursuit of regional and international leadership, the government has been actively working to attain the Sustainable Development Goals. Additionally, there is a concerted effort to foster partnerships between the government and private sectors to make sustainable development a top community priority in the UAE.
She stated, “Integrated data provided by government and private entities play a crucial role in enhancing the UAE’s efforts to achieve sustainable development goals across various vital sectors. This includes the development of innovative initiatives and making informed decisions based on accurate data.” She emphasized the importance of leveraging the global platform of Expo 2020 and the international events and activities it hosts. This platform serves as an opportunity to showcase the successful experience of the UAE in achieving these goals to the world.
Competitive
The participants in the meeting reviewed the performance of the UAE in major global competitiveness reports, which include indicators related to sustainable development goals. Committee members also discussed the importance of providing open data through official platforms, emphasizing its contribution to achieving sustainable development goals and enhancing the country’s performance in the Open Data Inventory report. They also delved into mechanisms for identifying priority statistical indicators related to sustainable development goals and their alignment with the timeline for measuring indicators of sustainable development goals.
UAE maintains its ranking in the top ten for the fourth year in a row
June 16th, 2020 – Dubai, United Arab Emirates:
For the fourth year in row, the United Arab Emirates is leading the MENA region in the IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook 2020, issued by the WCC (World Competitiveness Center) of the World Institute for Management Development in Lausanne, Switzerland, which puts the UAE at 9th place in the world among the most competitive countries in the world.
The UAE maintained its position among the top ten competitive countries in the world in 2020, ahead of countries such as the United States, Ireland, Finland, Luxembourg, Germany, and the United Kingdom, to be the only Arab country that succeeded in asserting itself in the Big Ten Club in the World Competitiveness Yearbook for 4 years in a row, since joining the top ten in 2017, despite the challenges of COVID-19 pandemic that influenced the 2020 edition.
According to the results of the report, the United Arab Emirates ranked first globally in 23 indicators and sub-factors, while it ranked among the top five globally in 59 indicators and in top ten globally in 106 indicators, out of 338 indicators covered by the report this year.
The IMD World competitiveness yearbook 2020relies on questionnaires collected (33.33%) and on statistics and data provided by countries (66.67%). The report focuses in its classification of the countries on four factors (Economic Performance, Government Efficiency, Business Efficiency and Infrastructure) with 20 sub-factors each that cover 338 competitive indicators in various economic, financial, legislative, management and social fields, along with some new indicators added in this year’s edition of the yearbook. Some of the new additions reflect the importance of achieving sustainable development objectives, and provide a vision of the economy’s position with respect to the various sustainable objectives that must be met within ten years, such as education, environment, empowerment, ageing and health.
UAE takes the lead in 7 factors (The UAE achieves great leaps in 7 factors)
At the sub-factors level, the UAE achieved an improvement in 7 factors, ranking at 1st place globally in the Labor Market factor, and the 5th globally in the Employment Factor, the 6th place in the Pricing Factor. The UAE is also advancing in other sub-factors, such as the social framework, education, and technology, health and the environment infrastructures, while maintaining its rank unchanged in two sub-factors, the factor of Attributes and Values (second in the world) and the factor of Tax Policy (third in the world).
Commenting on the UAE’s performance in this year’s IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook, His Excellency Abdullah Nasser Lootah, Director General of the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority said:
“Within the UAE2021 vision and in preparation for the Golden Jubilee, the UAE is moving forward with an ambitious strategy that anticipate the future, nurture a culture of excellence to be in the lead of world competitiveness at various levels. Thanks to the vision and guidance of the UAE’s leadership, the country managed since 2017 to join the top 10 competitive countries in this report, and to consolidate its well-deserved position among the top ten globally in the overall ranking and regional leadership. ”
Rapid changes
Hanan Mansoor Ahli, Executive Director, Competitiveness Sector, said: “The annual change in the ranking of the top ten countries in the yearbook reflects the intensity of the competition between the leading countries in recent years. And thanks to the guidance and support of UAE’s leadership and continuous efforts by the government to enhance the country’s world competitiveness, the UAE has succeeded in solidifying its position among the top ten most competitive economies in the world.”
Fourth in the world in Economic Performance despite the global pandemic
Despite the emergency circumstances that the whole world is going through because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the UAE has achieved a balanced performance in the factors of the report, as it moved forward three places in the Economic Performance factor, with the Netherlands topping the global ranking, followed by The United States and Singapore, while the UAE ranked 4th in the world, moving forward three places comparing to last year’s report, ahead of countries such as Germany, China, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Canada, Japan and others.
UAE is leading the world in 23 indicators
The UAE ranked first globally in 23 indicators included in the report within its factors and sub-indicators. In addition, the UAE ranked first globally in the indicators: Bureaucracy Absence, Immigration Laws, Redundancy Costs, low Central Government Foreign Debt, Tax Evasion, Collected Personal Income Tax (%), Collected Indirect Tax Revenues (%), Real Personal Taxes, and the percentage of Females in Parliament, all of which are indicators included in the factor of the Government Efficiency and its sub-factors.
Furthermore, the country ranked first globally in many other indicators such as Labor Force out of the total population, Working Hours, Competent Senior Managers, Industrial Disputes and Foreign Labor Force, all of which are included in Business Efficiency factor. The UAE once again topped the ranks globally in indicators such as Dependency Ratio, Public-Private Partnership and Environmental Laws within the factor of infrastructure and its sub-factors.
Based on a comprehensive report prepared
By the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority
Dubai, 25 May 2020:The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has recognized the determined efforts of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in fighting the coronavirus pandemic and the effective measures taken by the country’s government to limit the fallout of the crisis on different areas, including social and economic sectors.
The commendation followed an ongoing analysis issued by the organization about the possible impact of the Covid-19 outbreak on countries around the world and the ability of their economic systems to deal with the crisis. The OECD’s Covid-19 Policy Hub includes a detailed explanation about the numbers of infected cases in each country and the respective measures they have taken to combat the outbreak.
The OECD based its assessment on a detailed report prepared by the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority (FCSA), which includes the initiatives, efforts and strategic plans made by different government entities at the national level aimed at ensuring the health and safety of the community. Taking into consideration the continuity of work in vital sectors such as energy, education, healthcare, communication and government services, the FCSA report highlights the various steps taken by the UAE to halt the spread of the coronavirus, which includes launching awareness campaigns and implementing practical steps, both of which have served to reduce the number of infected cases.
