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DATA FOR A BETTER FUTURE
Dubai, 16 May 2019
The brainstorming session was attended by 80 government officials along with directors and executives from national and international private companies from various sectors, including IT, banking, retail, transport, aviation, services, and other industries. The General Secretariat of National Committee on Sustainable Development Goals organized a specialized workshop with a view to promoting dialogue between the public and the private sectors on how to develop ideas, tools, and working mechanisms to achieve the 17 SDGs with a thematic focus on Goal 5 on Gender Equality.
H.E. Reem Bint Ibrahim Al Hashemi, Minister of State for International Cooperation and Chairman of the National Committee on Sustainable Development Goals, organizing addressed the workshop. "H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has already issued his directives to do the needful to move up the UAE’s position on the Gender Equality Index," she said
"To put these directives in place, we have implemented several innovative initiatives in collaboration with our partners, who are already contributing to the UAE’s journey to achieve gender balance. As a matter of fact, today’s event is meant to initiate a dialogue with the private sector and activate its role as a partner in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, focusing on the gender balance in particular," H.E. Al Hashemi said.
Participants tackled several issues related to gender balance in the working environment of the public and private sectors. They also exchanged views and suggestions on the most critical topics, reports, and expectations of the government entities concerning laws and procedures. They also addressed the role of companies and private sector institutions in terms of implementing the policies and procedures that support creating a gender-balanced environment that guarantees achieving high level of work efficiency and productivity without any discrimination or by neglecting any aspects of prosperity and quality of life.
The workshop commenced by showcasing the UAE’s most significant initiatives and steps taken to empower women in achieving balance in participation in the development processes, while not losing sight of their role in social development.
The workshop was attended by representatives of the UAE Gender Balance Council, members of the Private Sector Advisory Committee (PSAC) reporting to the National Committee on Sustainable Development Goals, executives from national and international private sector companies, in addition to several FCSA’s experts and consultants.
Participants were split into six main brainstorming groups and tasked to debate various topics, including equal pay, women in leadership positions, quality and harmonization of facilities in the work environment together with other related issues. Each group presented the outputs of their brainstorming session with their suggestions and recommendations in the presence of representatives of the UAE Gender Balance Council, the National Committee on Sustainable Development Goals, and PSAC members.
H.E. Abdullah Lootah, FCSA Director-General, Deputy Chairman of the National Committee on Sustainable Development Goals and PSAC Chairman, said: "We are so pleased to organize these joint brainstorming sessions with such outstanding participation that we observed today. I want to thank the members of the UAE Gender Balance Council and all the private sector companies for their intellectual contributions during the workshop, which stems from the depth of their experiences in the UAE. The results of the brainstorming sessions will have an impact on improving many regulations and laws dedicated to achieving greater heights in achieving gender balance."
H.E. Shamsa Saleh, Secretary-General of the UAE Gender Balance Council, said: "Today’s workshop contributes to promoting dialogue with representatives of the private sector to work together to achieve a balance between men and women economically and socially. This includes cooperation in drafting laws, regulations, and practices, and to be the model country in the region in terms of gender balance."
Gender balance is a critical pillar in achieving progress and development across all areas and contributes to laying the foundations for the well-being and prosperity of future generations; laws and regulations play a crucial role in achieving this. For example, women’s participation in the Federal National Council (FNC) stands at 22.5%. However, with the development of laws and the enactment of new legislation, this percentage will potentially reach 50%. Achieving this percentage will give a push to the UAE’s ranking in the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) jumping from 84th place to the top five countries globally.
Ahmed Al- Falasi, Executive Director of Group Operations at Emaar and member of PSAC emphasized Emaar’s commitment to Goal 5 of SDGs. He pointed out: "We, at Emaar, are committed to empowering women and improving their representation in the workplace at all levels. One example of this is the "She" strategy launched by Emaar Hospitality Group to increase the number of women in management and executive positions in the company. We are also committed to promoting gender equality as an essential foundation for tremendous new economic opportunities, which will enrich the happiness of our country and society."
Many private sector companies accepted the invitation of the National Committee on Sustainable Development Goals to participate in this workshop including AT Kearney, Standard Chartered, TECOM Group, DP World, ADNOC, Unilever, Jumeirah Group, Transguard Group, Green Touches, Dubai Holdings, Emirates Global Aluminum, First Abu Dhabi Bank, Al Serkal Cultural Foundation, Emaar Properties, Societe Generale, HSBC, Fitch & Co, Emirates Group / Dnata, Procter & Gamble, Dubai Airport Free Zone, Masdar, Imperial Health Care Institute, Karim, Tristar, Dubai International Airport, Strategos, S & P, Middlesex University, Dentons, Nama Women Advancement, Dubai Multi Commodities Center (DMCC) Free Zone and CTG.
