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DATA FOR A BETTER FUTURE
In recognition of Inventing the Geospatial Data Hub for SDGs
Dubai, UAE- 6th February 2020:
The Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority (FCSA) succeeded in putting firm hands on the “Excellence in GIS Implementation (EGI) Award” in the category of GIS Sustainable Development. FCSA received the award during its participation in the “GOVWORX’20” Conference recently organized in Dubai by "GISTEC" Company.
The award is granted to federal and local government authorities to recognize their contributions to implementing geographic information systems (GIS). FCSA received the award in a credit of the efforts exerted to develop the "Geospatial Data Hub for the Sustainable Development Goals”, which is part of the “Geospatial Statistical System” initiative launched to expand the scope of implementing the geographic information, and achieving the optimal use of the geographic planning in statistics, surveying, measuring indicators, and monitoring the UAE progress is the area of sustainable development.
H.E. Mohamed Hasan, Executive Director of the National Statistics and Data Sector at FCSA, availed this opportunity to highlight the FCSA commitment and relentless efforts exerted to the most advanced technologies in the area data sciences to ensure getting accurate information. He pointed out that this achievement is the result of fruitful and active partnerships between FCSA and several federal and local government authorities in the UAE.
“We are proud of this remarkable achievement made by FCSA. It is my pleasure to extend my appreciation to the team who invented, developed, and accomplished the geospatial data project for the sustainable development goals,” he added.
Noteworthy, the “Geospatial Statistical Systems” cover three underpinning pillars. The first pillar deals with the single map, which is the fundamental pillar for survey planning and conducting geographical analyses. In addition to the single map, there is the national map of the seven emirates, designed to present the demographic data, and community facilities in the health and education sectors.
The second pillar addressed the issue of empowering the national geographic statistics, including national administrative statistics data and the national survey data. Such data take advantage of the demographic data sets and community facilities to enrich data and support statistical analysis.
The third pillar covers the Geospatial Data Hub for the Sustainable Development Goals, with sights set to make the FCSA’s statistical indicators public. The hub established by the FCSA has been linked to the UN Stats Open SDG Data Hub, which is designed to monitor and record the countries’ progress in achieving the SDGs through the feature of synchronizing and sharing the data provided by the FCSA’s hub.
Since its birth in 2007, the annual Excellence in GIS Implementation (EGI) Award has become the most prestigious award in MENA and India in the area of GIS. It is given to authorities and organizations which excel in using GIS implementations and earn the highest scores as per the criteria set by the EGI independent jury.
- The event included 20 workshops in English and French discussing the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business Report.
- Bilateral meetings brought the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority with high-profile visitors to explore partnership opportunities.
- Participating Ministers were gifted copies of ‘My Story’, the book authored by H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
Dubai, December 16, 2019
The third Doing Business Technical Deep Dive has concluded its activities in Dubai, hosted over the course of four days by the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority (FCSA) in coordination with the UAE Ministry of Finance.
The event focused on the Ease of Doing Business Report, published by the World Bank Group. It brought together more than 350 economics experts from over 45 countries in the region and the world, covering Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), and Asia.
FCSA Director General and head of the event’s organising committee His Excellency Abdulla Nasser Lootah delivered a closing speech, saying: “We were delighted to host the World Bank team and all participating delegations, ministers, lawmakers, and economists. The event included panel discussions and in-depth debate, where attendees exchanged expertise and best practices in the ease of doing business sector, strengthening efforts to enhance investment and business environments in participating economies.”
Lootah thanked partners from federal and local government entities in the UAE, as well as the private sector, for their contributions and support for the third High-Profile Doing Business Technical Deep Dive, whether by providing resources and talent, or welcoming participating delegations for field visits to showcase the UAE’s pioneering experience in the ease of doing business sector.
Meanwhile, the World Bank team extended its gratitude for the warm welcome participating delegations received, commending Emirati hospitality and the impeccable organisation of the event over its four days. World Bank officials underlined the importance of these meetings in providing a common platform for dialogue among participating countries – all included in the Ease of Doing Business Report – where they can exchange knowledge, best practices, and success stories in the field.
The sessions and workshops on the event’s agenda witnessed significant turnout from participants in the third High-Profile Doing Business Technical Deep Dive, who attended 20 workshops, prepared and delivered – in English and French – by renowned economists and experts tasked with compiling the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business Report.
H.E. Lootah lauded the great turnout at the event’s activities, saying that it reflects the quality of the knowledge content it provides. “The workshops were referred to as ‘Technical Clinics’, seeing as their main objective was to remedy the challenges and obstacles facing policymakers in their plans to enhance the work environment in their countries,” he said. “The sessions are organised by World Bank experts in government policy, economics, investment, foreign trade, and mass communication.”
The event discussed the opportunities and challenges facing the drafting and improvement of laws, legislation, and procedures surrounding doing business, as well as the basic stages that all economic establishments go through, from launching operations, to securing construction permits, registering property, getting credit, protecting minority investors and legal rights, paying taxes, cross-border trade, enforcing contract, and handling cases of insolvency.