“The high level of responsiveness and prompt decision-making has led to the swift implementation of national plans to deal with the current crisis and ensured administrative efficiency in all government entities. The level of resilience displayed is proof of the innovation of the government system, which works in perfect harmony and coordination under the guidance of the UAE leadership to serve the country’s sustainable development goals,” said H.E. Abdulla Nasser Lootah, Director General of the FCSA.
“The current crisis has created a real and ongoing challenge. The United Arab Emirates has been able to reduce the fallout from the pandemic in all sectors, thanks to the leadership’s strategy of investing in national qualifications and providing the country’s human capital with all the technical and smart tools to ensure success. Today, we reap the benefits of this investment and are proud of the national integrated team who deserve full praise because of their efforts and ability to collaborate professionally with the OECD – a prestigious global organization,” H.E. Lootah continued.
More achievements
“We are keen to develop an integrated infrastructure for the national statistics system and to continuously update a comprehensive database that enables us to prepare detailed reports and studies that serve to advance the position of the United Arab Emirates on various global competitiveness indicators, in line with the directions of the prudent leadership,” H.E stressed.
“We are proud of the praise from the OECD regarding the United Arab Emirates’ efforts and its efficiency in dealing with the coronavirus pandemic. We invite all government entities to redouble their cooperation and coordination efforts across all domains to achieve greater successes and make qualitative advances for the country in all sectors and across different indicators,” H.E concluded.
For His part, Andreas Schaal, Director of Global Relations, OECD, said : ““ The Covid-19 crisis has bluntly reminded us that, as our countries form part of a global interconnected community, international cooperation has never been so important. The UAE has proven to be an important and innovative partner, as we collectively strive to develop the most effective policies to address such an unprecedented crisis. Looking forward, we are convinced that the United Arab Emirates can play an important role in converting this crisis into an opportunity for the MENA region, and we welcome working with the UAE to make this possible.”
On the level of measures
As part of the OECD’s response to the pandemic, a Digital Hub on Tackling the Coronavirus (COVID-19) was launched to provide countries with timely and comprehensive information on policy responses around the world, together with OECD advice, in some cases. Specifically, the Country Policy Tracker is a repository of policy responses and measures from over 90 countries which allows citizens and policy makers to explore the actions taken by each country as we advance through the crisis towards recovery. Beyond immediate responses.
The Digital Hub aims to provide analysis on the longer-term consequences and impacts, paving the way to recovery with coordinated policy responses across countries. OECD analysis underpins the need for decisive action and a coordinated response by governments to kick-start the economy when possible, support the recovery and maintain a lifeline to people. In this way.
The OECD hopes to help governments learn from each other in real time, facilitate co-ordination, and contribute to the necessary global action when confronting this enormous collective challenge.
The United Arab Emirates’ efforts have been recognized and included within the indicator, due to its strategic partnership with the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. The countries included in the measures’ indicator include the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (a member of the G20 group), Morocco and Egypt (which have a special cooperation known as Country Programmes), in the addition to Tunisia and the United Arab Emirates, which has a close relationship with the Organization through a Memorandum of Understanding.
Innovative efforts
The report issued by the FCSA highlights the efforts of the UAE government in dealing with the crisis on several levels, including containing the spread of the virus through quarantine and movement restrictions, the application of a distance learning system for university and school students, cancelling public events, curtailing air travel and suspending certain economic activities.
The report explains that the efforts to contain the virus are accompanied by a series of supportive, economic stimulators and commercial growth measures for individuals and companies in order to ensure business continuity. These include the launch by the Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates of two plans worth AED 256 billion, comprising AED 100 billion to support the economic growth of the retail sector and affected companies, and AED 156 billion to support the national economy. It also draws attention to the Abu Dhabi government’s AED 9 billion support plan and the Dubai government’s economic incentive package worth AED 1.5 billion. Other initiatives highlighted in the report include the United Arab Emirates Cabinet approving federal government financial stimulus packages worth AED 16 billion to support business continuity on top of previously announced economic incentive packages.
The FCSA report outlines that the economic measures have been accompanied by supportive healthcare measures. These include the conducting of the largest number of examinations on the population level compared to the other countries, with the tests ongoing on a daily basis and contributing to the detection of many cases. It also highlights the establishment of 13 drive-in testing centres across the UAE and a number of field hospitals that have been opened to ensure the highest levels of health and safety.
The FCSA report also includes the measures taken to reduce burdens on the private sector, with the various financial stimulus packages amounting to AED 86 million. These include extending automatically expired residencies for employees and workers for a period of three months, cancelling administrative fines for expired permits until the end of the current year, and reducing electricity and water services fees for dealers in the tourism, hospitality and trade sectors by 20% for a period of three months. It concludes with a reference to the regulatory measures taken to raise awareness of preventive measures and to preserve mental wellbeing in society.
New York, Dubai- 9th March 2020:
In a step to affirm the UAE’s strenuous efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the international and local levels, H.E. Amina Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, held a meeting with H.E. Abdullah Nasser Lootah, Director-General of the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority (FCSA) and Deputy Chairman of the UAE’s National Committee on SDGs, leading a delegation representing the UAE to discuss the SDGs and opportunities to enhance cooperation efforts to achieve them.
The attendees tackled several relevant topics on SDGs while focusing on the state-of-the-art technical trends, strategic partnerships, the youth’s pivotal role, and the importance of supporting the implementation of data-based sustainable development initiatives around the world.
In this connection, H.E. Reem Bint Ibrahim Al Hashemi, Minister of State for International Cooperation Affairs and Chairperson of the National Committee on the Sustainable Development Goals hailed the UAE Government efforts at the international and local levels to achieve the SDGs 2030.
“The UAE’s commitment to supporting global efforts to achieve SDGs is entirely consistent with the legacy of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, may God rest his soul in peace, to build a sustainable future for future generations. This legacy is based on the optimal management of our resources to serve the best interest of the UAE’s development and prosperity and the world at large,” H.E. Reem stated.
H.E. Al Hashemi added: “Supporting the SDGs has been a fundamental pillar of the UAE journey that started generations ago. This has established its position as a role model in development and prosperity and creating a better future for generations to come. Today, the UAE is taking the lead in combining development policies and strategies with these global goals.”
H.E. Amina Mohammed stated, "It gives me an eminent pleasure to meet again with the UAE delegation. The UAE has always been a UN member committed to supporting global efforts to achieve SDGs. It is such a meeting to help highlight the extent of UAE leadership’s belief in the active role of coordination and consultation at the international level to achieve a prosperous future for the generations to come.
