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The National Committee for Sustainable Development Goals, in partnership with Emirates Transport, launched the "Road to Sustainability" campaign, which is organized as part of the UAE government’s efforts and projects in the Year of Sustainability, and within the framework of initiatives to enhance community awareness of the global sustainable development goals, and the importance of achieving them to ensure a better future for societies. A large number of government agencies and companies are participating in the campaign at the national level, and will continue until the end of 2024, and aims to spread awareness at the national level of the global goals for sustainable development.
H.E. Abdullah Lootah, Deputy Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Competitiveness and Knowledge Exchange, Deputy Chairman of the National Committee on Sustainable Development Goals, stressed that the campaign embodies the UAE government’s approach to motivating community members to adopt a sustainable lifestyle that contributes to building a better world for future generations.
Alex Rentier, CEO of Emirates Transport, expressed the company’s blessing for this purposeful national campaign.
The campaign was launched at the Head Office Building of the Emirates Transport in Dubai, in the presence of H.E. Abdullah Lootah and Shatha Al Hashimi, an advisor in the Government Experience Exchange Office. The event included a presentation that discussed the history of transportation in the UAE since its inception and gave a brief overview of its services. Following that, the "oad to Sustainability" started from its first station at the company’s headquarters, commencing its extended agenda until the end of the next year. The campaign utilizes an electric bus provided by the company to facilitate the team’s travels to various stations, destinations, and entities across different regions of the country.
Khaled Shukr, the Director of Quality, Environment, Safety, and Occupational Health Department at Emirates Transport, explained that the electric bus has a capacity for 41 passengers in addition to the driver. It operates on a 315-kilowatt-hour battery that can be fast-charged in one hour and forty minutes (with a 180-kilowatt charger), allowing it to travel approximately 300 kilometers on a single charge.
H.E. Abdulla Lootah is the Deputy Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Competitiveness and Knowledge Exchange, delivered a lecture at the New York University (NYU) in the United States.
During the lecture, His Excellency called for the strengthening of academic and research partnerships to achieve the 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
The lecture was attended by NYU graduate students from the School of Professional Studies, the Global Affairs and Global Security Program, and Conflict and Cybercrime Program, and the Division in Programs in Business and Global Sport.
His Excellency discussed the importance of the role of academic institutions and universities in promoting international cooperation and partnership, knowledge exchange, capacity building, and excellence in the research and development efforts. He reiterated that doing so will also contribute to SDG 17 – which calls for plans to revitalize global partnerships for sustainable development.
Attended by Angie Kamath, Dean of the NYU School of Professional Studies, along with NYU’s administrative, academic, and research members, the lecture highlighted the UAE’s multi-faceted competitiveness, positioning it as a worldwide focal point for visionaries, researchers, and accomplished professionals who have chosen the UAE as their home and workplace.
Positive Growth Rates Surpass Expectations: UAE Economy Demonstrates Resilience with a 7.9% Growth in Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Abdullah bin Touq:
· The UAE government adopts an innovative economic model that serves its future vision through the adoption of flexible economic policies that align with global changes.
· The numbers confirm the robust economic performance of the country, achieving positive growth rates that exceeded the estimates of analysts and specialized international institutions.
· Estimates of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) at current prices for the year 2022 exceeded 1.86 trillion dirhams, and at constant prices, 1.62 trillion dirhams.
Dubai, June 25 (WAM) – Minister of Economy Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri affirmed that the preliminary estimates for the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the UAE for the year 2022, issued by the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Center, confirm the resilience of the country’s economic performance. It achieved positive growth rates that exceeded the estimates of analysts and specialized international institutions. The GDP of the country in 2022, at constant prices, reached 1.62 trillion dirhams, achieving a positive growth of 7.9%. At current prices, it reached 1.86 trillion dirhams, with an increase exceeding 337 billion dirhams compared to 2021, achieving a growth of 22.1%. This reflects the wisdom of the economic policies pursued by the government of the UAE and confirms the strength and stability of the UAE economy amid the global economic conditions and geopolitical repercussions.