Cooperation with FCSA and Statistics Centers in Abu Dhabi and Dubai
Dubai, 5 May 2019
Having completed the requirements of the UAE Accredited Field Researcher License (AFRL) training program, 92 students from the Sociology Department enrolled in the Humanities and Social Sciences Faculty of the United Arab Emirates University (UAEU) got their licenses in a special ceremony held at FCSA premises. The training course was conducted in cooperation between FCSA, Statistics Center- Abu Dhabi (SCAD) and the Dubai Statistics Center (DSC) last April 2019.
The students were honored in a special recognition ceremony attended by H.E. Dr. Ateeq Al Mansouri, Associate Vice President for Student Affairs at the UAEU, H.E. Mohamed Hassan, Executive Director of the Statistics Sector at FCSA, along with a number of faculty members, trainers, program coordinators, and students.
H.E. Abdullah Lootah, Director General of the FCSA, highlighted the significance of data by saying: “Data is the key pillar for the process of decision-making, and the heart of strategies and future innovations, including artificial intelligence, robotics, and space exploration. Data is our national wealth, and we have to work hard to put data to optimal use to build our future and the future of the generations to come.”
He added: “We will find no onebetter than our sons and daughters to be entrusted with this strategic national wealth. Indeed, with the support we receive from the UAEU and the statistics centers in the UAE, and with cooperation with our society members, the UAE students will be fully able to play their role in supporting the national development process and achieving the vision and directives of our wise leadership and be one of the best countries in the world.”
H.E. Rashid Lahej Nasser Saeed Al Mansouri, Chairman of SCAD, said: “This initiative is a quantum leap to further enrich the national statistical and competitiveness work in the UAE. Statistics field requires creative human resources enjoying qualities of skillfulness, accuracy, intelligence, loyalty, and objectivity. Today, the UAEU students are joining the field teams who are committed to keep their promises they made, to meet the responsibilities they bore and to fulfill the obligations they have been entrusted upon by our wise leadership.”
H.E. Arif Obaid Al Muhairi, Executive Director of DSC, pointed out that the discipline of statistics is continually evolving with innovativestatistical products thatare rapidly accelerating in pace and diversity in application.
Al Muhairi emphasized on the importance of training programs in statistics by saying: “As a result of the variety of issues and phenomenas that are subjected to research, measurement, and evaluation, it is a must to have well-trained Emiratis who are able to keep pace with such rapid developments. Through offering training programs to our competent human resources and qualifying them to get certified in AFRL, these competent filed researchers will have the chance to join field teams who are monumental in conducting the most important stage of statistical surveys by collecting accurate and safe data.”
H.E. Dr. Ateeq Al Mansouri highlighted the significance of such initiatives in preparing students to be distinguished in their respective disciplines, productive in their communities and capable of improving their professional skills.
Dr. Al Mansouri highly appreciated the efforts exerted by the FCSA, SCAD, and DSC for providing support to the UAEU’s students. He also stressed the importance of this kind of training which links the outputs of education with the requirements of the society by equipping these students with the knowledge and skills they need.
Head of the Department of Sociology at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences of UAEU, Dr. Aqil Kazim, highly hailed the ongoing cooperation with the Department of Sociology which allowed the students to acquire applied skills in collecting data and conducting interviews while conducting social researches and be qualified to get their AFRL certificates.
He went on to say: “Training is one of the most important factors taken into consideration while preparing preparing students to join the labor market., Our department works closely with leading institutions in the UAE to provide various practical training programs, linking academic and theoretical studies with practical training experience.
92 female students from the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences were trained at the UAE University after attending a series of theoretical lectures and workshops followed by various tests.
During the one-week qualifying program, participants were introduced to various aspects of the statistical fieldwork in the UAE, data collection methodologies, types of questionnaires and surveys, techniques used for collecting responses, types of forms, data privacy protection in addition to several other topics relevant to statistics fieldwork.
The team in charge of this initiative pointed highlighted the long-term vision aiming at expanding the program through a series of practical steps, actions, and incentives to encourage competent Emirati students to join and experience this the journey of field statistics in the UAE.
Paris– Dubai, 1 May, 2019
The Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority (FCSA) participated in the meetings of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in the Middle East and Africa held in the French capital, Paris. The critical issues tackled by the participants were centered around statistics conducted in the member states.
FCSA received an invitation extended by OECD to attend the meetings and submit a working paper related to statistics. FCSA accepted the invitation and an official delegation headed by H.E. Abdullah Lootah, Director- General of FCSA, accompanied by a number of statistics and data experts and specialists attended.
In his presentation on the UAE model of the statistics sector management, H.E. Lootah shed a spotlight on how statistical work serves the process of managing the national competitiveness strategy and distinct initiatives to achieve the SDGs 2030.
“Participation in the meetings of the OECD in Paris was an important opportunity to bring before the member states the UAE’s experience in linking statistics and data with competitiveness and the SDGs,” said Lootah.