H.E. Amina said: “We are pleased with the United Nations to exchange expertise, experiences, and data with the UAE delegation. Indeed, the UAE is leading the efforts dedicated to adopting innovation and technology to achieve the SDGs.”
On his part, Lootah stated: “We are visiting New York to emphasize our commitment that every person in this world, no matter where he or she lives, could live a life free from poverty, hunger, and disease.”
H.E. Lootah highlighted the role of public and private sectors and organizations in this process by saying: “Effective communication and participation between experts in international organizations and public and private sectors all over the world, are the way that would enable us to share experiences and innovations designed to support countries in their journey to achieving the SDGs.”
“These meetings are a genuine opportunity to discuss visions and ideas that would contribute to promoting dialogue and partnerships at the international level to proceed with the journey to achieve the SDGs,” H.E. Lootah added.
During the meeting, H.E. Lootah reviewed with the Deputy Secretary-General the efforts made by UAE globally to raise awareness on SDGs. They also discussed other topics including the UAE SDG Photography Award organized by the UAE National Committee on SDGs, in partnership with the Hamdan bin Mohammad Rashid Al Maktoum International Photography Award (HIPA), in addition to the mobile exhibitions organized for the winning photos in the most critical events sites that attract a broad audience. They agreed that such activities would boost up the UAE’s reputation as a global contributor committed to implementing and raising awareness on the global goals of sustainable development. The delegation presented a copy of the Photography Award Book to H.E. the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, who praised the efforts made by the UAE to raise awareness on SDGs.
With Sights Set to Take Effective Steps in Support of SDGs
UAE- 25th January 2020
With the participation of the National Committee on the Sustainable Development Goals, the Higher Committee for Coordinating Statistical Work held its first meeting in 2020.
Her Excellency Reem Bint Ibrahim Al Hashemi, Minister of State for International Cooperation Affairs and Chairperson of the National Committee on the Sustainable Development Goals expressed her pleasure to meet the members of the Higher Committee for Coordinating Statistical Work.
H.E. Al Hashemi emphasized the necessity of concerted efforts to provide accurate and up-to-date data, which contributes to advancing the UAE’s competitiveness in sustainable development dossiers.
“The statistical work system requires integration in all aspects of the statistical work and data collection. We should have a mutual understanding of the working mechanism in the next stage with sights highly set to achieve the vision of the UAE wise leadership in areas of sustainable development, and to move steadily forward to realizing goals of the UAE Centennial 2071,” she stated.
H.E. Al Hashemi underlined that more efforts must be exerted to make data accessible to all, and strive hard to promote and further boost up partnerships between government and local entities along with the private sector. She also touched upon areas of improvement in the statistical work by saying: “We have to invest in the mutual advantages generated by the enormous volumes of data, knowledge, and experiences to serve best the important initiatives and projects dedicated to supporting the statistical work, and enhance the achievement of the SDGs in UAE.”
H.E. Reem Bint Ibrahim Al Hashemi availed the opportunity to extend her sincerest appreciation to all the national statistics centers for their dedicated efforts to provide data and further enhance the UAE’s competitiveness in various global competitiveness reports. She stressed: “The UAE today is a role model in areas of developing strategies for achieving the SDGs. We look forward, through our meeting, to unifying the efforts of statistics centers to identify solutions to challenges and turn them into genuine opportunities.”
H.E., the State Minister, concluded her statement by giving weight to the fact that UAE deserves that everyone pushes himself to the limit to bring our homeland to the level of developed country worldwide, and create a better future for present and future generations.
H.E. Abdullah Nasser Lootah, Director-General of the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority (FCSA) and Deputy Chairperson of the National Commission on SDGs, thanked H.E. Reem Bint Ibrahim Al Hashemi for attending the meeting and the directives and remarks she presented.
H.E. Lootah added: “Our work in the Higher Committee for Coordinating Statistical Work and the National Committee on SDGs focuses on the significance of data and statistics in achieving the indicators of the UAE National Agenda 2030, constant quest to further boost up the achievements, and adopting innovation as a systematic work approach to achieve the goals of the UAE Centennial 2071.”
While highlighting the significance of this meeting, H.E. Lootah pointed out that joint meetings constitute a real opportunity to discuss visions and ideas that would add value to the dialogue on supporting partnerships between statistics entities to move forward of achieving the SDGs.
He also stated: “This would enhance our work in parallel with global efforts exerted to achieve sustainability. It would also help identify priorities, discuss challenges, and review a range of innovative and effective solutions that contribute to accelerating the pace of achieving the SDGs in the UAE.”
Commenting on the significance of the meeting, Abdullah Ahmed Al Suwaidi, Acting Director-General of the Statistics Center- Abu Dhabi (SCAD), assured SCAD’s commitment to achieving the SDGs. He said: “This meeting was of outstanding importance and meant to exchange experiences, reviewing the best practices in the field of sustainability, and highlighting the vital role of statistical data in supporting the sustainability process. It also dedicated to identify the best methods to take advantage of the statistical data, improve its quality and make them accessible to the public, and channel them in the manner that contributes to the UAE’s progress and prosperity and the world at large.”
Al Suwaidi added: “The United Nations and the member states that endorsed the Global Sustainability Agenda 2030 acknowledged the importance of providing data and statistics of development indicators as unified criteria for identifying efforts to achieve the SDGs. in view of that, all countries committed to achieving their SDGs strive hard to provide the latest figures and data on sustainability and make them accessible.”
Promoting Initiatives
Arif Al Muhairi, the Executive Director of the Dubai Statistics Center (DSC), highlighted the significance of this meeting by saying: “The statistical work system requires integrating all relevant aspects of the statistical work, data flow and developing a mutual understanding of the working mechanism through cooperation between statistics entities in the UAE.
Hailing efforts to hold this meeting, he commented: “This meeting was held with the participation of the members of the National Committee on SDGs as a genuine realization of the interest that the UAE’s wise leadership attaches to promoting initiatives and partnerships that best serve to achieve the SDGs. It is held to emphasize the importance of joint work, harnessing innovative solutions, and benefiting from the data revolution to achieve the Sustainable Development Agenda 2030.”
For her part, Dr. Hajar Al Hubaishi, Executive Director of the Ajman Statistics and Competitiveness Center, emphasized: “The meetings of the Higher Committee for Coordinating Statistical Work are held according to a general framework dedicated for the process of developing and implementing statistical work in the UAE. This could be realized by achieving coordination and integration among official statistical entities, government authorities, and the private sector institutions to ensure that the flawless flow of data effectively and systematically.”