The organising committee sought to ensure international delegations have an authentic Emirati experience, where groups of Emirati children, dressed in traditional clothing, welcomed them with traditional rose water sprinklers to the tone of Emirati folk music during breaks between sessions. Visitors were also treated to traditional local dishes such as Batheeth, Rangeena, and Arabic coffee, served during authentic Yola and Ayala performances. Organisers presented their visitors with souvenirs inspired by the UAE’s heritage such as wicker baskets made especially for the occasion by members of the Productive Families Programme.
Prominent Visitors Applaud ‘Well Organised’ Event
The third High-Profile Doing Business Technical Deep Dive received extensive praise from renowned international visitors for being well organised, as well as for the warm welcome visitors received, which reflected Emirati values of hospitality and the UAE’s professionalism in organising global knowledge events.
The visiting dignitaries, including several ministers, convened in bilateral meetings with the FCSA team on the side lines of the Deep Dive, held in Dubai this week.
H.E. Pholile Shakantu, Minister of Justice -Eswatini, stated that the third High-Profile Doing Business Technical Deep Dive is particularly important for developing and facilitating business, offering a platform for dialogue and the exchange of creative ideas to utilise the Report and its indexes to improve laws and procedures.
Meanwhile, Senator Manqoba Khumalo, Minister of Commerce, Industry & Trade from Eswatini, applauded the event and the advanced level of communication and interaction among participants, saying that Dubai impressed him with its opulence and generosity.
For his part, HE. Oumarou Alma, Minister – Special Adviser to the President of the Niger Republic, said: “As the third High-Profile Doing Business Technical Deep Dive draws to a close, I cannot help but express my sincere gratitude to the United Arab Emirates, and to the World Bank delegation, for the warm reception and impeccable organisation. The event is a must-attend function and an unparalleled occasion for exchanging expertise, opinions, and best practices for the entities tasked with rolling out economic reforms in Africa and the Middle East.”
“I thank the UAE and the World Bank once again,” H.E. Oumarou added, “and a special thank you goes to H.E. Abdulla Lootah, Director General of the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority, and his team for their constant support and their efforts to organise this event, which has made our stay in Dubai – the city of the future – all the more advantageous.”
The organising team presented visiting dignitaries with copies of ‘My Story’, the book authored by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, Ruler of Dubai.
The UAE ranks among the world’s top 20 economies, and came in 16th place on the annual Ease of Doing Business Report, which tracks 190 countries around the world. The Emirates led the entire Arab region on the ranking for the seventh consecutive year. Furthermore, the UAE ranked among the international top 10 on four of the Report’s 10 categories, ranking first in the world in terms of ease of connecting to the electrical grid; third in terms of ease of securing construction permits; ninth in terms of enforcing contracts; and tenth in terms of ease of registering property.
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The emirate is hosting the event for 4 days, under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Minister of Finance.
- The event is organised by the World Bank Group, with the support of the UAE’s Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority (FCSA).
- H.E. Hessa Buhumaid, Minister of Community Development: The UAE welcomes the findings of the Doing Business Report with an open mind, implementing them to rank among the top countries in the world on the index.
- H.E. Abdulla Lootah, FCSA Director General: The UAE uses the Report’s findings to launch projects and update legislations and procedures to be in line with reality and pave the way for a better future.
- H.E. Matthew Hawkins, New Zealand’s Ambassador to the UAE: The ease of doing business in the UAE is one of the leading factors that have made it an important business and commercial hub for our country.
Dubai, December 10, 2019
The third high-profile Doing Business Technical Deep Dive kicked off in Dubai today, hosted by the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority (FCSA) in coordination with the Ministry of Finance.
Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, UAE Minister of Finance, the event addresses the World Bank’s Doing Business Report, bringing together a host of renowned policymakers and experts in economics and business to explore opportunities and exchange expertise.
The meeting is scheduled to take place over the course of four days, under the theme ‘Global Aspiration Towards Business Growth and Economic Prosperity”. It brings together more than 350 experts from 45 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), and Asia. The agenda includes several panel discussions, workshops, lectures, and field trips to explore best practices in government entities around the UAE that have earned high global rankings on the Doing Business Report.
In her opening speech, Her Excellency Hessa bint Essa Buhumaid, Minister of Community Development, said: “The UAE has established partnerships with the World Bank and the International Finance Corporation that have led to a host of successes and accomplishments across various sectors. Our cooperation to support competitiveness is one of our most successful; the UAE believes in the Doing Business Report, welcomes its findings with an open mind, and implements its recommendations to advance through the ranks and assume the top spots among the countries of the world on the index.”
“Our journey with competitiveness has had its fair share of challenges and successes that have propelled the UAE to the top ranks on numerous international competitiveness indexes,” H.E. added. “What the United Arab Emirates accomplished in the past few decades, and what it still plans to accomplish, will serve as a solid foundation upon which we can build a competitive knowledge economy driven by human skills, and capable of materialising the Fourth Industrial Revolution as on-the-ground projects and initiatives that serve to achieve the UAE Centennial 2071 Plan.”
“We are gathered here today to discuss the Doing Business Report, but there are other reports we need to focus on as well,” H.E. Hessa Buhumaid explained, citing the report titled ‘Women, Business, and the Law’ and the Human Capital Index. “With an abundance of reports available, governments now look to technical committees in the World Bank to listen to opinions and suggestions from relevant entities in their respective countries, and accept their feedback with an open mind.”
