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DATA FOR A BETTER FUTURE

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The National Committee for Sustainable Development Goals stresses the importance of the availability of modern data and statistics to introduce the country’s efforts globally

19 Sep 2024

The National Committee for Sustainable Development Goals stressed the importance of the availability of modern data and statistics to introduce the UAE’s efforts globally in all vital sectors, and the need to expand the base of specialized national experts to facilitate the implementation of sustainable development goals, enhance efforts to ensure data standardization, improve the quality of associated reports, and improve coordination levels between national and international bodies to ensure transparency and reduce duplication in efforts to accelerate the achievement of global goals.

This came during the third meeting of the committee chaired by Abdullah Nasser Lootah, Assistant Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Competitiveness and Knowledge Exchange and Chairman of the National Committee for Sustainable Development Goals, and in the presence of Her Excellency Maria Hanif Al Qassim, Assistant Undersecretary for Economic Policies and Studies Sector at the Ministry of Economy, His Excellency Nasser Ismail, Assistant Undersecretary for Social Welfare Affairs at the Ministry of Community Development, Her Excellency Eng. Alia Abdul Rahim Al Harmoodi, Assistant Undersecretary for Sustainable Communities Sector at the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, and His Excellency Hassan Obaid Al Muhairi, Assistant Undersecretary for Policies and Economic Studies Sector in Ministry of Education.

The meeting was also attended by HE Hanan Mansour Ahli, Director of the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Center, HE Colonel Dr. Rashid Khalfan Al Dhakhri, Deputy Director of the General Department of Strategy and Performance Development at the Ministry of Interior, HE Rashid Mohammed Al Hemeiri, Director of the Development and International Cooperation Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Eng. Nawal Yousef Al Hinai, Director of the Future Energy Department at the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure.

Abdullah Lootah stressed that the UAE leadership focuses on enhancing investment in national talents and cadres in order to enhance their participation in achieving the country’s future visions and directions, and enhance its contribution to advancing and accelerating efforts to achieve sustainable development goals, stressing the importance of integration in the national effort and expanding cooperation, partnership and coordination at the international level to achieve global development goals.

Abdullah Lootah said that the National Committee for Sustainable Development Goals has worked since its inception to support national initiatives aimed at achieving the sustainable development goals, and to enhance national capacity-building efforts to enable them to participate in this global march, which reflects the keenness of the country. The UAE is actively involved in creating a better future for future generations.

During the meeting, the members of the committee stressed the importance of enhancing transparency in the exchange of data between national and international bodies to ensure consistency of reports and achieve integration between the concerned parties, and reviewed a number of successful international experiences in improving data systems and the possibility of benefiting from them in supporting the national system for data collection and analysis.

The meeting stressed the importance of focusing on achieving sustainability indicators comprehensively through coordination at the national and global levels and improving data flow, in addition to focusing on building the capacity of national task forces through training programs that adopt continuous learning to ensure the sustainability of data quality, and discussed ways to improve the availability of data related to the sustainable development goals, the main challenges in the subject of data, in terms of its quality and flow, and efforts to apply international standards in data collection.

The meeting reviewed the latest developments in the work of the Committee in ensuring the continuation of data collection related to the Sustainable Development Goals, coordinating meetings to review indicators, and continuing to work in partnership with international organizations to build Capacity in the field of methodologies for calculating indicator data, and working with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) on a plan to harmonize and update data, review data availability and the rate of achievement of data indicators.

Members of the committee discussed ways to enhance work and coordination with the concerned authorities to spread the culture of sustainability and awareness of the sustainable development goals, and activate community partnerships to highlight the UAE’s efforts in this field.

The members of the committee were briefed on the achievements of joint work to achieve the sustainable development goals, as the last period witnessed the participation of more than 350 people in meetings that dealt with enhancing cooperation with 34 international organizations, as well as cooperation with 37 federal and local government agencies, in addition to the implementation of more than 100 hours of workshops and events, and the focus was on building national capacities through 24 workshops, while 27 technical meetings were held to follow up on the implementation of the national plan.

The participants learned about the level of progress in achieving the sustainable development goals through the National Data Plan, which increased during 2024 to 58%, compared to 42% achieved last year. The global achievement rate of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) this year is 17%, according to the recently announced by UN Secretary-General António Guterres.

It is noteworthy that the National Committee for Sustainable Development Goals undertakes a number of key tasks, including coordinating with the concerned authorities to align and review national policies, strategies and targets with the sustainable development goals, building and strengthening national capacities to achieve sustainable development goals and face challenges through partnerships locally and globally, preparing national reports on the country’s results and efforts to achieve the sustainable development goals, and coordinating with the authorities to prepare and disseminate data related to sustainable development goals at the state level.

UAE’s GDP hits AED430 billion in Q1 2024

09 Sep 2024

ABU DHABI, 9th September, 2024 — Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy, said that the preliminary estimates of the UAE’s GDP growth in the Q1 2024, issued by the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre (FCSC), underline the resilience and vitality of the national economy and exemplify its ability to continue on the path of sustainable growth.

He highlighted that the country’s real GDP reached AED430 billion in Q1 2024, recording a remarkable growth of 3.4 percent compared to the same period in 2023, while the non-oil GDP grew by 4 percent compared to the same period last year.