Dr. Hajar went on to say: “The joint meeting earned special importance as it is held with the participation of the members of the National Committee on SDGs. This definitely, contributes to developing a data environment that supports the efforts exerted to achieve the SDGs in the UAE through devising tools and means to ensure the provision of accurate and up-to-date data. They all are meant to contribute to the efforts exerted to achieving sustainability in the UAE by implementing various strategic initiatives and projects.”
On his turn, H.E. Humaid Rashid Humaid Al Shamsi, Secretary-General of the Executive Council of Umm Al Quwain, shed light on the commitment of Umm Al Quwain Emirate to coordinate and combine efforts of the national statistics entities and provide support to them to make optimal use of data and the best methods of collecting and analyzing them.
He pointed out: “This is done to support the national statistical work systems, to implement the best practices in this vital sector and to take advantage of the methodologies designed to support sustainable development dedicated to realizing the directions of the UAE Government and its federal and local authorities to achieve the SDGs. Such efforts will finally lead to promote methods to achieve our national agenda and the UAE Centennial 2071.”
On the other hand, H.E. Najwa Yaacoub, Executive Director of RAK Center for Statistics & Studies, singled out the need to conclude partnerships in the field of statistical work to support the SDGs.
She stated: “This meeting is one of the active channels of communication with the strategic partners to contribute to pursuing the achievement of the SDGs. Moreover, it is an opportunity to develop the appropriate statistical work mechanisms to harness innovation to achieve sustainable development, one of the catalysts for realizing growth in many other vital sectors.
H.E. Najwa Yaacoub mentioned that the meeting agenda focused on expanding the methods to support and measure the UAE National Agenda designed to contribute to achieving the SDGs 2030. Also, the agenda focused on the importance of data and statistics to support decision-making processes and achieving the anticipated achievements at the level of the UAE and the world at large.”
Dr. Ibrahim Saad, Director of the Fujairah Statistics Center, underlined that the meeting received additional importance as it is being held to enhance the position of statistics in sustainable development.
He pointed out: “The statistics sector receives immense care and attention of the UAE’s wise leadership based on the importance of its active role in policy and decision-making, as well as contributing to establishing development projects.”
Dr. Ibrahim indicated that providing accurate statistical information contributes to drawing strategic plans for sustainable development in the UAE, and enhances the flow of data and indicators between the government departments and private sector institutions.
Dr. Ibrahim concluded by stating that “This would have positive implications in realizing developments in economic and social growth. It would absolutely enhance methods adopted to achieve the SDGs 2030 and boosts the UAE’s competitiveness in global reports and indicators.”
High-Level Meetings Brought Together Ministers and FCSA-UN Strategic Partners
Dubai, UAE- 19th February 2020
On the sidelines of the FCSA’s participation in the activities of the Global Women’s Forum Dubai (GWFD) 2020, a meeting attended by H.E. Jamila Bint Salem Al Muhairi, Minister of State for General Education, H.E. Sarah Bint Yousif Al Amiri, Minister of State for Advanced Sciences, and H.E. Abdullah Nasser Lootah, Director-General of the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority (FCSA), was held with Mr. Pedro Conceição, Director of Strategic Policy at UNDP’s Bureau for Policy and Programme Support.
The attendees of the meeting tackled the up-to-the-minute advances in the process of improvements and developments in place in the UAE adopted to empower the Emirati women and activate their role in the field of social and economic growth in the UAE.
FCSA, in cooperation with its strategic partners, participated in several plenary sessions of the GWFD 2020 agenda, in addition to holding high-level bilateral meetings with senior officials and experts from all over the world. FCSA highlighted the central role played by the UAE in empowering women while emphasizing its role in the development processes and striving hard to achieve gender balance.
H.E. Jamila Bint Salem Al Muhairi, Minister of State for General Education Affairs, touched upon the active role played by the Emirati women in the education sector.
H.E. Al Muhairi stated: “The Emirati women have turned their future aspirations into brilliant and ground-breaking success in education and educational activities. They were able to achieve such successes due to their perseverance and sound preparations to lay a necessary foundation in the growth, development, and prosperity of the UAE. The Emirati women demonstrate in every single day tremendous capacities to assume critical tasks and positions.
While shedding light on UAE achievements in women empowerment, H.E. Al Muhairi stated: “The UAE tops all Arab countries in the UN reports on gender balance and ranks high on the global level in gender equality, particularly in terms of low illiteracy rates and their participation in the secondary and higher education. Indeed, Emirati women represent 55% of the bachelor’s degree graduates, 41% of the master’s degree graduates, and 48% of Ph.D. degree graduates.”
On the other hand, H.E. Sarah Bint Youssef Al Amiri, Minister of State for Advanced Sciences, noted that “Young Emirati women’s competencies and energies participate intensely and sensibly in the UAE space program. This is consistent with the UAE’s directions to empower the Emirati women in all sectors, particularly the UAE project to explore Mars and space sciences, gender balance approach, and activating the role of the Emirati women as a partner in the development, progress, and prosperity currently unfolding in the UAE.”
H.E. Al Amiri underlined the importance of women working in space and advanced sciences and their role in leading their projects. She stated: “34% Emirati women participate in such projects, and by this they achieve the highest percentage of women participating in tasks and projects of advanced sciences and the space sector.”
Regarding the achievements of Emirati women regarding their remarkable progress in global competitiveness reports, H.E. Abdullah Nasser Lootah, FCSA Director-General, emphasized the fact that the UAE has made significant strides in indicators related to women in global competitiveness reports. “They have achieved top spots globally in many indicators. Emirati women topped several indicators on women empowerment at the level of Arab countries.”
H.E. Lootah underscored the significance of the GWFD 2020 as a global dialogue platform dedicated to exchanging global experiences, and showcase the UAE’s successes in the area of women’s empowerment and gender balance.
On his part, Mr. Pedro Conceição, Director of Strategic Policy at UNDP’s Bureau for Policy and Programme Support, hailed the UAE’s dedicated efforts in the field of women’s empowerment.
He stated: “I have noted the UAE government’s commitment to empowering women and its constant endeavor to develop women’s participation further and give them more opportunities, considering that they are an important element in social and economic development.”
He concluded by underscoring that the UAE has already achieved myriad progress as a result of the undergoing improvements realized at various levels.
Dubai, the United Arab Emirates- 16th February 2020
The Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority (FCSA) participates in the Global Women’s Forum Dubai 2020 (GWFD 2020) scheduled to be held today under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, during 16-17 February 2020 under the theme “The Power of Influence”.