For his part, His Excellency Abdulla Nasser Lootah, Director General of the FCSA, said: “We take international reports very seriously here in the UAE; we use them to launch projects and update legislations and procedures to be in line with reality and pave the way for a better future. We all have a common goal: to develop a single, unified approach for analysing and understanding the Doing Business Report and its projections for the upcoming years. We are here to exchange expertise and connect with experts and specialists.”
“I have no doubt that the World Bank team will be taking this opportunity to have a closer look at the countries covered by the report, and exploring ways for countries to work together and make the study more credible and pertinent,” H.E. Lootah concluded.
Meanwhile, H.E. Matthew Hawkins, New Zealand’s Ambassador to the UAE, said: “The ease of doing business in the UAE is one of the leading factors that have made it an important business and commercial hub for our country. The UAE’s success is our success; we are delighted to see the momentous leaps it has taken in the past decades on the Ease of Doing Business Report.”
Participants at the Doing Business Technical Deep Dive will explore the opportunities and challenges facing efforts to draft and improve business legislations and procedures, highlighting the various stages economic establishments go through from beginning their operations, to securing construction permits and electricity services, registering trademarks, applying for credit, protecting minority investors, paying taxes, cross-border trade, enforcing contracts, and conflict resolution.
Dubai, UAE, December 8, 2019
The World Bank Group, with the support of the United Arab Emirates Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority (FCSA) will host, from December 10 to December 13, 2019 in Dubai, the third Doing Business Technical Deep Dive, a Masterclass and a knowledge sharing platform on the reforms counted by the World Bank Group’s Doing Business report. The event will welcome participants from over 30 countries in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle-East and Oceania.
The Technical Deep Dive gathers reform experts and policy makers to discuss the methodology and indicators of the Doing Business report, share best practice on identifying bottlenecks to private sector development and enacting relevant reforms, participate in targeted capacity building and networking sessions and use those interactions to update their country reform action plans.
His Excellency Abdulla Nasser Lootah, Director General of the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority (FCSA), said: “Holding the third Doing Business Technical Deep Dive here in the UAE is a testament to the country’s success in firmly establishing itself as a destination of choice for business and economic leaders, partners, and organizations. It reflects the great confidence our partners at the World Bank and IFC have come to place in the UAE to host meetings of this high caliber. With prominent delegations of decision-makers and accomplished economics and business experts slated to attend, the much-anticipated event marks yet another milestone on the UAE’s journey to achieve the UAE Vision 2021 and implement the Sustainable Development Goals 2030.”
The 2020 Doing Business report, which was launched on October 24, 2019, shows that reform expertise is growing in the Middle-East and Africa regions. Economies in the Middle East and North Africa implemented a record 57 business-friendly reforms and hosted four of the countries that improved the most world-wide in the ease of doing business – Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Bahrain, and Kuwait. Sub-Saharan African countries implemented a total of 73 reforms, with Nigeria and Togo making the list of the global top reforming countries while Mauritius ranked as 13th easiest place to do business in the world.
The UAE ranks 16th globally and is the highest-ranked economy in the Middle-East and North Africa region. The Technical Deep Dive will offer the opportunity to aspiring reformers from across the globe to learn from the UAE’s best practices and share their efforts aimed at narrowing the gap with top reforming economies in the world.
The Doing Business project provides objective measures of business regulations and their enforcement across 190 economies and selected cities at the subnational and regional level. Launched in 2002, it looks at domestic small and medium-size companies and measures the regulations applying to them through their life cycle.
The Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, Amina Mohammed: The UAE has Demonstrated its Commitment to Adopting Innovation and Technology to Achieve Sustainable Development.
H.E. Abdullah Nasser Lootah: The UN Provides One of the Best Platforms in the World to Share Knowledge, Experiences, and Best Practices on Data and Statistics.
New York, Dubai, 16 March 2019:
As part of the UAE participation in the meetings of the fiftieth session of the International Statistical Committee at United Nations Headquarters in New York, H.E. Abdullah Nasser Lootah, the Director-General of the Federal Authority for Competitiveness and Statistics (FCSA) and the Head of the UAE Delegation held a meeting with HE Amina Mohammed, the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations to discuss the UN SDGs and the opportunities for enhancing cooperation efforts to achieve them.
During the meeting, the officials tackled many related topics, while focusing on the latest technology trends, strategic partnerships, the centrality of the role of youth and the importance of supporting the implementation of data-based sustainable development initiatives around the world.
H.E. Lootah showcased the UAE’s experience and experiments in this field and shed a spotlight on the State’s efforts at the local and international levels to achieve the SDGs, including hosting the second session of the United Nations Global Data Forum in October 2018. The international event was considered as an additional opportunity to meet with stakeholders and focus on how to harness the power of data to serve humanity.
On this occasion, HE Amina Mohammed said: “I am delighted to meet again with the UAE delegation and members of the FCSA. The UAE has always been a committed member of supporting global efforts to achieve sustainable development goals, and the presence of a large team of officials at the meeting of the Fiftieth Session of the International Statistical Committee highlights the deep faith of UAE leadership in the vital role that data can do to achieve a prosperous future.”