"Under the guidance of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, the country adopted an innovative economic model that supports its future vision, along with effective national economic strategies, enhancing openness to the world, promoting partnerships, and transitioning towards an economic model based on flexibility and innovation," Bin Touq added.

He emphasised that the national economy’s positive results reinforce achieving the economic objectives of the "We the UAE 2031" vision, which includes raising the country’s GDP to AED3 trillion by the next decade.

Hanan Ahli, Managing Director of the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre, said, "The financial and economic data and indicators endorsing the growth of the UAE’s GDP Q1 2024 reflect the resilience of the country’s vital economic sectors. It highlights the effectiveness of the concerted efforts to implement wise leadership’s directives to enhance sustainable economic diversification, reduce dependence on oil, promote investments, and attract capital and innovative and emerging projects to the country."

She added that the UAE’s advanced rankings in multiple global economic competitiveness indicators can be attributed to several factors, including the stability of the financial system, the strength of the national economy, and the effectiveness of economic legislation and policies applied in the country, besides their ability to adapt to changes and face regional and global challenges.

Based on the data released by the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre, financial and insurance activities have emerged as the leading non-oil economic sector contributing to the UAE’s GDP growth, with a remarkable growth of 7.9 percent. This growth can be attributed to the significant increase in the local credit granted to the private sector, which led to a six percent growth and positively impacted the rebound of non-oil economic activities.

Following closely behind in the second place are transportation and storage activities, which grew 7.3 percent. This growth was driven by a notable increase in the number of travellers at the country’s airports during the first three months of this year, reaching 36.5 million travellers, a growth rate of 14.7 percent compared to the same period last year.

The UAE’s ports have demonstrated exceptional performance during this time, with Dubai’s international ports witnessing a 3.7 percent growth in the number of containers handled, while Abu Dhabi’s ports experienced a 36 percent increase in cargo handling volume on an annual basis.

Ranking third, construction and building activities experienced a growth rate of 6.2 percent, which aligns with the several development projects initiated by the UAE government in early 2024. They saw a substantial rise in the government’s public capital expenditures, reaching AED4.8 billion, compared to that of Q1 2023.

The restaurant and hotel sector secured the fourth spot with a 4.6 percent growth during the first quarter of 2024 compared to the corresponding period in 2023. Moreover, the UAE emerged at the forefront of the global tourism landscape, attracting a substantial number of tourists from around the world.

In particular, Dubai witnessed a remarkable influx of 5.18 million international tourists, representing an 11 percent increase compared to the corresponding period in 2023. Abu Dhabi also maintained its exceptional performance in key tourism indicators, including the average hotel occupancy rates and revenue per available rooms.

Trade activities made the largest contribution to the non-oil GDP, accounting for 16.1 percent. Manufacturing activities come in second at 14.6 percent, with financial and insurance activities ranking third at a rate of 13.4 percent.

Construction and building activities contribute 11.8 percent, followed by real estate activities with a contribution of 7.1 percent.

Discussing efforts to achieve Gulf statistical excellence at the global level

20 Aug 2024

The Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Center discussed with a delegation from the Statistical Centre for the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, the national and joint efforts of the GCC countries towards achieving global statistical excellence, and the two sides discussed ways to enhance fruitful cooperation frameworks and expand areas of future partnerships.

This came within a visit by the delegation of the Statistical Centre for the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, headed by Intisar bint Abdullah Al-Wahaibi, Director General of the Center, during which she met with Hanan Mansour Ahli, Director of the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Center and the Federal Center team.

The Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre plays an active role in the Standing Committee for Statistical Work Affairs of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, which includes the heads and directors of national statistical agencies in the member states, in addition to a representative from the General Secretariat of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, and the Director General of the Gulf Statistical Center, and the Committee supports the Gulf statistical work roadmap, efforts to harmonize and coordinate work in the region and enhance statistical capacities in the demographic, social, economic, environmental, energy and tourism sectors. Methodologies and data quality, indicators of development, progress and sustainability, information and statistical awareness.

National Projects

The meeting discussed the strategic national statistical projects of the UAE, their role in serving development programs at the national and international levels, and their contribution to improving the UAE’s competitiveness in global reports and indicators and achieving the goals of sustainable development 2030, and the meeting praised the role of the GCC Statistical Center in monitoring figures and statistics concerned with vital sectors in the GCC countries, and introducing the experience and specificity of the GCC countries and what they represent of a unified economic and social bloc, in addition to supporting National strategic decision-making and planning processes for current and future Gulf projects.

Strengthening Gulf work mechanisms

Hanan Mansour Ahli affirmed the firm commitment of the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre in the UAE, to support the strengthening of the mechanisms of joint statistical work of the Gulf statistical centers, and the employment of modern and innovative technologies and harnessing big data science and artificial intelligence to serve the development of vital sectors and keep pace with international practices In the field of statistics.

She praised the efforts and initiatives of the Statistical Center for the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, and its effective role in raising the efficiency of the Gulf statistical system.

UAE Model For

her part, Intisar bint Abdullah Al Wahaibia praised the efforts of the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Center in highlighting the UAE’s pioneering statistical model, which was reflected in her selection as a member of the United Nations Statistical Commission for the period 2025-2028, noting that the UAE’s membership in the United Nations Statistical Commission contributes to strengthening the joint Gulf statistical work.