His Excellency said: " The government of the United Arab Emirates, thanks to the visionary leadership of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the President of the State, may God preserve him, and the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice President of the State, the Prime Minister, the Ruler of Dubai, may God protect him, works on building an innovative economic model that serves its future vision. This is achieved by adopting flexible economic policies that rely on speed and accuracy in responding to global changes. The government also embraces stimulating economic strategies, proactive economic plans based on economic diversification, and improvements in economic procedures and legislation. This preserves the country’s status as an attractive investment environment continuously, enhances foreign trade, and openness to the world as a component of international economic relations. The success and integration of these policies meet the requirements of sustainable development, achieve economic prosperity, and ensure a decent life for all citizens and residents of the country. Moreover, they contribute to establishing the leadership and competitiveness of the UAE at both regional and international levels."
H.E Hanan Ahli, Director of the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre, commented, "The results and figures achieved confirm that the country’s economy continues to grow, both at the overall level and in terms of key economic sectors and activities. This contributes to reinforcing the policy of economic diversification by increasing the relative importance of non-oil activities in the national economy. It aligns with the state’s economic policies to reduce reliance on the oil economy, establish a knowledge-based and innovative economy, and enhance non-oil national industries."
Her Excellency added, "The per capita share of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the UAE has grown by an unprecedented rate of 24.7% over the past six years, despite the annual increase in the population. In 2022, the per capita share of the GDP achieved a growth rate of 21.1% compared to 2021, confirming the resilience and success of the UAE economy. It also affirms the success of the economic policies pursued by the government in achieving prosperity and a high quality of life in the society of the UAE."
Enhancing the growth of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2022.
The activation of innovative economic initiatives related to non-oil sectors and activities positively contributed to enhancing the growth of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2022. The GDP at constant prices amounted to 1 trillion, 623 billion, and 517 million dirhams. The non-oil GDP at constant prices reached 1 trillion, 174 billion, and 615 million dirhams, achieving positive growth across vital sectors.
According to preliminary estimates of the Gross Domestic Product released by the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Center, the value added to transport and storage activities had the largest share of growth in the GDP at constant prices, unprecedentedly reaching 20.2% compared to 2021. This was driven by an increase in international flight passengers and the country’s growth in air transport movements, with national airlines achieving the highest growth rate in recent years in this tourism-related sector.
The accommodation and food services sector, reflecting hotel and restaurant activities, also experienced significant growth of 13.2%. Additionally, health and social services activities demonstrated remarkable growth, reaching 13% compared to 2021.
The non-oil sectors played a crucial role in supporting the national economy and enhancing the growth of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The manufacturing industries achieved added value in the GDP amounting to 179 billion dirhams, registering a growth rate of 8.7% compared to 2021. The most significant contribution of non-oil sectors to the GDP was represented by the value added in the wholesale and retail trade activity, reaching approximately 206 billion dirhams. This accounted for a contribution rate of 12.7% to the UAE’s overall GDP.
Real estate activities also experienced growth in 2022, amounting to 12% with a value of around 90 billion dirhams in GDP at constant prices. The positive growth in non-oil activities also had a favorable impact on the financial and insurance sector, which achieved a growth rate of 8.4%, contributing 134 billion dirhams to the overall constant GDP in 2022.
Dubai, Feb. 16 (WAM) — In a move to promote digital transformation in the UAE and to employ big data to support decision-making, the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Center (FCCC) announced on the sidelines of the World Government Summit, which concluded yesterday in Dubai, the signing of cooperation agreements and strategic partnerships with the aim of benefiting from the large inventory of big data produced by major international and national companies producing data, thus contributing to supporting decision-making and building development policies and strategic initiatives.
The cooperation and partnership agreements signed by the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Center included the signing of an agreement with Visa, a global leader in digital payments, as well as an agreement with Majid Al Futtaim, one of the oldest national brands with a regional reach, which owns a major chain of shopping malls, stores and entertainment establishments in the Middle East and North Africa.
– Visa and partnership in vital sectors.
Under the cooperation agreement with Visa, the UAE government, represented by the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Center, will be able to develop development initiatives. Based on the data provided by Visa to the health, education, tourism, consumption and other vital sectors data, which contributes to drawing an accurate perception of reality that is reflected on the community through innovative government initiatives, which contribute to improving the quality of life and promoting sustainable well-being.