As per the forum agenda, FCSA is participating in several main sessions, in addition to introducing an innovative digital interactive screen designed to display the most recent facts and figures on the UAE journey in empowering women, and its achievements in the most important global competitiveness reports and indicators on women empowerment and gender balance.
FCSA would also introduce a special report on the role of women in development in partnership with the Dubai Women Establishment, National Committee on Sustainable Development Goals, and the Arab Youth Center.
On its participation in GWFD 2020, H.E. Abdullah Nasser Lootah, FCSA Director-General stated: “FCSA is proud to actively participate in GWFD 2020 by contributing to the main agenda and providing the essential support to this important global event. GWFD 2020 is a platform to document the UAE sustained achievements in realizing gender balance and women empowerment in all areas.”
“FCSA would make sure to shed light on the UAE notable achievements in areas of laws, procedural improvements and the results achieved due to accurate and updated data, and their repercussions on the most important global competitiveness reports and indicators,” H.E. Lootah added.
Plenary Sessions
H.E. Hanan Ahli, Executive Director of the Competitiveness and SDGs Sector at FCSA, said: “FCSA would showcase its experience in several dossiers on women’s empowerment and their relationship to achieving SDGs 2030 through supporting decision-makers. Such support is realized by providing and making the accurate and up-to-date data accessible to them, and introducing legislative and procedural improvements to laws on women and their role in society, as well as the economic and knowledge development processes.”
H.E. Ahli stated: “FCSA aims through its participation in GWFD 2020 to showcase the adopted best practices in UAE which in total designed to achieve sustainable development. We would also present UAE’s success stories in harnessing the competitiveness strategy to achieve humanitarian goals, in addition to the most important lessons learned in producing and making data on women’s empowerment accessible to the public.”
An Interactive and Figure-Based Screen Highlighting Emirati Women Leadership
As part of the its input to the forum, FCSA plans to reveal an interactive display screen to all visitors and guests to view the recent data, statistics, and indicators of global competitiveness achieved by UAE in addition to all that related to supporting and enhancing women’s leadership, pioneering and social role in UAE. This data is displayed in a unique interactive visual style which facilitate displaying and explaining the data and indicators smoothly and simply.”
Noteworthy, the second edition of GWFD2020 would tackle several thematic subjects that present diverse insights and international experiences from around the world. Part of the prominent dossiers that would be addressed is the role of women in the Fourth Industrial Revolution and their contribution to achieving SDGs and the innovation industry. GWFD 2020 agenda would also address other several topics, namely peace and prosperity, the role of governments in developing strategies to ensure gender balance, and harnessing modern technology to achieve this balance and the most effective empowerment in all areas.
The UAE delegation participating in the Knowledge Lab at the UAE Pavilion at Expo Osaka 2025 showcased the nation’s vision and pioneering role in supporting global efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The delegation also highlighted the UAE’s commitment to fostering international dialogue and building strategic partnerships that contribute to shaping a more sustainable and inclusive future.
The sessions featured pioneering national experiences, innovative solutions, and forward-looking visions for the post-2030 era, reflecting the UAE’s continued commitment to supporting global initiatives aimed at achieving comprehensive and sustainable development.
Participation came as part of a series of dialogue sessions organized by the Government Experience Exchange Office at the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs, in collaboration with the National Committee on Sustainable Development Goals. The sessions were held during the “SDGs and Beyond: Future Society for Life Week “at the Knowledge Lab.”
The UAE delegation included a distinguished group of representatives from the Global Councils on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and was led by H.E. Hessa bent Essa Buhumaid, Director General of the Community Development Authority and Vice Chair of the Global Council on SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities).
The delegation also included teams from the Government Experience Exchange Office and the General Secretariat of the National Committee on Sustainable Development Goals, both responsible for SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).
Among the members were H.E. Hamoud Al Junaibi, Deputy Secretary-General of the Emirates Red Crescent and Vice Chair of the Global Council on SDG 2 (Zero Hunger); H.E. Eng. Marwan Bin Ghalita, Director General of Dubai Municipality and Vice Chair of the Global Council on SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities); and H.E. Mohammed Alshamsi, Chief Climate and Sustainability Officer at the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) and Vice Chair of the Global Council on SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation).
Hessa Buhumaid: Achieving Sustainability Requires Joint International Efforts
H.E. Hessa Bint Essa Buhumaid emphasized that the UAE’s participation in this global event reflects the country’s deep commitment to the spirit of collaboration and collective action, and its firm belief that achieving sustainability is only possible through united international efforts.
She added: “By sharing our national experiences and achievements in community development and individual empowerment, we seek to contribute positively to the global dialogue and to serve as an inspiration for nations striving toward a more just, inclusive, and sustainable shared future.”
H.E. Abdulla Lootah: Genuine Partnerships Turn Global Goals into Real Impact for Communities
H.E. Abdulla Nasser Lootah, Assistant Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Competitiveness and Experience Exchange and Chair of the National Committee on Sustainable Development Goals, said: “The UAE’s participation in Expo 2025 Osaka reflects our continued leadership in building genuine partnerships that translate global goals into tangible realities with a positive impact on people’s lives.”
He added: “Through the Government Experience Exchange Programme, we present pioneering national models that demonstrate that innovation and partnerships are the true drivers for building a more sustainable future. The UAE government continues to strengthen international cooperation and embed sustainable development as a constant approach to shaping a better future for coming generations, guided by the leadership’s vision in this field, as reflected in the Expo Dubai 2020 theme: ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future.’”
Partnerships Creating Global Impact in Support of SDG 17
The sessions reflected the objectives of the Government Experience Exchange Programme and embodied the overarching theme of Expo Osaka 2025: “Shaping the Future Society for Our Lives.” They emphasized the importance of global cooperation in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly in the areas of human capital, sustainability, and innovation in government services.
Aligned with the UAE’s established vision of leveraging international partnerships as a driving force for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, the Government Experience Exchange Office and the National Committee on Sustainable Development Goals organized a series of dialogues and events. These initiatives reflected the UAE’s commitment to advancing SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) and reinforcing a multilateral approach to cooperation.
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National Initiatives and International Partnerships
Through the Global Councils on Sustainable Development Goals platform, the UAE showcased a range of successful national initiatives and international partnerships that have demonstrated tangible impact across various countries by exchanging expertise, sharing knowledge, and adopting innovative models in governance and development.