She said that the distinguished level of cooperation between national statistical centers and agencies in the GCC countries represents an important factor in promoting joint Gulf action, implementing the strategic plan for joint Gulf statistical work, harmonizing national statistical strategies with international best practices in this field, and exchanging knowledge and experiences to enhance statistical capabilities at the level of the GCC countries.

Enhancing Gulf statistical cooperation

The meeting discussed ways to benefit from the UAE’s hosting of the regional headquarters of the United Nations Big Data Platform, and to enhance Cooperation between the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Center and the Gulf Statistical Center in this field in light of the capabilities provided by the platform that support the development of accurate official statistics, build capacities for the use of big data and data science in statistical authorities in the region, benefit from successful practices and exchange experiences and knowledge in employing modern technology for data analysis, in a way that contributes to innovating solutions and developing distinguished services that enhance efforts to achieve sustainable development goals, and create an incubating and supportive environment for innovators in the field of advanced data science in Gulf states.

The meeting discussed projects and initiatives related to linking and integrating statistical data between the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Center and the Gulf Statistical Center, which include data collection, exchange, processing and dissemination automatically and securely, to support the preparation of statistical reports and studies in many fields in the GCC countries, which contributes to strengthening joint Gulf action.

Preparations of statistical center’s

The meeting touched on the preparations of the official statistical centers in the GCC countries and the Statistical Center for the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf. To celebrate the Gulf Statistics Day, which falls on December 24, 2024, which will be celebrated by the Center with all statistical centers and agencies in the GCC countries on December 9, 2024, in order to emphasize the importance of statistics and its role in the development planning process, and to consolidate the partnership between the countries of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf to improve and develop the statistical environment.

It is worth mentioning that the establishment of the Statistical Center for the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf was announced and the adoption of the Omani capital Muscat as its permanent headquarters in December 2012, to represent an official source of data, information and statistics of the GCC countries, and its statute was adopted by the Supreme Council of the Cooperation Council, which includes Their Majesties and Highnesses the heads of member states: the United Arab Emirates, the Kingdom of Bahrain, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Sultanate of Oman, the State of Qatar and the State of Kuwait.

UAE calls on countries around the world to strengthen partnerships and cooperation in intensifying efforts to achieve SDG 17

22 Jul 2024

The delegation of the State of U.A.E. to the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development 2024 in New York, at the conclusion of the annual UN event, affirmed that the UAE adopts a flexible and constantly evolving cooperative model that aims to expand partnerships, knowledge exchange and fruitful and sustainable development work globally, in a way that supports the achievement of the sustainable development goals set by the United Nations for the year 2030, and foresees the prospects for sustainable development for individuals, communities and the planet.

His Excellency Abdullah Nasser Lootah, Assistant Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Knowledge Exchange and Competitiveness and Chairman of the National Committee for Sustainable Development Goals, stressed in the speech of the UAE delegation delivered at the end of his participation in the UN Forum at the United Nations Headquarters, that the UAE continues, under the directives of the wise leadership, to support the achievement of sustainable development goals by strengthening partnership agreements, exchanging knowledge, implementing bilateral and joint development projects, and providing assistance that has a sustainable impact.

Abdullah Lootah said: "The UAE will continue its approach of partnership and cooperation for the good of societies and peoples. By aligning its external aid strategy with the Sustainable Development Goals, in 2022 it amounted to more than US$3.4 billion, of which 83% was development aid, and the Mohamed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives spent about AED 1.8 billion positively impacting the lives of more than 100 million beneficiaries, the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development invested nearly US$60 billion to more than 100 countries, and the Emirates Red Crescent provided 54% of its total assistance to support global development initiatives.

Since the launch of the government’s knowledge exchange program, it has concluded agreements with more than 35 countries, implemented more than 367 initiatives, and trained more than 3.2 million government employees.

During a session on the sixth goal of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which is concerned with clean water and hygiene issues, Lootah stressed the importance of promoting global climate action as a key supporter of achieving the rest of the sustainable development goals, and pointed to the UAE’s commitment with the countries of the world to accelerate the pace of achieving development goals. Climate (COP28) We united around the "UAE Agreement", which was described as the most ambitious and comprehensive agreement since the Paris Agreement, and the presidency of the Conference launched the tripartite "Troika of Chairs of the Conferences of the Parties" aimed at uniting efforts until the thirtieth session.

Abdullah Lootah called on UN organizations, international institutions and governments to join the UAE’s efforts to foresee the future of the sustainable development goals beyond 2030 and for the next two decades leading up to 2045, recalling the first-of-its-kind report issued by the UAE at this session of the United Nations High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, which examines the global path to achieving the 2045 Sustainable Development Goals.

We invite everyone to join us to renew commitment to the development agenda for the next two decades, and to develop an integrated system that looks forward to the future, based on international cooperation, through the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals 2045, which the UAE contributes to developing and developing to build a future path in which we are stronger and more capable. A path for our future generations.