On his side, Lootah pointed out: “The United Nations World Data Forum has established a strong and long-term relationship between statistics and data workers in the United Arab Emirates and the United Nations, specifically the International Statistical Committee. Communication and active participation among experts, private sector bodies, private sector companies, and social organizations around the world are the only way through which we can share experiences and innovations that support countries in their quest to achieve or exceed the goals of sustainable development.”
He added: “Today, we are here in New York to promote the commitment that everyone in this world, regardless where they live, can live a life free of poverty, hunger, and disease.”
It is worth mentioning that the International Committee of Statistics (ICS) comprises leading statistical experts from UN member states, and it is the highest decision-making body on international statistical activities.
General Secretariat of the National Committee on SDGs Launches First Report on Private Sector Sustainability Initiatives in UAE
Dubai, UAE- 18 August 2019
The Secretariat of the National Committee on Sustainable Development Goals launched the first report on private sector initiatives for sustainability in UAE titled "Achieving Sustainable Development Goals in the UAE: Private Sector Contributions." Global Strategy Consulting firm, Oliver Wyman developed the report in partnership with the Private Sector Advisory Council on SDGs (PSAC) founded by the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority (FCSA).
The report sheds a spotlight on the efforts exerted by the National Committee on SDGs to serve as a platform for coordination and partnerships through PSAC. It also focuses on the role of private companies in achieving SDGs by means of sharing ideas and practices on the key opportunities and challenges that companies face in their efforts to implement the UAE Agenda 2030.
The initiatives cover various sectors, including renewable energy, real estate, retail, aviation and land, and sea transport services. These initiatives have contributed to the UAE’s efforts to promote sustainability within the private sector and make progress towards achieving the 2030 global agenda of sustainability.
H.E. Abdullah Lootah, Director General of FCSA and Vice-Chair of the National Committee on SDGs and Chair of the PSAC on SDGs, stated: "At a time of multiple drastic and relentless economic, social and technological changes experienced by the world, the public and private sectors partnerships and the achievement of sustainable progress and prosperity for the society of UAE become essential. Based on the initiatives and experiences presented by the report, the UAE has turned out to be a global role model in the governance of SDGs and harnessing the innovative partnerships between the public and private sectors to achieve them."
The report also reviews notable initiatives adopted by the National Committee on SDGs in UAE. The committee is the government team in charge of implementing the 17 SDGs in the UAE and was formed in January 2017 and chaired by Her Excellency Reem Bint Ebrahim Al Hashimy, Minister of State for International Cooperation. The committee’s members include 17 federal level government authorities who agreed on a road map for the year 2030. The road map focuses on four key stages, including raising awareness, establishing the foundations, developing policies, reporting the progress achieved, and monitoring the performance.
Greg Rung, Partner at Oliver Wyman, stated: "The ongoing cooperation between the UAE government and the private sector is crucial in boosting the country’s efforts to implement the United Nation’s 17 SDGs successfully."
"Oliver Wyman is proud to collaborate with PSAC for producing this report and partner with the entity to support the UAE government in its commitment to successfully achieving a prosperous and sustainable future for all," added Rung.
Members of PSAC have also drafted a consultative framework used as a formal mechanism to engage the private sector in UAE and move forward in achieving UAE Agenda 2030. Additionally, PSAC developed a strategy to engage the youth, to ensure that development is not only for the youth but also for and through them to further promote and increase their positive contributions as agents of change.
H.E. Abdullah Lootah concluded his statement by stating: "Recognizing that the implementation of SDGs could only get ahead by involving all relevant stakeholders from different government and private sectors, we have pooled resources with the Oliver Wyman team to prepare this important report with sights set to shed light on the efforts of the private sector as a strategic partner of the UAE government. I am proud of the commitment of the members of PSAC and their contributions to supporting the sustainability process in UAE, and the dissemination of such UAE experiences to the global community."
The report showcases the most important sustainability initiatives developed by 12 national and international companies operating in UAE, namely: Dubai Holding Company, Careem, Majid Al Futtaim Group, DP World, EMAAR Group, Al Serkal Group, First Abu Dhabi Bank, Emirates Airline, Multinational Companies Business Group, Dubai Free Zones Council and MASDAR Group.
Dubai, Wellington- 7 August 2019
In the recent official visit to the head office located in New Zealand’s capital Willington, the senior management of the New Zealand’s G2G Know-How Foundation welcomed H.E. Abdullah Nasser Lootah, Director-General of the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority (FCSA).
G2G Know-How is a public foundation that reports to the New Zealand government. It dedicates all its efforts in developing innovative government solutions through exchange of ideas and experiences with the most significant experts from the public and private sectors from around the world.
H.E. Lootah’s visit to New Zealand G2G Know-How came as part of his tour of New Zealand’s government, semi-government and private institutions this week. During the meetings held at its premises, the G2G Know-How teams briefed H.E Lootah on their wide range of activities and successful experiences in areas of developing innovative government projects.
FCSA’s Director-General and New Zealand’s task forces discussed FCSA’s initiatives that are channeled towards developing the UAE’s National Statistical System for improving the Competitiveness Strategy and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The G2G Know-How officials introduced the foundation’s methodology in collaboratively developing initiatives of various government entities in New Zealand. Their process includes identifying challenges, defining development goals, drawing up a master plan to develop and implement solutions, identifying partnerships with experienced foreign governments, and examining and analyzing results.