“These high-level meetings shape the economic tendencies in the future, for they are an essential element in presenting the experiences of member states and taking advantage of the successful ones. The participating delegates highly appreciated the experience of the UAE as a role model for the developed countries. The UAE methodology is based on harnessing advanced technologies and data collection and data analysis to support the efforts of the UAE for improving its level on the global competitiveness indicators, on the one hand, and for supporting national initiatives gearing towards achieving the UAE sustainable development agenda,” Lootah added.
These remarks were made during the speech of the Director-General delivered at the fourth session held under the theme of “Statistics and Global Competitiveness.”
In his speech, the Director-General talked the Global Value Chains (GVC) and using the advanced statistical tools for overcoming the various challenges and for drawing upon the available expertise and skills.
Furthermore, participants discussed the importance and advantages of trade in services, which is now growing in importance due to the extensive use of the internet and digital payment platforms around the world. This makes the trade in services an open market to the global competition where survival will be only for innovative services and products of high specialty if they meet local needs.
During his keynote speech at the 2019 Global Summit, José Angel Gurria, Secretary-General of the OECD, highly acclaimed the UAE’s economic growth. He also hailed the big projects implemented for making the UAE society happy, particularly the infrastructure and housing projects, and projects related to environment, human development and community development which all aim at providing services and ensuring all means of comfort, stability, and decent life for all the segments and nationalities living in the UAE society.
Chairing the First Meeting of the FCSA Board of Directors in 2019
Dubai, 9 April 2019
Chairing the first meeting of the Board of Directors of the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority (FCSA) in 2019, H.E. Mohammad Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and the Future and Chairman of the FCSA Board of Directors, acknowledged the support provided by all members of the FCSA Board of Directors to boost efforts exerted by the FCSA to further improve the UAE’s ranking in global indices and to achieve the goals of the National Agenda 2021.
He pointed out that FCSA has become a regional and global knowledge hub. “FCSA showcases the UAE model in competitive strategies, and how data, initiatives, and innovative methods in providing and disseminating data can support the design and shaping the future.”
“FCSA has become a key resource for decision-makers, officials, and experts from the UAE and abroad who desire to use statistics tools to shape the future with sights set to serve their countries and people. Data is national wealth, so we have to work hard to make use of them to build the future of our coming generations, to realize the vision and guidance of our wise leadership and rise to be among the best countries in the world.”
The FCSA team presented their proposed work plan for the current year, which includes setting up a series of specialized files focusing on a number of areas such as the impact of data on the national agenda indicators and global competitiveness reports, legislation and its role in promoting the UAE’s global competitiveness, SDGs and their relationship with the UAE Vision 2021 and the initiatives includinge race to thefuture and others.
Several projects and initiatives based on advanced technology, such as artificial intelligence were also presented. An innovative analytical tool based on geospatial information systems (GIS) was also introduced. Additionally, some innovative services such as the compilation, analysis, and classification of satellite images using machine learning and artificial intelligence techniques were also introduced.
Members of the FCSA Board of Directors praised the efforts of FCSA’steam and the relevant initiatives. They recommended focusing on national and international indicators, especially those related to the National Agenda 2021. They also stressed the importance of cooperating and collaborating with the competent task forces of the federal government entities concerned with the national agenda by providing statistical data and competitive indicators in respect of each body and its terms of reference.
The meeting ended with an open discussion between members of the Board of Directors and the FCSA task team, where several ideas and proposals related to the FCSA 2019 operational plan were tackled. They underlined the importance of working together with all partners and cooperating with federal and local government agencies, private sector companies, international institutions, and society to achieve the vision of the UAE 2021.
The FCSA Board of Directors is chaired by the Minister of the Cabinet Affairs and the Future of the United Arab Emirates, and includes 18 members; namely H.E. Minister of Economy, H.E. Minister of Health and Community Protection, H.E. Minister of State for Financial Affairs, H.E. Minister of Health and Industry, H.E. Minister of Education, H.E. Minister of Human Resources and Emiratization, H.E. Minister of Community Development, H.E. Minister of State for Happiness and Quality of Life, H.E. Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, H.E. Secretary General of the Office of H.H. Minister of Interior, H.E. Acting Director General of Identity in the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship, H.E. Deputy Secretary General of the Supreme Council for National Security, H.E. Chairman of the Board of Directors of Statistics Center – Abu Dhabi, H.E. Secretary General of Dubai Executive Council, H.E. Director General of Sharjah Department of Statistics and Community Development, H.E. Secretary General of the Ajman Executive Council, HE Secretary General of Umm Al Quwwain Executive Council, H.E. Director of Fujairah Emiri Diwan and H.E. Secretary General of the Ras Al Khaimah Executive Council.
- Among the top three countries in the world to be included on the UN Sustainable Development Knowledge Platform.
- UAE achieves the full electronic connectivity with the UN Sustainable Development Knowledge Platform.