(United Nations High-Level Political Forum)

The High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), the main platform of the United Nations on sustainable development, has played a pivotal role since its inception in 2012, in following up and reviewing what has been implemented at the country level in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

This edition of the International Forum was held under the theme "Promoting the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Eradicating Poverty in Times of Multiple Crises… Implementing sustainable, resilient and innovative solutions effectively", and throughout the period from 8 to 17 July 2024, delegates participating in this year’s edition of the Forum worked on in-depth revisions of five of the Sustainable Development Goals: Goal 1 to eradicate poverty in all its forms everywhere, Goal 2 to end hunger, achieve food security, improve nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture, Goal 13 to support climate action and call for urgent action to combat climate change and its repercussions, and Goal 16 to promote Inclusive peaceful societies to achieve sustainable development, provide justice for all and build effective and efficient institutions, and Goal 17, which focuses on global partnerships to promote Implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Participants at HLPF: UAE’s Robust Commitment to Enhancing International Cooperation for Achieving Global SDGs

22 Jul 2024

Officials and leaders from the UAE delegation at the United Nations High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development 2024 in New York affirmed the UAE’s strong commitment to enhancing international cooperation to achieve global sustainable development goals. In statements following their participation, they emphasised the importance of continued efforts to accelerate the implementation of these goals.

Rashid Al Mansouri: HLPF Provided a Platform to Highlight ERC’s Experience

H.E. Rashid Mubarak Al Mansouri, Secretary-General of Emirates Red Crescent (ERC), highlighted that the participation in the United Nations HLPF on Sustainable Development 2024 provided a platform to showcase the Authority’s sustainable development initiatives. These initiatives address social, economic, and environmental dimensions, optimise resource use to meet community needs, and aim to combat poverty, hunger, disease, and climate change; challenges that threaten societal stability and development. He emphasised that sustainability is crucial for mitigating these risks.

Al Mansouri stated that the Emirates Red Crescent implements initiatives that aim to create a lasting positive impact on people’s lives. The development projects focus on fragile communities and address key areas such as food sustainability, health, education, and essential services like electricity, water, sanitation, and clean energy. Additionally, the projects include infrastructure development, such as constructing housing units and facilities for refugees and displaced persons, and supporting their stability to enhance their productivity and integration into local communities.

Mohammed Al Suwaidi: UAE’s Historic Achievements in Advancing Development Goals

H.E. Mohammed Saif Al Suwaidi, Director-General of the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development, stated that under the guidance of its wise leadership, the United Arab Emirates has achieved remarkable milestones in supporting sustainable development goals and fostering global economic cooperation. The UAE’s efforts have established a unique model for assisting developing countries in addressing economic and development challenges.

Al Suwaidi added: “The Abu Dhabi Fund for Development receiving the United Nations Small Island Developing States Partnerships Award 2024 exemplifies the Fund’s and its strategic partners’ forward-looking vision. This recognition underscores their commitment to finding innovative and effective solutions for accelerating the transition to renewable energy, empowering communities, and building capacities as key components of a comprehensive strategy for sustainable development in developing countries".

H.E. Dr. Alanoud Alhaj, Assistant Under-Secretary for Green Development and Climate Change at the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, emphasised that the UAE’s climate action is centred on achieving sustainable development goals. These include ensuring access to adequate and affordable food, quality education, health care, and the optimal use of resources.

Dr. Alhaj added: “The UAE is dedicated to enhancing food security and advancing towards SDG 2 (Zero Hunger). Through strategic planning, innovative solutions, and international collaboration, we are making significant progress in eliminating hunger, improving food security, and promoting sustainable agriculture on a global scale".

She further noted that, amid the challenges of climate change, such as global warming and environmental degradation, it is crucial to recognise their impact on economic, social, and health outcomes. To address these challenges, a unified strategy for sustainable development is essential. Specifically, SDG 13 (Climate Action) is closely connected to goals addressing water scarcity, hunger, health, economic growth, and other critical issues.

Dana Al Marzooqi: Achieving Sustainable Development Goals as a Pillar of the UAE’s Vision and Mission

Lieutenant Colonel Dana Humaid Al Marzooqi, Director-General of the International Affairs Bureau at the Ministry of Interior, said: “The UAE has long recognised the vital connection between sustainability, security, and climate action. Therefore, we, together with our partners at the United Nations and beyond, are committed to leading global efforts to ensure that everyone can live a life of dignity".

Mohamed Al Ramahi: Committed to Climate Action Through a Just Energy Transition

Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, Chief Executive Officer of Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (Masdar), stated that Masdar is committed to climate action through a fair and equitable energy transition and by supporting countries and communities in achieving their net zero targets. With global partnerships and projects spanning over 40 countries across six continents, Masdar is committed to increasing renewable energy production capacity to 100 gigawatts by 2030. This goal aligns with the UAE’s historic agreement to triple global renewable energy production capacity by the same year.

During the “Sustainable Development Forum 2024”. The Government Knowledge Exchange Office organizes a session on international efforts to accelerate the achievement of Goal 17

21 Jul 2024

The UAE Government Knowledge Exchange Office organized as part of the activities of the UAE delegation at the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development 2024 in New York. A pivotal session on the central role of the principle of building and expanding bilateral strategic partnerships at the international level in accelerating the achievement of the 17 sustainable development goals adopted by the United Nations for the year 2030 with a global consensus, where the UAE delegation presented the country’s pioneering model in concluding partnerships whose sustainable impact is reflected in developing the work of governments and supporting the growth paths of economies and societies. The session, titled ‘Building and Strengthening Impactful Partnerships to Accelerate the Achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals’, addressed the UAE’s efforts at the level of international cooperation in exchanging experiences and successful models with the seventeenth goal of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which is "Partnerships to achieve the Goals".