On his visit to the G2G Know-How Foundation, H.E. Lootah stated, “New Zealand is featured by the foremost global competitiveness reports and indicators as one of the most developed countries. It is an exciting opportunity for the UAE to be G2G Know-How Foundation’s first-ever international co-operation experience. Learning from this experience inspires us to further excellent the efficiency and effectiveness of UAE’s National Teams and the innovative services offered to individuals and institutions in our homeland.”
A meeting was held between H.E. Lootah and Mr. Malcolm Miller, Executive Director of the G2G Know-How Foundation and former New Zealand Ambassador to UAE. Mr. Miller availed this opportunity to appreciate the active collaboration between New Zealand and the UAE’s public institutions. He noted the similarity and convergence of government visions on various aspects of government initiatives, including establishing an innovation culture, the role of accurate and up-to-date data in supporting decisions and placing sustainability as part of the government priorities in all areas and sectors.
FCSA’s – Director General’s visit to New Zealand included visiting several semi-government and private institutions specializing in the field of data such as the Data Ventures of the New Zealand Statistics Center and the head office of Creative Company. Data Ventures is a global provider of specialized and innovative services and products of data-driven insight while Creative Company is a private company that aims to build and promote innovation and creativity culture across the government and private institutions through the development of individual and institutional skills of work teams.
H.E. Lootah concluded his statement by saying: “Our visit to the capital of New Zealand was very successful. I am happy with the results of the meetings held with all the institutions. It has been agreed to intensify bilateral efforts by organizing more activities, exchanging experiences and launching projects and initiatives in various specialties and fields of common interest, particularly in fields of developing Statistical Activities, Management of Competitive Strategy and Governance of initiatives dedicated to achieving SDGs.”
Dubai, the United Arab Emirates- 16th February 2020
The Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority (FCSA) participates in the Global Women’s Forum Dubai 2020 (GWFD 2020) scheduled to be held today under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, during 16-17 February 2020 under the theme “The Power of Influence”.
As per the forum agenda, FCSA is participating in several main sessions, in addition to introducing an innovative digital interactive screen designed to display the most recent facts and figures on the UAE journey in empowering women, and its achievements in the most important global competitiveness reports and indicators on women empowerment and gender balance.
FCSA would also introduce a special report on the role of women in development in partnership with the Dubai Women Establishment, National Committee on Sustainable Development Goals, and the Arab Youth Center.
On its participation in GWFD 2020, H.E. Abdullah Nasser Lootah, FCSA Director-General stated: “FCSA is proud to actively participate in GWFD 2020 by contributing to the main agenda and providing the essential support to this important global event. GWFD 2020 is a platform to document the UAE sustained achievements in realizing gender balance and women empowerment in all areas.”
“FCSA would make sure to shed light on the UAE notable achievements in areas of laws, procedural improvements and the results achieved due to accurate and updated data, and their repercussions on the most important global competitiveness reports and indicators,” H.E. Lootah added.
Plenary Sessions
H.E. Hanan Ahli, Executive Director of the Competitiveness and SDGs Sector at FCSA, said: “FCSA would showcase its experience in several dossiers on women’s empowerment and their relationship to achieving SDGs 2030 through supporting decision-makers. Such support is realized by providing and making the accurate and up-to-date data accessible to them, and introducing legislative and procedural improvements to laws on women and their role in society, as well as the economic and knowledge development processes.”
H.E. Ahli stated: “FCSA aims through its participation in GWFD 2020 to showcase the adopted best practices in UAE which in total designed to achieve sustainable development. We would also present UAE’s success stories in harnessing the competitiveness strategy to achieve humanitarian goals, in addition to the most important lessons learned in producing and making data on women’s empowerment accessible to the public.”
An Interactive and Figure-Based Screen Highlighting Emirati Women Leadership
As part of the its input to the forum, FCSA plans to reveal an interactive display screen to all visitors and guests to view the recent data, statistics, and indicators of global competitiveness achieved by UAE in addition to all that related to supporting and enhancing women’s leadership, pioneering and social role in UAE. This data is displayed in a unique interactive visual style which facilitate displaying and explaining the data and indicators smoothly and simply.”
Noteworthy, the second edition of GWFD2020 would tackle several thematic subjects that present diverse insights and international experiences from around the world. Part of the prominent dossiers that would be addressed is the role of women in the Fourth Industrial Revolution and their contribution to achieving SDGs and the innovation industry. GWFD 2020 agenda would also address other several topics, namely peace and prosperity, the role of governments in developing strategies to ensure gender balance, and harnessing modern technology to achieve this balance and the most effective empowerment in all areas.
In recognition of Inventing the Geospatial Data Hub for SDGs
Dubai, UAE- 6th February 2020:
The Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority (FCSA) succeeded in putting firm hands on the “Excellence in GIS Implementation (EGI) Award” in the category of GIS Sustainable Development. FCSA received the award during its participation in the “GOVWORX’20” Conference recently organized in Dubai by "GISTEC" Company.