- The first Arab country and the second country in the world to achieve full and real-time connectivity to the UN Sustainable Development Knowledge Platform located in New York
- Showcasing five national initiatives of the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change in the field of integrated waste management, air quality, wildlife, marine environment, and environmental protection development policies
- Electronic linkage and real-time update of the UAE’s international assistance data on the UN website
Al Zeyoudi: Full connectivity with United Nations Sustainable Development Goals better informs the international community of UAE’s efforts to achieve sustainability.
Al Hashemi: Sharing the UAE model of sustainability in the economic, social and environmental fields with the international community meets the directives of our wise leadership
Dubai, 30 March 2019
The Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority (FCSA), in coordination with the General Secretariat of the National Committee on Sustainable Development Goals, has made a remarkable step towards enhancing the UAE’s efforts to achieve SDGs. The e-integration between several government institutions in the UAE and the UN platform of data and facts related to the UAE’s initiatives and efforts catersto the goals of SDGs 2030.
The UN-led global platform, in coordination with ESRI which is a specialized company in geographic information systems and services, aims to achieve greater access to information on all activities and initiatives documented by governments to achieve the sustainable development goals. The UAE is one of the first countries to be included in this platform, which consists of five countries: The United Arab Emirates, Palestine, Ireland, the Philippines, and Mexico.
FCSA presented to Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, the results of the e-linking of the Ministry’s initiatives with the UN platform, upon which a section had been dedicated to the efforts, achievements, and initiatives of the UAE to achieve the Sustainability Agenda 2030.
H.E. Al Zeyoudi acclaimed this achievement and appreciated the efforts of task forces that oversaw the completion of this linkage. He said, “Achieving full connectivity with the UN SDGs strengthens the UAE’s position and global competitiveness, better informs the international community of its efforts to achieve sustainability and contributes to the achievement of the goals of the UAE Vision 2071 to be the world’s leading country in all sectors.”
He attributed the ability of the task forces to complete this achievement under the guidance of the wise leadership regarding the importance and necessity of cooperation and coordination and the joint work among all institutions of the government sector.
The UAE webpage on the UN Sustainable Development Knowledge Platform currently features 26 articles, including summaries of key sustainability initiatives, data, and studies, most notably the section of National Sustainability Initiative Presentation and Documentation. UAE is recognized as the first country in the world to add a documentation component , which constitutes a knowledge center and provides all users with the most critical aspects of the achievements and successes of institutions in the UAE.
Current initiatives include case studies in six areas: international assistance and cooperation, integrated waste management processes, air quality, wildlife, the marine environment, and the development of environmental protection policies.
Such connectivity enables the sharing of sustainability information directly from the sites of federal and local government institutions to the UN platform without the need to re-publish information or copy data, so that data updates to ensure synchronization for immediate accessibility on the UN Sustainability Information Platform.
H.E. Reem Bint Ibrahim Al-Hashimi, Minister of State for International Cooperation and Chairman of National Committee on Sustainable Development Goals, said “The objective of the UAE’s inclusion in this global platform is to meet the wise leadership’s directives to share the UAE’s model of sustainability in the economic, social and environmental fields with the international community. This helps spread knowledge, share experiences and build capacity around the world, in addition to recognizing the importance and necessity of publicizing the great efforts exerted by the federal and local government institutions as well as the private sector inside and outside the country in the field of sustainability. Our participation opens up broader horizons for dialogue with those concerned with and interested in the concept of sustainability. This ensures the continuous development of our working mechanism and the way we manage this critical global dossier.
H.E. Abdullah Nasser Lootah, Vice President of National Committee on Sustainable Development Goals and FCSA Director-General, said: “This initiative supports the efforts exerted to keep pace with the UN 17 SDGs by providing clear data tools, which would contribute to the facilitation of planning, monitoring and measuring progress in achieving the goals of sustainable development, and to report to the United Nations Statistics Division.”
He concluded: “FCSA’s collaboration with ESRI in completing electronic connectivity with the UN platform would further support the FCSA’s capacity and enhance its planning potential in the future towards supporting sustainability at the national and global levels and achieve the 2030 Agenda goals.”
The Information Center of UAE Sustainable Development Goals can be found at http://www.sdg.org
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
SDGs are a set of goals defined by the United Nations, also known as Global Agenda 2030. They constitute an international call to end all forms of poverty. These goals are unique in that they call for joint actions by all poor, rich and middle-income countries to promote prosperity for their peoples while protecting the planet and preserving resources for future generations. This convention is unique because it had never happened that 193 countries affiliated to UN to agree on a long-term vision for the future of the globe. The 17 SDGs are based on the success of the Millennium Development Goals (2000-2015). SDGs include four key aspects: environmental, social and economic aspects in addition to partnerships. The 2030 Agenda includes a total of 169 targets and 233 indicators.