The session showcased the UAE government’s knowledge-sharing partnership approach with more than 37 countries and governments around the world.

The session was organized with the aim of documenting the global impact of the government knowledge exchange program and its role in achieving The objectives of Sustainable Development Goal 17, which is concerned with activating global partnerships for sustainable development, including governments, the private sector and civil society, as this documentation of achievements will contribute to enriching academic institutions with the information and data required to measure and monitor the progress of partnership development and their direct and indirect contribution to the achievement of other sustainable development goals.

The session was attended by His Excellency Abdullah Nasser Lootah, Assistant Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Knowledge Exchange and Competitiveness and Chairman of the National Committee for Sustainable Development Goals, His Excellency Mohamed Saif Al Suwaidi, Director General of the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development, Her Excellency Dr. Alanoud Al Hajj, Assistant Undersecretary for Green Development and Climate Change, Lt. Col. Dana Humaid Al Marzouqi, Director General of the International Affairs Office at the Ministry of Interior, Hashem Al Attas, Senior Portfolio Manager for the Middle East and North Africa at Masdar, in addition to experts, academics and makers. Decision, and government officials from Rwanda, Mongolia, Serbia, Malaysia, Malta, Uzbekistan and Fiji.

The session was moderated by Afshin Molavi, Senior Fellow, Institute for Foreign Policy at the College of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University.

The session discussed the value of influential partnerships in promoting progress towards achieving sustainable development goals, through government modernization, supporting positive transformations, and consolidating partnership concepts that support countries, governments and societies in achieving sustainable development goals and transforming future challenges into opportunities. The roundtable session then turned into a workshop on the future of partnerships in accelerating the achievement of the five goals focused on the 2024 edition of the United Nations High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development: Goal 1 to eradicate poverty in all its forms everywhere, Goal 2 to end hunger, achieve food security, improve nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture, Goal 13 to support climate action and call for urgent action to combat climate change and its repercussions, and Goal 16 to promote peaceful societies. inclusive of all categories to achieve sustainable development, provide justice for all and build effective and efficient institutions; Goal 17, which focuses on global partnerships to promote the implementation of development goals.

The participants were distributed from Academics, researchers, government officials and experts in groups, each group discussed one of the sustainable development goals under discussion, where they prepared in brainstorming a series of practical recommendations to promote accelerated international partnerships to achieve sustainable development for the future, foremost of which is the call for the exchange of knowledge and expertise, the sharing of best experiences and practices, and inter- and international cooperation at the level of governments, UN organizations, international institutions and development programs to reach the goal of sustainable development and preserve the planet’s resources for future generations.

The first group included H.E. Dr. Alanoud Al Hajj, Assistant Undersecretary for Green Development and Climate Change, H.E. Ambassador Ernest Rwamusio, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Rwanda to the United Nations, H.E. Chinokhai Pat Ardenni, Deputy Permanent Representative of the Permanent Mission of Mongolia to the United Nations, and H.E. Mohamed Raslan, First Secretary for Agricultural Affairs at the Malaysian Embassy in Washington.

The group discussed the achievements of the government knowledge exchange program and its impact on the first two development goals of eradicating poverty in all its forms. The second goal is to end hunger, achieve food security, improve nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture.

Participants in the first group addressed the role of technological innovations in efforts to combat poverty, and the importance of investment and policy development to increase the contribution of education and health care to reducing global poverty levels.

The session also touched on global trade policies and market movement and their impact on food access to all countries and their role in reducing hunger and improving global food security.

The second group addressed Goal 13, which supports climate action and calls for urgent action to combat climate change and its repercussions, and included Lieutenant Colonel Dana Humaid Al Marzouqi, Director General of the International Affairs Office at the Ministry of Interior, Her Excellency Marta Arsowska Tomovska, Advisor to the Speaker of Parliament of the Republic of Serbia and Special Envoy for Expo 2027 in Belgrade, Joseph Caruana, from the Ministry of Environment, Energy and the Grand Port Renovation in Malta, and Hashim Al Attas, Senior Portfolio Manager for the Middle East and North Africa at Masdar.

The second group discussed issues of importance Current globality, such as the role of governments in leading the transition to alternative energy sources, the responsibility of advanced economies in this area and the possibility of playing a greater role in reducing carbon emissions, and ways to support societies to withstand the effects of climate change.

The third group discussed Goal 17, which focuses on global partnerships to enhance the implementation of the SDGs, and was attended by His Excellency Abdullah Nasser Lootah, Assistant Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Competitiveness and Knowledge Exchange and Chairman of the National Committee for Sustainable Development Goals, His Excellency Mohamed Saif Al Suwaidi, Director General of the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development, His Excellency Shukrat Vavayev, Executive Director of the Uzbekistan Fund for Reconstruction and Development, and His Excellency Viotti Kisonyo, from the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Fiji to the United Nations.

Participants addressed the role of global partnerships in making rapid progress in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, the role of multilateral financial institutions and the role of concessional loans in supporting sustainable development, and the prospect of partnership between public and private sector institutions in this regard.

The High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development is the main platform. Since its establishment in 2012, it has played a pivotal role in following up and reviewing what has been implemented at the country level in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

This edition of the International Forum was held under the theme "Promoting the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Eradicating Poverty in Times of Multiple Crises: Effectively Implementing Sustainable, Resilient and Innovative Solutions".