The meetings brought together a distinguished group of decision-makers and experts from governments, international organizations, the private sector, and civil society, alongside delegations from countries participating in the Government Experience Exchange Programme, including Oman, Montenegro, Serbia, Pakistan, Indonesia, Malta, and Japan.
The sessions organized by the Government Experience Exchange Programme under the titles “Government Experience Exchange Programme in the Field: Success Stories Driving Global Impact” and “UAE Knowledge Labs – Accelerating Innovation in Government Services” highlighted that the UAE’s experience in building partnerships serves as a global model for translating international cooperation into tangible outcomes. These efforts support the achievement of the UN 2030 Agenda and create new opportunities for sustainable growth.
Together for Impact
The General Secretariat of the National Committee on Sustainable Development Goals organized a session titled “Together for Impact: Advancing Government Partnerships to Achieve SDG 17,” which highlighted the pivotal role of SDG 17 in accelerating the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. The session also served as a continuation of the outcomes of the 2025 High-Level Political Forum, which called for fair, innovative, and coordinated action to achieve comprehensive development worldwide.
Beyond 2030
The session titled “XDGs 2045: Charting the Future of Global Development” featured a global dialogue on the future of development beyond 2030. The discussion focused on the role of bold policies, inclusive leadership, and innovative partnerships in shaping a new development agenda. The session drew on the UAE’s initiative, “XDGs 2045,” launched in 2023 at the World Governments Summit, highlighting how global goals can be translated into tangible national impact and how cross-border solutions can be shared to support the building of a fairer and more sustainable future for generations to come.
This approach is based on the UAE’s strong commitment to global cooperation and sustainable development. Through its active participation in platforms such as the Global Councils on Sustainable Development Goals, the UAE has highlighted impactful initiatives and successful partnerships that are being scaled and implemented worldwide, providing a space for exchanging knowledge and experiences and showcasing practical solutions that create tangible impact in communities around the world.
It is worth noting that the series of meetings and sessions organized by the Government Experience Exchange Office and the General Secretariate of the National Committee on Sustainable Development Goals at the UAE Pavilion at Expo Osaka 2025 reflect the UAE government’s efforts to transfer best governmental practices and expertise to friendly and sister countries, while enhancing international cooperation in the fields of government modernization, future foresight, and supporting the development journey.
Hanan Ahli: The wise leadership has laid the foundations of an advanced statistical system that translates its vision for the future.
Mohammed bin Humaid Al Qasimi: Statistics are a tool for development and a voice of progress and prosperity.
Abdulla Gharib Alqemzi: Integration is the cornerstone for building a unified national data system.
Younus Al Nasser: Accurate data is the true engine for shaping a prosperous future.
Hajar Saeed Al-Hubaishi: Integration in data production tells the UAE’s success story in a single language.
Humaid Rashid Al Shamsi: Data is a fundamental pillar for planning and development.
Humaid Rashid Al Shamsi: Data is a fundamental pillar for planning and development.
Ibrahim Saad Mohammed: Unifying statistical efforts is an investment in a prosperous future.
Dubai, 19 October 2025: The United Arab Emirates, represented by the National Bureau of Statistics, chaired by the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre and including local statistical centres and executive councils, joins countries around the world in celebrating World Statistics Day, which falls on 20 October. The day has been observed every five years since its declaration by the United Nations in 2010. It aims to highlight the importance of statistical data in development and decision-making, and its essential role in tracking countries’ progress toward their goals.
The UAE’s statistical system celebrates this global occasion in its fourth edition since its launch in 2010, under the theme: “Accurate Statistics and Reliable Data: Driving Change and Shaping a Better Future for All.” The celebration builds on a rich legacy of qualitative achievements in the UAE’s statistical journey, alongside an ambitious vision for the future, paving the way for a new decade of statistical transformation. With this shift, the national statistical system is moving from a focus on censuses and fieldwork toward proactive analysis and impact creation, solidifying the UAE’s leadership as a country that shapes the future through data.
On this occasion, H.E. Hanan Ahli, Managing Director of the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre, said: “We join countries around the world in celebrating World Statistics Day, which reflects the important and active role of statistical agencies in supporting development pathways and data-driven decision-making, while confidently and innovatively anticipating the future.”
She added: “The UAE’s statistical system is undergoing a new phase of transformation, in which we harness advanced technology, digital solutions, and artificial intelligence techniques to move from the concept of data collection to an integrated system that supports strategic planning and the formulation of future policies, based on a sophisticated scientific approach to data analysis and utilization.” Hanan Ahli continued:: “Statistics in the UAE go beyond numbers to become the language of the future, reflecting our reality and guiding our development journey. By unifying efforts at both the federal and local levels to disseminate the UAE’s unified data, we strengthen the country’s position as a global model for data accuracy and quality, supported by the wise leadership and in active partnership with statistical centers.”
On his part, H.E. Sheikh Mohammed bin Humaid Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Department of Statistics and Community Development – Sharjah, said: “Statistics are a tool for development and a voice of progress and prosperity. Through unified and collaborative efforts, we turn data into insight, and insight into action., and decisions into a better reality for the nation’s people.”
H.E. Abdulla Gharib Alqemzi, Director General of the Statistics Centre – Abu Dhabi, said: “Statistical integration between federal and local entities is a fundamental pillar for building a unified national statistical system that accurately reflects the UAE’s developmental reality and enables decision-makers to gain evidence-based insights.”
He added: “With the transition toward an AI-enhanced government, we are working together to develop an intelligent system that links data to policies, transforming numbers into forward-looking insights that contribute to building a more prosperous and sustainable future, embodying our wise leadership’s vision of fostering a knowledge-based economy and establishing the UAE as a pioneer in anticipating and shaping the future.”
H.E. Younus Al Nasser, CEO of the Dubai Data and Statistics Establishment – Digital Dubai, said: “This year’s celebration of World Statistics Day comes with a different character, as it does not merely remind us of the importance of numbers, but celebrates an era in which statistics transform from measurement tools into instruments for foresight and decision-making.”
He added: “In the UAE, federal and local efforts have been unified within a comprehensive national system that speaks in a single language about the reality of development, presenting the world with a model for transforming data into knowledge and knowledge into tangible impact in people’s lives. Today, statistics have become a living language that tells the story of a nation advancing through accurate data and ambitious visions.”
H.E. Dr. Hajar Saeed Al-Hubaishi, Director General of the Ajman Statistics Centre, said: “Every Emirati statistical figure carries a success story behind it. Through our effective national integration in data production, we ensure that the UAE’s success story is told in a single, accurate, and clear language to the entire world.”