The award is granted to federal and local government authorities to recognize their contributions to implementing geographic information systems (GIS). FCSA received the award in a credit of the efforts exerted to develop the "Geospatial Data Hub for the Sustainable Development Goals”, which is part of the “Geospatial Statistical System” initiative launched to expand the scope of implementing the geographic information, and achieving the optimal use of the geographic planning in statistics, surveying, measuring indicators, and monitoring the UAE progress is the area of sustainable development.
H.E. Mohamed Hasan, Executive Director of the National Statistics and Data Sector at FCSA, availed this opportunity to highlight the FCSA commitment and relentless efforts exerted to the most advanced technologies in the area data sciences to ensure getting accurate information. He pointed out that this achievement is the result of fruitful and active partnerships between FCSA and several federal and local government authorities in the UAE.
“We are proud of this remarkable achievement made by FCSA. It is my pleasure to extend my appreciation to the team who invented, developed, and accomplished the geospatial data project for the sustainable development goals,” he added.
Noteworthy, the “Geospatial Statistical Systems” cover three underpinning pillars. The first pillar deals with the single map, which is the fundamental pillar for survey planning and conducting geographical analyses. In addition to the single map, there is the national map of the seven emirates, designed to present the demographic data, and community facilities in the health and education sectors.
The second pillar addressed the issue of empowering the national geographic statistics, including national administrative statistics data and the national survey data. Such data take advantage of the demographic data sets and community facilities to enrich data and support statistical analysis.
The third pillar covers the Geospatial Data Hub for the Sustainable Development Goals, with sights set to make the FCSA’s statistical indicators public. The hub established by the FCSA has been linked to the UN Stats Open SDG Data Hub, which is designed to monitor and record the countries’ progress in achieving the SDGs through the feature of synchronizing and sharing the data provided by the FCSA’s hub.
Since its birth in 2007, the annual Excellence in GIS Implementation (EGI) Award has become the most prestigious award in MENA and India in the area of GIS. It is given to authorities and organizations which excel in using GIS implementations and earn the highest scores as per the criteria set by the EGI independent jury.
The Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre (FCSC) has launched a mural in the form of a huge map showing the development of the UAE’s non-oil foreign trade over the 50 years of the Union’s life and the great growth achieved by foreign trade through successive leaps over half a century.
The mural shows the increase in the country’s foreign trade from AED 1.14 billion in 1971 to exceed AED 1.4 trillion in 2020. Despite the repercussions of Covid-19, which cast a shadow on international trade and world economies, the UAE’s foreign trade exceeded AED 1.28 trillion during the first nine months of this year, with a growth of 26.5% compared to the last period of 2020, representing a jump in growth compared to the rest of the region and the world.
His Excellency Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of State for Foreign Trade, said: "Foreign trade is a major lever for the growth of the national economy, and the growth and development witnessed by the UAE’s foreign trade during the fiftieth march reflects the interest of the vision and directives of the wise leadership in giving the economy and trade great importance and the UAE’s prominent position on the global trade map. The country trades with 239 global markets. His Excellency added that the continuous development witnessed by the country’s foreign trade reflects the directions recently announced by the UAE government to contribute to achieving new leaps in the country’s trade performance during the next phase, and innovative initiatives and flexible government strategies play an important role in enhancing the performance of the country’s foreign trade, such as the 10×10 program for export development, expanding comprehensive economic agreements with a number of target global markets, and continuously opening new commercial markets for the country’s commercial activities to continue foreign trade without The state’s oil performance will be positive during the next fifty years.
Hanan Ahli, Acting Director of the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre, said that the unprecedented growth achieved by the UAE in all vital sectors during the fifty years of the country’s life is the best evidence of the insightful vision of the wise leadership and the sustainable development approach that the country has planned for itself since the beginning of the Union. For the past 50 years, it has carved out a place for itself on the map of the world’s leading players in foreign trade.
She pointed out that the UAE leads the world in many indicators related to trade, ranking first globally in the growth index of trade services exports and the trade budget index "% of GDP", according to the Global Competitiveness Yearbook 2021 report issued by the International Institute for Management Development (IMD), in addition to occupying the leading position regionally in many global competitiveness indicators related to trade. She added that the mural on the growth of foreign trade over 50 years, which was erected FCSC, reflects our absolute belief in the importance of documented data over 50 years in highlighting the sustainable development witnessed by the country in all vital sectors, including the foreign trade sector. It is noteworthy that the mural documents foreign trade data in a timeline that extends for fifty years, based on the data archive of FCSC, and sheds light on the volume of the UAE’s trade with the countries of the world and the most important goods exchanged with them.
The Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Center has also launched an interactive digital map for non-oil global trade data for the United Arab Emirates. Through it, all non-oil foreign trade data is reviewed, and the total trade, imports, exports, and re-exports details can be determined over time periods defined by the map user. The data can also be sorted by country or group of countries, and trade volume is displayed in UAE Dirhams or US Dollars, making it easier for trade enthusiasts and researchers to access the latest and most accurate non-oil trade data for the UAE with the world.
Over the past fifty years, the UAE has laid a solid foundation for building a diversified and sustainable economy, and after the discovery of oil in the fifties of the last century, the UAE succeeded in radically changing the structure of economic life in the country, while continuing its efforts to move to a knowledge-based economy by encouraging innovation and strengthening the regulatory framework for key economic sectors.