UAE delegation reviews with representatives of countries and international organizations the country’s efforts to achieve sustainable development goals 2045

18 Jul 2024

The UAE delegation organized a first-of-its-kind session on the importance of global partnerships with governments and international organizations in achieving the 2045 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) during their participation in the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development 2024 in New York.

The session, titled "Government Knowledge Exchange Program: Ministerial Dialogue on the Sustainable Development Goals 2045, Catalyzing Sustainable Development", included HE Abdullah Nasser Lootah, Assistant Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Knowledge Exchange and Competitiveness, HE Mohamed Abu Shehab, UAE Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations, HE Rashid Mubarak Al Mansouri, Secretary General of the Emirates Red Crescent, HE Mohamed Saif Al Suwaidi, Director General of the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development, and HE Dr. Alanoud Al Hajj, Assistant Undersecretary for Development Affairs. Green and Climate Change, Lieutenant Colonel Dana Humaid Al Marzouqi, Director General of the International Affairs Bureau at the Ministry of Interior, Hashim Al Attas, Senior Portfolio Manager for the Middle East and North Africa at Masdar, and representatives of a number of countries, governments and organizations International institutions, UN programs and knowledge exchange program partners.

During the session, the delegation reviewed the UAE’s successful experience in the government knowledge exchange program, which has achieved since its launch in 2018 strategic knowledge partnerships, bilateral cooperation and fruitful contacts to exchange knowledge and successful government experiences inspired by the UAE experience and the distinguished government work process with more than 35 countries and governments in 5 continents around the world, which supports joint international efforts to achieve sustainable development goals.

His Excellency Abdullah Nasser Lootah, Assistant Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Competitiveness and Knowledge Exchange and Chairman of the National Committee for Sustainable Development Goals, stressed that the UAE, with the vision of its wise leadership, has made government modernization and development a pillar of efforts to achieve comprehensive and sustainable development, and has established an advanced global approach to international cooperation and positive partnerships to build new and promising future opportunities, and open comprehensive cooperation horizons in various fields of government work through the government knowledge exchange portal at the global level, which represents one of the most important global programs to achieve The 17th Development Goal and turning it into reality Within the Sustainable Development Goals set by the United Nations until 2030.

During the session, Lootah stressed the importance of partnership in international events and forums aimed at enhancing opportunities for communication, cooperation and knowledge exchange, monitoring the positive effects of knowledge exchange among all partner parties, and exploring new partnerships for future cooperation that enhances sustainable development to serve communities around the world.

– Paving the way towards the future global agenda.

The session comes as a continuation of the discussions that took place during the "Sustainable Development Goals in Implementation" forum organized by the National Committee for Sustainable Development Goals in the UAE, under the slogan "Sustainable Development Goals 2045: Paving the Way Towards the Future Global Agenda", within the work of the World Government Summit 2024, with the aim of supporting the exchange of best practices to achieve the sustainable development goals and enhance global dialogue around them, and providing an opportunity for world leaders to propose innovative solutions to accelerate the implementation of development goals, face challenges and design future milestones. Sustainable subscriber.

– Global praise for the government’s knowledge exchange program.

Praised Representatives of governments and international organizations participating in the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development stressed the importance of the role of the Government Knowledge Exchange Program and its qualitative global achievements that affect government work models and contribute to capacity building and preparing institutional competencies in the fields of government work, which contributes to enhancing sustainable development efforts in the countries participating in the program.

Pedro Conceição, Director of the Human Development Report Office at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), stressed that the high-level political forum and the event organized by the UAE are an opportunity for learning and knowledge exchange as a framework for the successful achievement of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.

For his part, Dr. Abdul Allah Al-Dardari, Director of the Regional Bureau for Arabic States of the United Nations Development Program, said: "I thank the UAE for launching this event and inviting UNDP to this very important dialogue. Following up on the dialogues that took place at the World Government Summit in Dubai, UNDP looks forward to developing an innovative global joint mechanism to support countries in transforming the government sector to be more flexibility, inclusiveness and efficiency."

H.E. Giovanni Basso, Deputy Director of UNHCR in New York, said: "With the number of refugees and displaced people around the world reaching nearly 120 million and their numbers continuing to rise over the past 12 years, we must not lose our focus on achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. We must collaborate on Goal 17 by partnering to enable refugees to contribute to economies and social services, refugees must be part of the solutions and they have a lot to contribute."

– International partnerships for development after 2030.

For his part, Ambassador Osama Abdel Khaleq, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Egypt Arabic to the United Nations in New York, stressed that the participation of an expanded high-level Egyptian delegation in the World Government Summit held in Dubai confirms the extent of appreciation for the bilateral partnership in government development between the Republic of Egypt Arabic and the State of U.A.E., which he said has a very vital government.

For his part, HE Ambassador Yasar Aliyev, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the United Nations, said that his country and the UAE launched The year 2022 is a bilateral partnership track for knowledge exchange, sharing experiences in government services, capacity building and government excellence, which constituted an advanced qualitative step in the field of enhancing international cooperation between the governments of the two countries in government development and modernization.