H.E. Humaid Rashid Al Shamsi, Secretary General of the Executive Council – Umm Al Quwain, said: “World Statistics Day reminds us that data is the fundamental pillar for planning and development. In collaboration with the National Bureau of Statistics, we enhance the quality of our figures and data and unify the UAE’s statistical message.”
H.E. Najwa Yacoub, Executive Director of the Ras Al Khaimah Statistics Centre, said: “When efforts are integrated at both the local and federal levels, statistics transform into a cohesive and effective national system that accurately reflects the UAE’s achievements and documents its journey toward global leadership.”
H.E. Dr. Ibrahim Saad Mohammed, Director General of the Fujairah Statistics Centre, said: “Unifying our statistical efforts across the UAE is our investment in a prosperous future. Every accurate piece of information contributes to building more efficient policies and more sustainable development, reflecting the aspirations of our wise leadership.”
Statistics in the UAE: Decades of Achievements
Since its inception with the formation of the Union, the UAE’s statistical work has recorded numerous qualitative achievements in building an advanced statistical system that keeps pace with the latest global standards. The first decade of this journey, from 1971 to 1981, marked the beginning of the need to establish a planning and statistical system to support the construction of the new state. This period witnessed the establishment of the federal planning structure, the formulation of an initial vision for the UAE’s developmental policies, and the launch of the first general census of population and establishments nationwide in 1975.
The second decade of the UAE’s statistical journey, from 1982 to 1991, focused on transforming oil revenues into measurable indicators within development plans. This was achieved by providing comprehensive databases for urban and economic planning, issuing annual reports and development-supporting studies, and expanding the implementation of federal census programs in 1980 and 1985.
During the third decade, from 1992 to 2001, the UAE adopted the approach of “comprehensive and balanced development” and regional planning across the seven emirates to enhance transparency and evaluate developmental performance. During this period, the country also participated regionally in several meetings, including those of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA).
Institutionalizing Statistics
The fourth decade, from 2002 to 2011, marked the true beginning of institutionalizing statistical work in the UAE and linking federal development plans with economic policies. This was achieved through updating the methods of presenting and publishing statistical and economic data and establishing the Supreme Committee for Coordinating Joint Statistical Work at the national level for the first time. These efforts helped enhance global competitiveness indicators based on statistics and data. During this period, the UAE also made its first representation at the United Nations Statistical Commission meetings in 2011.
Decade of Culmination and Leadership
Upon reaching its fifth decade in 2012, extending to the present, the UAE’s statistical system crowned its journey with numerous fruitful initiatives and achievements. This period marked a turning point in the country’s statistical history and the beginning of a new era of statistical transformation, during which the national statistical system shifted from censuses and fieldwork to proactive analysis and impact creation. This transformation solidifies the UAE’s leadership as a country that shapes the future through data, positioning statistics as a central pillar in achieving the nation’s development journey under the “We the UAE 2031” vision, leading up to the UAE Centennial 2071.
During its fifth decade, the UAE also joined the United Nations Statistical Commission for the 2025–2028 term, supporting its contribution to leading global statistical thinking and actively participating in decisions regarding international statistical activities. During this period, H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister, and Chairman of the Presidential Court, launched the “Unified UAE Numbers” project, one of the national initiatives aimed at developing and enhancing the national statistical system and supporting the country’s progress across various economic, demographic, social, and environmental sectors. Additionally, the UAE government launched the Data Index, designed according to best practices and global standards in statistics and data management, with the aim of enhancing governmental performance efficiency and measuring progress in national data governance. The UAE also hosts the regional headquarters of the United Nations Big Data Platform for Sustainable Development.
A New Phase
As it enters its sixth decade of statistical excellence, the UAE continues its journey of innovation and leadership, guided by a vision that transforms data into foresight and progress.. The wise leadership has laid the foundations for an integrated national statistical system at all levels, ushering in a new phase that leverages intelligent analysis, predictive models, and artificial intelligence technologies to transform data into forward-looking knowledge that shapes decision-making and guides the future.
Majed Al Mesmar: These achievements reflect the UAE’s steady progress towards global leadership.
Hanan Ahli: The results reflect the UAE’s leading position in digital transformation regionally and globally.
The UAE has ranked 9th globally and 1st in the region in the World Digital Competitiveness Report 2025 issued by the International Institute for Management Development (IMD) in Lausanne, Switzerland. The ranking strengthens the UAE’s position among the world’s top 10 digital performers, reaffirming its regional leadership and outperforming several advanced global economies. It also underscores the UAE’s ability to keep pace with rapid technological shifts and to build a fully integrated digital development model driven by innovation, artificial intelligence, and human capital.
His Excellency Eng. Majed Sultan Al Mesmar, Director General of the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA) stated that “The UAE ranking 9th globally in the 2025 Digital Competitiveness Report is a testament to the efficiency of its digital ecosystem and the maturity of its technological infrastructure across both government and economic sectors. It further highlights the UAE’s position as a global role model in building a comprehensive, resilient, and secure digital infrastructure capable of accelerating innovation and promoting the UAE’s economic competitiveness.”
“In our view, this is the result of the integrated institutional collaboration between public and private sector entities working together to enhance digital performance and sustain progress. This achievement reflects the UAE’s steadfast path toward global leadership, where digital transformation has become a national way of life; enhancing wellbeing and driving sustainable economic growth,” H.E. added.
Hanan Ahli: Results reflect the UAE’s forward-looking vision
Her Excellency Hanan Ahli, Managing Director of the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre (FCSC), stated that the UAE’s ratings in the World Digital Competitiveness Report highlight the exceptional progress in digital transformation both regionally and globally. “The UAE’s success reflects the effectiveness of national strategies and policies aimed at building a sustainable, knowledge-based economy by empowering national talents, enhancing technical skills, and preparing future generations to thrive in the digital era,” H.E. noted. “These results further strengthen the UAE’s position as a leading global model in digital transformation, fostering a knowledge-driven environment, creatingsustainable opportunities for future generations andbuilding a society grounded in innovation, knowledgeand future sciences,” she added.
Global Leadership in Key Indicators
The UAE ranked 1st globally in key indicators, including internet usage, high-speed connectivity, venture capital availability, public-private partnerships, and digital skills. It also ranked 1st globally in attracting international students and global expertise. In addition, the UAE ranked among the world’s top 5 in 15 indicators and top 10 in 22 indicators, reflecting the depth and inclusiveness of its digital advancement across all sectors.