SDGs are linked to each other and success in achieving one goal will often resolve other issues that contribute to the achievement of other SDGs. Achievement of SDGs requires collaboration and working with all partners and stakeholders in a practical way so as to make the right decisions and to improve life in a sustainable way for future generations. SDGs also provide a set of clear objectives and indicators for all countries, which can be incorporated into their national plans, with highlighting the environmental challenges facing the world. These goals are a comprehensive roadmap that provides the basic methodologies and tools for achieving the 17 SDGs by unifying nations to bring positive change to the world and to sustain the planet’s resources for future generations.
The UAE Ambassador in Washington Acknowledges FCSA’s efforts Locally and Regionally
FCSA Highly Values the Role of the UAE Diplomatic Mission in Washington in Supporting the State’s Competitiveness Efforts in Global Reports and Indicators.
New York, Dubai, 24 March 2019:
H.E. Youssef Al Otaiba, the UAE Ambassador in Washington, received H.E. Hanan Ahli, the Executive Director of the Competitiveness Sector in the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority (FCSA), and the head of the UAE delegation visiting Washington D.C. to meet several representatives of the international institutions and organizations.
The UAE Ambassador welcomed the visiting delegation and highly commended FCSA’s efforts channeled to improve the performance of the UAE in the reports and indicators of global competitiveness and to support statistics and data sector.
H.E. the Ambassador discussed with the delegation different methods to boost and support the efforts of the UAE at the global level in all areas under the responsibility of the Authority. Al Otaiba praised the spirit of joint cooperation and action between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and the UAE’s diplomatic missions with the federal and local government authorities.
HE acknowledge the ongoing cooperation to serve the best interests of the UAEand enhancing international standing by achieving the vision of the wise leadership to realize the national agenda and the UAE Vision2071.
During the meeting, the delegation highlighted the achievements of FCSA and its partners of federal and local government institutions, in particular, the members of the executive teams concerned with the competitiveness reports, such as the Ease of Doing Business Report issued by World Bank.
A number of records were also tackled, such as hosting the world’s most important activities and events related to the statistics and data sector by the State. This included hosting the second session of the United Nations World Data Forum in October 2018 by the UAE, as an additional opportunity to meet with stakeholders and focus on how to harness data power to serve humanity.
UAE Participation in the 50th Annual Meeting of the International Statistical Commission
- Nusseibeh: Data plays a vital role in enhancing the reputation of the UAE
- Lootah: The Permanent Mission is making every effort in support of the visiting delegations
Dubai, March 9, 2019
The UAE official delegation participating in the 50th Annual Meeting of the International Statistical Commission headed by H.E. Abdulla Nasser Lootah, Director-General of the Federal Authority for Competitiveness and Statistics (FCSA), paid a courtesy visit to the UAE Permanent Mission to UN in New York.
The delegation was received by HE Ms. Lana Zaki Nusseibeh, the UAE Permanent Representative to the UN. During the meeting, they discussed the role of national statistical centers in providing, making available and disseminating data, in addition to other several topics and issues of mutual interest.
H.E. Lana Nusseibeh underlined the importance of the role of data in achieving sustainable development. She stated: “Indeed, the participation of the UAE delegation in the meetings of the UN International Statistical Committee and exhibiting UAE’s efforts in this field will contribute in elevating the reputation of our dearest homeland as one of the most committed countries in consolidating the international partnership and cooperation and supporting the global sustainable development goals through innovation, global partnerships, modern technologies, artificial intelligence and other sectors that shape the future of UAE and the role of UAE future generations will play.”
H.E. Lana Nusseibeh hailed the diligent and dedicated efforts of the delegation for their contributions to the progress of UAE rank in one of the most critical global competitiveness reports and indicators.
The UAE delegation participating in the International Statistical Commission includes a number of the senior officials of the statistics and data centers in the UAE.
In his turn, H.E. Abdullah Naser Lootah, Director-General of FCSA expressed his gratitude for the outstanding role played by the Permanent Mission of UAE to UN, especially in supporting the State delegations in their official missions.
He said: “The Permanent Mission of the State at the United Nations has always been a pioneer in facilitating the tasks of official missions from the UAE with all efforts to overcome any obstacles which may be faced by any of the members of the delegation.”
The UAE delegation is participating intensely in this year’s annual meetings of the United Nations Statistical Committee, following the hosting of the United Nations World Data Forum by the State at its second session held in Dubai in October last year. The State’s hosting of this forum has a tangible impact on data experts, statistics and national competencies in the country as a result of the exchange of information, experiences and the best success stories of data and statistics.
H.E. Abdullah Nasser Lootah highlighted , during his meetings with all directors of statistics centers in the world participating in the meetings of the Statistical Committee, the importance of putting the “Dubai Declaration” into effect so that the countries of the world can continue their march towards achieving SDGs agenda in 2030.”
At the end of the meeting, H.E. Lana Nusseibeh thanked the delegation of the FCSA for visiting the headquarters of the Permanent Mission in New York and wished them success in their meetings at the fiftieth session of the International Statistical Commission in New York.