His Excellency Ambassador Ernest Rwamusio, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Rwanda to the United Nations, expressed his hope that his country’s partnerships, including the level of the important bilateral partnership with the UAE, which was signed in February 2023 on the sidelines of the World Government Summit, will contribute to promoting and sustaining progress and growth, wishing to benefit from the eight main areas covered by the Rwandan-UAE bilateral partnership, especially at the level of government accelerators, citizen engagement, and women’s empowerment.

His Excellency Shukert Fafayev, Executive Director of the Reconstruction and Development Fund of the Republic of Uzbekistan, said that bilateral cooperation in government knowledge exchange between his country and the UAE is fruitful, practical and organized, and at the same time comprehensive and flexible, adapting to national and international transformations, such as the rapid developments in the uses of artificial intelligence.

H.E. Marta Arsowska expressed Tomovska, Advisor to the Speaker of the Parliament of the Republic of Serbia and Special Envoy for Expo 2027 in Belgrade, expressed Serbia’s gratitude for the qualitative partnership between her and the UAE, and for honoring her achievements at the level of government development and government innovation at the World Government Summit in Dubai, stressing that her country was inspired in presenting its bid to host Expo Serbia 2027 from the qualitative success of Expo 2020, which was hosted by the UAE, in which it focused on the future and sustainability.

– Practical examples of knowledge partnerships with countries and international organizations.

Members of the participating UAE delegation reviewed practical models and tangible achievements of fruitful and influential global partnerships with a number of countries around the world such as the Republic of Egypt Arabic, the Republic of Serbia, the Republic of Uzbekistan, Rwanda and Azerbaijan, in the presence of representatives of a number of UAE partner countries within the government knowledge exchange program.

– Emirati commitment and international impact.

The speakers presented the common points between the UAE Government Knowledge Exchange Program, which was launched in 2018 and works on more than 100 action tracks to enhance governance and accelerate the achievement of national and international agendas. Among the goals set and approved by the United Nations in 2016 to achieve sustainable development by 2030, especially the first and second goals to eradicate poverty and hunger, the thirteenth goal to promote climate action, the sixteenth goal to build peace, justice and strong institutions, and the seventeenth goal to establish partnerships to achieve the goals.

Participants stressed the role of knowledge exchange in consolidating the UAE’s commitment to building bridges and pillars of sustainable development around the world, based on the qualitative achievements made by the country in government excellence and economic development, noting the importance of exchanging knowledge, experiences and innovations in various government sectors, devoting best practices, and stimulating continuous innovation for sustainable growth at all levels.

– The United Nations High-Level Political Forum.

The High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) is the main platform of the United Nations on sustainable development issues and, since its establishment in 2012, has played a pivotal role in following up and reviewing what has been implemented at the country level in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The This edition of the International Forum is under the theme "Promoting the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Eradicating Poverty in Times of Multiple Crises: Effectively Implementing Sustainable, Resilient and Innovative Solutions".

Delegates participating in this year’s edition of the Forum worked on in-depth revisions of five of the Sustainable Development Goals: Goal 1 to eradicate poverty in all its forms everywhere, Goal 2 to end hunger, achieve food security, improve nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture, Goal 13 to support climate action and call for urgent action to combat climate change and its repercussions, and Goal 16 to promote peaceful and inclusive societies to achieve sustainable development, provide justice for all and build effective and efficient institutions. Performance; and Goal 17, which focuses on global partnerships to enhance the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals.

HE Gergawi: Achieving the National Agenda 2021 Performance Indicators is a Priority

09 Apr 2019

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.

In conjunction with Earth Hour Events Around the World

30 Mar 2019

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.

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

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

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.

FCSA organizes a Brainstorming Session for the Emirati youth on the 4th Industrial Revolution.

28 Feb 2019

Forecasting the Vision of the Youth Role in Harnessing Future Technologies

Dubai, UAE- 28th February 2019:

As part of plan to involve young people in the activities of the Emirates Innovation Month 2019, the Federal Authority for Competitiveness and Statistics (FCSA) organized a brainstorming session for young people at the Arab Youth Center in Dubai on 27 February 2019.

The brainstorming session was conceptualized to encourage the ideation of new outputs and ideas which center the main themes of the national strategy of the 4th Industrial Revolution. This was conducted in accordance with the aspirations of youth and in line with the efforts exerted by the FCSA and its partners to achieve the goals of the National Agenda and the vision of the UAE 2021.

More than 40 young talented Emiratis attended the brainstorming session from various sectors concerned with the national strategy of the 4th Industrial Revolution. The themes tackled during the session were on genetics and health care through robotics, smart and interactive cities, water and food future security, economic security and digital transaction technologies, . Topics such asestablishing a global center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, building an integrated and secure data environment and developing specialized talent and entrepreneurs were also tackled.

H.E. Abdullah Lootah, the Director-General of the FCSA, applauded this unique initiative and stressed that this initiative was developed to be part of the activities of the Emirates’ month for innovation, based on the guidance of the wise leadership to encourage the role of the youth for the the future.

“Youth has a central role in the UAE’s quest to achieve its vision of being the best country in the world by 2071, the centennial of founding the UAE. TheUAE has always been proactive in launching initiatives and programs that harness the creative energies of young people and transform their passion towards technology, sustainability, obtaining knowledge, new sciences and their applications to real initiatives and programs to serve the country and drive progress.” Lootah Said.