Sustained Growth in Digital Competitiveness
“The report revealed that the UAE advanced to 9th place globally, up from 18th in the first edition of the report in 2017, marking a consistent upward trajectory in digital competitiveness and highlighting the maturity of its national digital environment and proactive policy framework.”The UAE also maintained its leading regional position, remaining the only country in the Middle East among the global top 10 in digital competitiveness.
Future-Ready and Tech-Driven
According to the report, the UAE ranked 5th globally in Future Readiness, reflecting its high capacity to adopt emerging technologies and develop advanced digital ecosystems. It also ranked 6th globally in the Technology pillar, supported by robust digital infrastructure and extensive investments in advanced technologies and government digital services. In the Knowledge pillar, the UAE ranked 12th globally, underscoring the strength of its education system and national talent development initiatives.
Despite global economic and geopolitical shifts and disruptions to technology supply chains, the report noted that the UAE successfully sustained its digital momentum; reinforcing its reputation as one of the world’s most resilient and innovation-friendly digital economies.
For the first time, the report included data on artificial intelligence patents and private-sector investments in AI, in which the UAE ranked 1st regionally, reflecting the ambitions of its National AI Strategy 2031 and its commitment to a knowledge-driven, innovation-based economy.
These results align with the UAE’s strategic national visions, including the UAE Centennial 2071, the UAE National Artificial Intelligence Strategy 2031, and the Digital Government Strategy, along with key national initiatives such as 1 Million Arab Coders, Advanced Research Laboratories, and National Talent Upskilling Programs.
A Global Model for Digital Transformation
The UAE’s ongoing development reaffirms its position as a world leader in digital transformation and future economy, embodying the wise leadership’s vision to build a competitive, innovation-driven, and knowledge-based national ecosystem that fosters sustainable growth and empowers future-ready generations.
The UAE Government Annual Meetings 2025 hosted the Economic Data Retreat, a specialised strategic retreat which aims to formulate advanced national approaches to managing economic data, as well as enhancing the UAE’s readiness to keep up with rapid global shifts in AI, digital transformation and big data.
The retreat, which hosted three different sessions, brought together ministers and heads of economic, regulatory, financial and tech entities, as well as representatives of Digital Transformation Councils from across the UAE.
Strategic importance
The Economic Data Retreat is strategically timed to underscore the importance of creating a smart, integrated ecosystem of national data, capable of keeping up with global shifts and enhancing the UAE’s competitiveness in digital economy, investment and data-driven planning. The retreat is a key step toward establishing the UAE’s leadership in adopting smart policies, utilising data as a strategic decision-making tool, achieving sustainable development and enhancing the nation’s future readiness.
Unified procurement of big data
The first session titled ‘The Unified Procurement of Big Data: Standardising Federal and Local Contracts’, was led by His Excellency Mohamed bin Hadi Al Hussaini, Minister of State for Financial Affairs.
The session discussed the pivotal role of big data in supporting policies and decision making, and highlighted the need to increase the efficiency of the government data procurement system to improve data quality and accuracy, facilitate secure data exchange among entities and ensure its effective utilisation to support future plans and national policies.
Participants emphasised that launching a unified national model to coordinate government procurement of big data is a strategic step toward identifying federal and local data needs, and unifying procurement efforts on a national level, leading to reduced costs, increased efficiency and accelerated data access.
His Excellency Mohamed Al Hussaini explained that the UAE government, guided by its leadership, is prioritising big data as a cornerstone of the nation’s competitive and digital economy future. He noted that the goal is to build an integrated, real-time national economic data system. This system will provide decision-makers across all sectors with a reliable, instant flow of data, which is key to accelerating smart developmental planning and enabling effective public policies.
Integrating investment data
The second session, titled ‘National Integration of Inbound and Outbound Investment Data’, was led by His Excellency Mohamed Hassan Alsuwaidi, Minister of Investment.
The session discussed the importance of creating an integrated national system for investment data that contributes to increased data accuracy and reliability, while supporting the UAE’s ability to measure the economic and social impact of investments.
His Excellency Mohamed Alsuwaidi said: “In a highly competitive world vying for quality capital, the UAE continues to solidify its status as a leading global destination for investment, while focusing on measuring investment impact in terms of creating jobs, transferring knowledge and supporting vital sectors. Such efforts help promote sustainable development and underscore the competitiveness of our national economy.”
Smart statistics system
The third session, titled ‘Toward a Unified Smart National Statistics System’ was led by Her Excellency Maryam bint Ahmed Al Hammadi, Minister of State, Secretary General of the UAE Cabinet and the General Supervisor of the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre (FCSC).
The session discussed challenges facing the national statistics system, and how to ensure the integration and readiness of data sources and their governance standards cohesion.
The session also discussed plans toward establishing a unified smart national statistics system and approving the development of a regulatory policies package. Such measures help enhance the reliability of national data, and support the accelerated adoption of AI in planning and general policy making.
Her Excellency Maryam bint Ahmed Al Hammadi said: “Building a unified smart national statistics system is essential for transforming the availability and integration of data in real time to bolster the UAE’s competitiveness and accelerate its development plans.”
She added: “The Economic Data Retreat reflects the UAE Government’s vision for advancing to the next phase of statistics integration by developing innovative policies, ensuring that national data is accurate, up-to-date, and accessible to support decision making and future foresight.”
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, visited the UAE Statistics Mural, a major exhibit at the Statistics Exhibition organised by the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre as part of the UAE Government Annual Meetings 2025 in Abu Dhabi.
The exhibition showcases the UAE’s journey in numbers since the launch of its federal institutions from the 1970s until present.
The mural presents a timeline from the 1970s onward, chronicling the UAE’s key strategic and statistical achievements in each decade. The journey begins in the 70s, when statistics work started and culminated in the nation’s first population census in 1975. This pivotal event established a national framework for planning and modern state-building, transforming numbers into an essential tool to chart the course for development.
The timeline continues to the 2020-2030 decade, highlighting the critical transition into the future. This decade is defined by the shift towards smart transformation and comprehensive digitisation through a smart, integrated statistical ecosystem capable of predictive analysis and guiding data-driven policy.
This era represents a fundamental evolution from traditional fieldwork to smart statistics, transforming data into a power that actively shapes the future.
Organised under the theme ‘50 Years of UAE Statistics’, the exhibition showcases a series of statistics reports and groups that date from the establishment of the Ministry of Planning through to the launch of the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre.
The exhibition also showcases statistics indicators across various vital sectors, the latest release of the Unified UAE Numbers report, and a video documenting the UAE’s first census and other relevant milestones.
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
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