UAE’s National Committee on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) discussed national efforts to achieve objectives of the Sustainable Development agenda 2030, outlining the third phase of the national data plan, mechanisms to enhance integration across sectors to ensure sustainability goals, and reviewed UAE’s progress indicators in implementing development goals.
This took place during a committee meeting chaired by His Excellency Abdulla Nasser Lootah, Assistant Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Competitiveness and Experience Exchange, Chair of the National Committee for Sustainable Development Goals. Also present were Her Excellency Maria Hanif Al Qassim, Assistant Undersecretary for Policies and Economic Studies at the Ministry of Economy; Her Excellency Eng. Alia Abdul Rahim Al Harmoudi, Assistant Undersecretary for the Sustainable Communities Sector at the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE); His Excellency Dr. Hussain Abdul Rahman Al Rand, Assistant Undersecretary for the Public Health Sector at the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MOHAP); and Her Excellency Hanan Mansour Ahli, Managing Director of the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre (FCSC).
Abdulla Lootah emphasised that the UAE continues its approach in contributing to global dialogue to define sustainable development priorities far beyond the 2030 phase, based on its belief in ensuring a sustainable future for humanity and unifying efforts to achieve a qualitative leap in sustainable development.
He stated that the UAE represents a leading global model in adopting and translating sustainable development goals into tangible reality through a proactive vision that combines national ambition and global responsibility. The Committee supports this approach by focusing on the importance of unifying efforts and ensuring alignment of strategies with development needs and strategic goals, intensifying efforts to achieve national priorities, enhancing future sustainability foresight, and ensuring alignment of national strategies across sectors with global trends.
Global Goals Achievement Updates
The UAE’s National Committee on SDGs reviewed the progress and stages of achieving sustainable development goals at the national level. Committee members emphasised the importance of enhancing data and improving its quality through integrated systems to automate reporting processes on goal achievement, focusing on adhering to internationally approved standards and methodologies, and strengthening the UAE’s approach in sharing insights and experience exchange that positively impact sustainable development futures at community and global levels.
Committee members discussed their team efforts and mechanisms for observing global goal achievement and periodic review with working teams to monitor progress levels, internationally approved standards and methodologies implementation, and linking improvement plans with targeted timelines to ensure a qualitative leap in sustainable development data abundance according to the highest standards of accuracy, transparency, and efficiency.
Future Directions
The General Secretariat of the UAE’s National Committee on SDGs reviewed the highlights of the XDGs 2045 Global Survey, conducted during the “SDGs in Action” Forum at the World Governments Summit 2025.
The survey witnessed broad participation from over 50 countries worldwide, highlighting the urgent need to adopt a comprehensive approach in shaping the future outlook, enhancing international cooperation to forge effective partnerships, and unifying efforts in tackling challenges and exploring future opportunities.
Strategic Priorities Beyond 2030
The Committee discussed the UAE’s contributions in sharing visions and driving sustainable development nationally and globally, inspired by the country’s proactive initiative drawn from the legacy of the United Nation’s Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and Sustainable Development Goals 2030, launching the “XDGs 2045” concept in an initiative to foresee the future beyond the 2030 agenda. This initiative included three high-level ministerial meetings, bringing together leaders and government officials at global and national levels in dialogues reaffirming their commitment to shaping long-term strategies for a flexible, comprehensive, and sustainable future towards 2045.
The UAE’s real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) reached AED 1.776 billion in 2024, recording a growth rate of 4% compared to 2023. The non-oil GDP grew by 5%, amounting to AED 1.342 billion, while oil-related sectors and activities contributed AED 434 billion.
His Excellency Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy, stated that the GDP figures issued by the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre (FCSC) for 2024 represent a new notable achievement for the national economy. Affirming the UAE’s key breakthroughs under the vision and directives of its wise leadership, in driving economic diversification and enhancing global competitiveness. By the end of last year, non-oil sectors accounted for 75.5% of the country’s total GDP.
His Excellency added that these indicators reflect the success of the UAE’s economic strategies and policies aimed at transitioning to an innovative, knowledge-based, and sustainable economic model, in line with emerging trends and advanced technologies.
H.E. further stated, “We continue to enhance our national efforts under the leadership of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, and the guidance of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. These efforts support the economic targets of the ‘We the UAE 2031’ vision, which aims to raise the GDP to AED 3 trillion by the next decade and strengthen the UAE’s position as a global hub for the new economy, ensuring sustainable development, leadership, and international competitiveness.”
Her Excellency Hanan Mansour Ahli, Managing Director of the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre, affirmed that the 4% growth in the UAE’s GDP last year reflects the strong performance of the national economy, which is supported by a forward-looking vision focused on sustainable, non-oil-driven growth.
H.E. noted that the UAE’s leadership continues to build a pioneering and globally advanced economic model, where economic diversification remains a key pillar and catalyst for sustainable development, community prosperity, and continued national achievements. This approach helps ensure the sustainability of GDP growth and progress across various economic and development indicators.