H.E. Saeed Mohammed Al-Nathri, the Director-General of the Federal Youth Foundation, visited the brainstorming workshop and praised the efforts of FCSA in providing outstanding opportunities for young people and enabling them to present their creations that support the achievement of the goals of the national agenda. He has also thanked the team of FCSA for organizing and managing the brainstorming session.

Participants were divided into seven teams. They were selected among those who have knowledge and cognizance of this subject and among those entities, which support our national strategy. Entitiesincluded the Ministry of Economy, the Ministry of Infrastructure Development, the Central Bank and a number of universities, such as UAE University, Khalifa University, University of Sharjah, American University of Sharjah, Higher Colleges of Technology, Dubai Health Authority Board, Future Economic Youth Council, Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), Dubai Smart, Abu Dhabi Police, Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company (DU), ADNOC, Statistics Center-Abu Dhabi, General Authority of Civil Aviation, Department of Economic Development in Dubai and others.

At the end of the session, each of the seven teams reached a set of ideas on the key theme they worked on. The FCSA experts, in cooperation with other concerned parties, evaluated proposals and presented the best ones to the relevant officials in each body.

Malik Al Madani, the Director of Strategic and Future Department and CEO of Innovation at the FCSA, concluded the session by saying: “ FCSA is keen to take advantage of the opportunities and harness them to empower young people. The Emirates Innovation Month is no exception to this rule. Therefore, we have responded promptly to various sectors to organize interactive session with young people and involved them in presenting the ideas that the young generation can implement.”

The FCSA Launches the “Race to the Future” Initiative

25 Feb 2019

An Innovative Model for Exploring the Future of Institutional Government Action

Lootah: This Race Combines Exploring the Future and Turning the Culture of Innovation into Sustainable Work
Al Madani: The Core Theme of the Race to the Future is To Be A Better Model Tomorrow Than Today

Dubai, UAE- 25 February 2019:

As part of the plan adopted by the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority (FCSA) for the UAE Innovation Month of 2019, the FCSA innovation team organized a knowledge session on the “Race to the Future” initiative, which aims to develop a conception on how the shape and work and procedures mechanism of the Authority will be in the medium future, namely, after 6 to 10 years from today.

On this occasion, Abdulla Lootah, the Director-General of the FCSA, said: “This race combines exploring the future and turning the culture of innovation into sustainable work within institutional government work.”

He added: “Every effort by FCSA and it’s employeessee the impact on the future, and this in itself is a positive catalyst to draw and shape the future of the FCSA since today by its experts and staff. They put yesterday’s and today’s experience to build a prosperous and sustainable future for the Authority, the children of the homeland and its residents.”

Malik Al Madani, the Director of Strategic and Future Department and CEO of Innovation, has led the session and said: “Tomorrow will be better than today. This is the essence of this innovative initiative. However, its mold is the race, for its positive factors in motivation and joint action for Achieving success by teams competing among themselves and with themselves for the future of the Authority.”

Malik Al Madani explained: “The race launches in the innovation month of each year for five weeks and aims to explore the future of the Authority and its work method during the medium-term future, i.e., during the next 6 to 10 years. This is the first stop of Emirates centennial 2071, by building internal capabilities in the field of strategic planning and looking ahead, by creating an innovative tool for dealing with future, and ensuring readiness for global leadership, by relying on fostering a culture of institutional leadership and continuous improvement initiatives.”

The idea of the race is based on a previous initiative launched last year by the Authority in the name of the 50×50 Competitiveness Race, which aimed to devise a 50-speed accelerator program for the most critical competitive indicators and find solutions for them within 50 working days, within a comprehensive framework that sets the indicators of high sensitivity and significant importance which affect various sectors within the priorities of some federal and local government agencies.

The UAE is the first in the region and ninth in the world in global competitiveness in 2020

16 Jun 2020

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.

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“RASMI” Initiative

The “RASMI” accreditation mark aims to:

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

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

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

Enhance community trust in published national data and statistics.

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

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

ضمــــــان أعــلى درجــــــات الشـــــفـــــافيــــة والــــــدقــــة في إنتــــــاج لبيــــانــــــات الـــــــوطنيــــــة.

تعـــــزيـــــــز ثقـــــــة المجتمــــــع فـــــي البيـــــــانــــــات والإحصــــــاءات الــــــوطنيـــــــة المنشـــــــورة.

نشـــــــر الـــــــوعي الإحصـــــــائي بيـــــــن أفــــــراد المـــــــجتمع عبـــــــر محتــــــوى مـــــــرئي تفــــــــاعلي.

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“RASMI” Initiative

The “RASMI” accreditation mark aims to:

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

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

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

Enhance community trust in published national data and statistics.

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

مبــــــادرة "رســـــــمي"

تهـــدف علامــــة اعتمــــاد "رســــمي" لـ:

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

ضمــــــان أعــلى درجــــــات الشـــــفـــــافيــــة والــــــدقــــة في إنتــــــاج لبيــــانــــــات الـــــــوطنيــــــة.

تعـــــزيـــــــز ثقـــــــة المجتمــــــع فـــــي البيـــــــانــــــات والإحصــــــاءات الــــــوطنيـــــــة المنشـــــــورة.

نشـــــــر الـــــــوعي الإحصـــــــائي بيـــــــن أفــــــراد المـــــــجتمع عبـــــــر محتــــــوى مـــــــرئي تفــــــــاعلي.