In the soon-to-be-released UAE Figures 2020 report, the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre reveals the most prominent facts and figures that reflect the growth recorded in the country’s economy over 50 years, on the occasion of the celebrations of the fiftieth anniversary of the Union.
The report reveals a significant leap in the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), increasing from AED 58.3 billion in 1975 to over AED 1.3 trillion in 2020. Additionally, the contribution of non-oil sectors to the GDP grew from 43% in 1975 to 83% in 2020.
The report also indicates a rise in the total volume of the country’s foreign trade, growing from AED 11.5 billion in 1975 to AED 1.4 trillion in 2020. The value of foreign direct investments into the country increased by 82%, reaching approximately AED 73 billion in 2020 compared to the AED 40 billion recorded in 2005.
The value of foreign direct investments exported from the country also surged from AED 14 billion in 2005 to AED 69.5 billion in 2020.
Furthermore, the report highlights an increase in government spending in the country, rising from AED 1.258 billion in 1975 to AED 442.386 billion in 2019.
The tourism sector in the country has witnessed an exceptional success story, making it one of the world’s leading destinations in terms of growth and the ability to attract tourists from various corners of the globe. It has also firmly established its position as one of the main contributors to the national economy.
The number of hotel facilities surged from 64 in 1978, housing 5,379 rooms, to 1,089 hotel facilities with 180,257 rooms in 2020.
The operational capacity of the country’s hotel facilities has evolved over the years. In 1979, approximately 392,000 guests stayed with a total of 1.02 million nights. In 2020, this number grew to over 14.88 million guests with a total of 54.3 million nights.
In 2020, total hotel revenues exceeded AED 16.6 billion, marking a significant increase compared to 2005 when revenues were AED 1.5 billion.
Electricity and Water:
The UAE has been diligent in keeping pace with the increasing demand for electricity and water in the country, considering the population growth and economic and commercial activities. Sustainable solutions for renewable energy have been adopted.
The capacity of electricity-generating stations in the UAE has grown from 482 megawatts in 1975 to approximately 35,000 megawatts in 2020. The electricity generated witnessed a substantial increase, exceeding 137,000 gigawatt-hours in 2020, compared to 1,467 gigawatt-hours in 1975.
Furthermore, the amount of electricity generated from renewable energy stations experienced significant growth in 2020 compared to 2009, rising from 6 gigawatt-hours in 2009 to 5,476 gigawatt-hours in 2020. The total installed capacity of renewable energy stations was 10 megawatts in 2009, and it leaped to 2,289 megawatts in 2020, a remarkable increase of 22,698 percent.
The report also highlights an increase in the amount of desalinated water produced in 2020, reaching 2 billion cubic meters, a substantial increase compared to 1983 when it was 256 million cubic meters. The number of wastewater treatment plants in the country reached 125 in 2020, a 145% increase from 2011 when there were only 51 plants. Additionally, the quantity of treated wastewater in 2020 reached 769 million cubic meters, a 55% increase compared to 2011 when it was 498 million cubic meters.
The United Arab Emirates has achieved a significant global accomplishment by entering the top 10, securing the 10th position globally in the overall ranking as one of the best countries in the world in the "World Digital Competitiveness Ranking 2021," published by the world Competitiveness Center (WCC) affiliated with the International Institute for Management Development (IMD).
In doing so, the UAE topped the MENA Region, not only ranking first regionally the UAE surpassed leading countries globally such as Finland, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, China, Germany, France, Japan, and Belgium. This achievement is notable during a period marked by major global challenges that significantly impacted economies worldwide. The UAE managed to make significant strides in various indicators in the report.
New achievement
Minister of Cabinet Affairs and Chairman of the UAE’s Competitiveness Council, Mohammed Abdullah Al Garqawi, said that the UAE’s entry into the Top 10 globally in the World Digital Competitiveness Report 2021, is one of the most important global competitiveness reports, and represents a new achievement in its journey towards establishing the UAE’s position as one of the best countries World.
He added, "The country has demonstrated its exceptional ability to overcome challenges and turn them into inspiring opportunities, thanks to the vision of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the President of the State, and the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice President and Prime Minister of the State, and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, which enhances the country’s ability to achieve positive results in various competitiveness reports and indicators, making it one of the most competitive countries in the world."
His Excellency continued, "This achievement adds to the UAE’s track record in the global competitiveness journey, keeping pace with the significant developments and the new methodology of government work witnessed by the country. It reflects the government’s aspirations for the future, embodying its strategic goals aimed at achieving further progress and prosperity on all fronts. It also reinforces the UAE’s leadership in global competitiveness indicators."
Digital Transformation
H.E. Omar Sultan AlOlama, the Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications, stated that the government of the UAE supports innovative projects that enhance the concept of innovation and reinforces strategic partnerships and digital initiatives in both the public and private sectors.
He affirmed that the new achievement of the UAE reaching the 10th position globally in the report among the best countries in this field is a result of the leadership’s vision that prioritizes a knowledge-based economy and embraces smart solutions and innovative digital initiatives among its current priorities and future plans.
He added that the UAE government adopts a policy of digital transformation that enhances the efficiency of smart platforms and contributes to the successful implementation of projects in the fields of digital economy and artificial intelligence, which positively impacts both the government and society.