Top Performing Economic Activities
In terms of the most dynamic economic sectors in 2024 compared to 2023, transport and storage sector led the way with a 9.6% growth, driven by strong performance in passenger traffic and flight operations across UAE airports, which handled 147.8 million travelers, reflecting an annual growth of nearly 10%.
The construction sector expanded by 8.4%, supported by substantial investment in urban infrastructure projects. Financial and insurance activities grew by 7%, while the hospitality sector, including restaurants and hotels, increased by 5.7%, and real estate activities rose by 4.8%.
Among non-oil economic activities, trade was the largest contributor to GDP, accounting for 16.8%, followed by manufacturing at 13.5%, financial and insurance activities at 13.2%, construction at 11.7%, and real estate at 7.8%.
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister, and Ruler of Dubai, has chaired a Cabinet meeting held at Qasr Al Watan in Abu Dhabi.
The meeting was attended by His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister, and Chairman of the Presidential Court; H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence; H.H. Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, First Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, and Minister of Finance; H.H. Lt. General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister, and Minister of the Interior.
H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum said, “I chaired a Cabinet meeting at Qasr Al Watan in Abu Dhabi, where we reviewed the UAE’s performance in the 2025 IMD World Competitiveness Ranking. The UAE ranked 5th globally, alongside the world’s leading countries in economic competitiveness, government efficiency, legislative strength, and business environment excellence. Sixteen years ago, we established a competitiveness center, uniting the efforts of key national entities. These efforts have elevated the UAE’s ranking from 28th globally in 2009 to being among the top five globally in competitiveness. In the same report, the UAE ranked 1st globally in the absence of bureaucracy index, 2nd globally in government policies adaptability index, and 4th globally in government efficiency index. This achievement is a testament to years of consistent effort. With the vision of my brother, Mohamed bin Zayed, our future will continue to be even brighter and stronger.”
The UAE Cabinet reviewed the 2025 Global Competitiveness Ranking results, published by the IMD World Competitiveness Center in Lausanne, Switzerland. This year, the UAE is ranked among the top five globally, scoring 96.09 out of 100 points. The country advanced two positions from last year, surpassing countries such as the United States, Sweden, Germany, and Canada, while maintaining its top ranking as the regional leader for the ninth consecutive year.
The report evaluates 69 countries based on four key areas: economic performance, government efficiency, business efficiency, and infrastructure. Its findings cover 341 competitiveness indicators across economic, administrative, and social fields.
The 2025 edition also introduced five new indicators: food waste, environmental performance, freely elected government, passport mobility, and media bias.
This year, the UAE made significant progress in the business efficiency pillar, rising seven spots to rank third globally. It also maintained a strong standing globally in economic performance and government efficiency, ranking second and fourth, respectively.
The UAE’s exceptional performance in key sectors contributed to its leadership in 113 global indicators across the report’s main and sub-pillars. The country ranked first globally in 22 indicators, including employment rate, absence of bureaucracy, availability of global expertise, digital transformation in companies, venture capital, inbound mobility of higher education students, public-private partnerships, energy infrastructure, and female parliamentary representation.
The UAE also ranked second globally in social cohesion, flexibility of residency laws, and government policy adaptability, while securing third globally in graduates in sciences, leverage of digital tools and technology, and healthcare infrastructure.
The United Arab Emirates delegation will participate in the upcoming 2025 United Nations High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development, organized by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) at UN Headquarters in New York.
The delegation will showcase the UAE’s comprehensive development model, reaffirming its commitment to accelerate progress toward the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through multinational partnerships.
The UAE delegation will focus on five priority goals: Goal 3 – ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all at all ages; Goal 5 – achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls; Goal 8 – promoting sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth, productive employment, and decent opportunities for all; Goal 14 – conserving and sustainably using oceans, seas, and marine resources; and Goal 17 – strengthening global partnerships for sustainable development.
The UAE delegation includes members from the UAE’s National Committee on Sustainable Development Goals, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Investment, The Government Experience Exchange Programme, Dubai Chamber of Commerce, the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi, and Noor Dubai Foundation (under the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives), in coordination with the UAE’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York.
His Excellency Abdullah Nasser Lootah, Assistant Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Competitiveness and Experience Exchange and Chair of the National Committee on Sustainable Development Goals, reaffirmed that UAE’s participation reflects its international commitment to advancing the 2030 SDGs in innovation, technology, and smart governance. He emphasized the importance of expanding global partnerships in knowledge and development exchange.
On the sidelines of HLPF, the UAE delegation is organizing a focused global retreat to discuss current challenges and explore future opportunities and a dedicated exhibition showcasing the UAE’s progress and achievements in accelerating the implementation of the SDGs both locally and globally. In addition, the delegation will highlight initiatives in clean energy, digital transformation, education, and healthcare.
As part of the preparations for the UAE’s participation, the National Committee on the SDGs held an extensive meeting to assess the readiness of the delegation and review progress on the implementation of the SDGs. The meeting explored opportunities to expand international cooperation and sign new agreements during the Forum.
Held under the “Reinforcing sustainable, inclusive, and evidence-based solutions to deliver the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs, leaving no one behind”, the 2025 forum will run from 14 to 23 July 2025 with a total of 37 countries presenting their voluntary national reviews on the progress made toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals to date.
On the first day of the 2025 United Nations High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development, organized by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) at UN Headquarters in New York, the UAE delegation emphasized the crucial role of advanced healthcare systems in accelerating achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) globally by 2030.
The delegation highlighted the UAE’s efforts to support Goal 3, ensuring good health and well-being, emphasizing the importance of innovation in healthcare systems’ development and deployment to achieve sustainable development worldwide.
The UAE provides the fundamentals for sustainable development
His Excellency Abdulla Nasser Lootah, Assistant Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Competitiveness and Experience Exchange, and Chair of the National Committee on SDGs, affirmed that the UAE relies on fruitful partnerships and experience exchange principles in launching and implementing programs that make a positive development difference internationally, especially in communities most in need of support, such as those in the Global South.
Lootah stated: “The UAE is a trusted global supporter in accelerating the achievement of the UN SDGs for 2030. It is keen on implementing practical initiatives worldwide that have a continuous impact, providing sustainability for development and disseminating their benefits to the largest number of beneficiaries, including projects supporting the healthcare sector in developing communities.”
He added: “Investing in strategic projects with long-term extended impact in vital sectors that support achieving sustainable development such as health, knowledge, and awareness is a vital investment in people, the focal point of development, and in human capital, which creates opportunities for the future. This is the UAE’s approach to development locally and globally, which we are committed to sharing through partnerships, knowledge exchange, and expertise with everyone,” reiterating the strategic dimension’s importance to ensure sustainability of development project impacts for future generations.
Shaping the Future
From the platform of the exhibition ‘Shaping Tomorrow: UAE Leadership for a Sustainable Future,’ the UAE delegation presents a multi-faceted picture of the country’s contributions to achieving SDGs, including enhancing local and global healthcare systems. The exhibition introduces UAE’s global initiatives supporting sustainable development in vital areas, including innovative healthcare, policy design inclusive of all, and global transformative partnerships.
Focus on Healthcare
The healthcare sector and its developmental projects made a significant presence at the exhibition organized by the UAE in HLPF, highlighting progress and impact of its development initiatives for healthcare systems at the national level and in communities most in need of support and assistance. The exhibition also demonstrated the role of partnerships established by the UAE and entities within its delegation to the forum in accelerating development pathways, including fruitful healthcare work in awareness, prevention, and treatment.
Beyond 2030
The UAE’s delegation to the forum organized a high-impact roundtable session at the Permanent Mission of the UAE to the United Nations, presenting new visions for healthcare systems and their role in sustainable development beyond 2030.
The high-impact roundtable session, organized by the National Committee on SDGs; The Consulate General of the UAE in New York; and the Noor Dubai Foundation as part of the country’s delegation to the HLPF, focused on the importance of healthcare innovations, expanding their development and deployment to accelerate achieving Goal 3: ensuring global access to good health and well-being. The session also highlighted the link between achieving Goal 3 and several other development objectives, including Goal 1: ending poverty in all its forms everywhere and Goal 13: focusing on taking urgent action to combat climate change to achieve a healthy future for generations.
Participants in the session worked on developing preliminary models for comprehensive health development solutions contributing to achieving SDGs 2030 and beyond. The attendees recognized the role of primary healthcare networks supported by AI at the Noor Dubai Foundation, along with international tools and opportunities available for financing climate health solutions, in developing a comprehensive framework for current goals and future goals proposed by the UAE for 2045, focusing on multi-sectoral international cooperation.
The session concluded on the necessity of linking innovation to actual needs, collaboration in shared health and preventive responsibilities, and leveraging data as catalysts for action.
Sustainable Health Umbrella
Dr. Manal Omran Taryam, CEO and Board Member of the Noor Dubai Foundation, delivered the UAE’s statement at the forum on Goal 3 and its linkages with other goals. She said: “In the UAE, we believe that health is an inherent right, only completed by integrating all elements of healthcare under a unified, integrated, and sustainable umbrella.”
Dr. Manal Taryam added: “Technology and innovation are the core of the UAE’s approach to achieving sustainable development, where investment in telemedicine, AI, and smart screening tools contribute to removing geographic barriers and ensuring access to healthcare for all. We are proud of initiatives such as the Noor Dubai Foundation, one of the initiatives of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI), which since 2008 has improved the lives of more than 33 million people in Asia and Africa through comprehensive teleophthalmology programs and innovative solutions such as ‘Ibsar’ project.”
HLPF on Sustainable Development 2025
The HLPF on Sustainable Development Forum represents the UN’s primary platform on sustainable development solutions. Since its establishment in 2012, the forum has played a pivotal role in monitoring and reviewing the progress made toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals for 2030.
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