Ready For The Future
In the same vein, Minister of State for Advanced Sciences, Sarah AlAmiri affirmed that the government of the UAE embraces advanced technology and Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies as a fundamental axis in its future-oriented directions. This reflects the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, Ruler of Dubai, to develop an integrated technological infrastructure based on innovation and digitization, supporting the state’s efforts in preparing for the next fifty years.
Her Excellency praised the progress achieved by the UAE in the "Global Digital Competitiveness Report," securing the fifth position globally in the Technology Framework Index. She highlighted the qualitative leap in the Digital and Technological Skills Index, with the country advancing seven positions to rank 10th globally.
Vision 2021
H.E. Eng. Majed Sultan Al Mesmar The Director General of the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority, stated that the significance of the results achieved by the UAE in the "World Digital Competitiveness Report 2021" lies in the timing, aligning with the accomplishment of the ‘UAE Vision 2021’ to be among the best countries globally.
He added, ‘This result comes to confirm that, with the guidance of our leadership, we have achieved digital transformation goals in successive stages until now. This encourages us and strengthens our determination to move towards new heights and achievements in the next fifty years, God willing.
Work Style
H.E. Dr. Mohamed Hamad Al Kuwaiti, Head of Cybersecurity of the UAE Government, that the digital transformation witnessed by the country touches all aspects of life in the state’s society. It has become a culture and a working style in the UAE government. With the technological progress in our world today, digital security has become an integral part of the national security of advanced countries. Innovation, adaptability, and the ability to renew play a crucial role in protecting digital societies and proactively addressing any cyber threats.
Al Kuwaiti affirmed that the UAE is moving steadily according to the ‘Plan 50,’ aiming to be among the best countries in the world in various sectors through insightful vision, an effective government, and the capability to flexibly and efficiently deal with future changes. This enhances its position regionally and internationally within the most competitive knowledge-based economies globally.
H.E. Hanan Ahli, acting director of the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre, expressed her sincere thanks to the strategic partners in the federal and local government entities, national statistical centers, and private sector partners.
She emphasized that the UAE government attaches great importance to the role of effective partnerships between federal and local government entities and the private sector to support the competitiveness file.
Global Leadership In 4 Indicators
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has secured the top spot globally in four indicators in the report: "Cybersecurity," "Net Inflow of International Students," "Resilience of Residence Laws," and "Wireless Broadband Subscriptions."
Additionally, the country has claimed the second position worldwide in indicators such as "Availability of Global Expertise," "Presence of International Experts," and "Globalization Trends."
Furthermore, it has achieved the third position globally in indicators such as "City Management," "Companies’ Use of Big Data and Analytical Tools," and "Availability of Opportunities and Absence of Threats."
Significant Leaps by the UAE
The United Arab Emirates has made significant advancements in various indicators, making a leap of 31 positions in one go in the "Internet Users" index, securing the fourth position globally. Furthermore, it achieved a remarkable advancement of 31 positions in the "Percentage of Population with Higher Education" index, attaining the 16th position worldwide.
In addition, the country experienced a leap of 22 positions in the "Subscribers to Mobile Broadband Service" index, ranking 12th globally. It also made a notable jump of nine positions in the "Percentage of Women University Graduates with Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees," securing the 10th position globally. These achievements are complemented by numerous other indicators in which the UAE has demonstrated substantial progress.
The country has consistently ranked within the top 10 globally in 25 out of the 52 indicators covered in the report.
The ‘Global Digital Competitiveness Report’ assesses the performance of 64 countries worldwide across three main pillars: Knowledge, Technology, and Future Readiness. The three main pillars are further divided into nine sub-pillars, encompassing a total of 52 indicators. The report methodology relies on 20 opinion survey indicators and 32 statistical data indicators.
UAE Leads in the Arab Region
In this year’s report, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) emerged as the top-ranking Arab country, securing the first position in all main pillars. It achieved the 5th position globally in the ‘Technology’ pillar, the 12th position globally in the ‘Future Readiness’ pillar, and experienced a significant leap of 13 positions in the ‘Knowledge’ pillar, landing at the 18th position globally.
In the nine sub-pillars of the report, the UAE claimed the top spot globally in the ‘Talent’ pillar, advancing four positions from the previous year. It secured the 2nd position globally in the ‘Regulatory Framework’ pillar and the 5th position globally in the ‘Technological Framework’ pillar.
Furthermore, the UAE made a substantial leap of 19 positions in the ‘Education and Training’ pillar, achieving the 25th position globally. It also secured the 10th position globally in two sub-pillars: ‘Workforce Flexibility’ and ‘Information Technology Integration.’
The UAE surpassed countries such as Finland, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, China, Germany, France in the overall rankings.
International day of sign language
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, Crown Prince of Fujairah, received, at his office at the Amiri Diwan, the members of the Higher Committee for Coordination of Statistical Work at the State level
Professor Jeffrey D. Sachs, President of the UN Sustainable Development
Highlights of H.E Noor AlKhulaif, Minister of Sustainable Development
Intro to UNCEBD Task Team Training Competencies Capacity Level
UN Regional Hub for BIG DATA in UAE WEBINAR SERIES
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