– Majid Al Futtaim, mutual collaboration for knowledge partnerships. According to the agreement signed between the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre and Majid Al Futtaim, the two parties will work together to cooperate in the fields of statistical data and information, exchange experiences and information to enhance the country’s competitiveness in global reports and indicators, in addition to cooperation in the implementation of statistical surveys, training and holding seminars and workshops related to data science and statistics.
Joe Abi Akl, Chief Corporate Development Officer and Chief Communications Officer, Majid Al Futtaim Holding, stressed the importance of strategic partnerships and understandings between the public and private sectors, which represent an added value in optimizing the use of data to support innovative initiatives and knowledge-based government policies.
It is worth noting that all data The resulting agreements of understanding concluded between the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Center and its strategic partners are guaranteed confidentiality and protected by the Federal Law on the Protection of Personal Data, which represents an integrated framework to ensure the confidentiality of information, and protect the privacy of community members by providing sound governance for data management and protection, as the law defines the general frameworks for dealing with data, how to collect, process and store it, means to ensure its protection, and the rights and duties of all concerned parties.
Dubai, Dec. 8 (WAM) – The Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre presented the model of the United Arab Emirates government and its exceptional experience over the past 50 years, during this time, the UAE succeeded in enhancing its sustainable development, propelling regional and international trade, which had a positive impact on the national economy. This presentation took place within the framework of the Uzbekistan Economic Forum, organized by the government of Uzbekistan in the capital, Tashkent.
A delegation from the UAE government, led by Her Excellency Hanan Ahli, Acting Director of the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Center, showcased the UAE’s experience in education, gender balance, and the significance of these elements in achieving well-being and quality of life. This presentation occurred in a key session titled "Developing Human Capital to Promote Comprehensive Development" during the forum. The event was attended by over 300 international officials and experts from institutions like the World Bank, the United Nations Development Programme, the Asian Development Bank, Standard & Poor’s, as well as high-level ministers and officials from the Uzbek government, prominent figures in the finance and business sectors, and media outlets from around the world.
The delegation’s participation comes within the framework of the strategic partnership between the governments of the UAE and Uzbekistan, which was signed in 2019 and has witnessed rapid development in the relations between the two friendly countries. This partnership includes the enhancement of knowledge exchange, successful experiences, and government modernization initiatives, benefiting from the experiences of the UAE government.
Her Excellency Hanan Ahli emphasized that the UAE government primarily focuses on embedding a culture of innovation in the governmental work environment. This culture has been a key driver in launching hundreds of innovative initiatives and successful projects. She added that the UAE government is committed to promoting the exchange of successful governmental experiences with other governments worldwide. The exceptional experiences of the UAE serve as a fundamental pillar that enables governments to develop their own models of governmental work, contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.
She expressed her pride in sharing the UAE government model and highlighting its experiences, reflecting the directives and visions of the UAE’s leadership, aimed at enhancing cooperation and knowledge exchange with friendly countries like Uzbekistan. Both nations have a strategic partnership in government modernization and development.
The forum provided a unique opportunity for participants to discuss economic and developmental plans, means of enhancing competitiveness in the context of more open and integrated international and regional economies, initiatives to improve the investment climate, policies for improving living standards, promoting sustainable and comprehensive economic growth, and various aspects of global competitiveness and ease of doing business.
The participation of the UAE government highlighted the importance of promoting digital transformation and its impact on the development of government work, education, services, and more. It also covered the UAE’s journey in implementing competitive strategies and elevating its global competitiveness rankings over the years, resulting in significant achievements.
The Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Center presented the model of the United Arab Emirates government and its exceptional experience over the past 50 years. During this time, the UAE succeeded in enhancing sustainable development, propelling regional and international trade, which had a positive impact on the national economy. This presentation took place within the framework of the "Economic Achievements and Future Prospects of Uzbekistan" forum, organized by the Uzbek government in the capital, Tashkent.
A delegation from the UAE government, led by Her Excellency Hanan Mansour Ahli, Acting Director of the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Center, showcased the UAE’s experience in education, gender balance, and the significance of these elements in achieving well-being and quality of life. This presentation occurred in a key session titled "Developing Human Capital to Promote Comprehensive Development" during the forum. The event was attended by over 300 international officials and experts from institutions like the World Bank, the United Nations Development Programme, the Asian Development Bank, Standard & Poor’s, as well as high-level ministers and officials from the Uzbek government, prominent figures in the finance and business sectors, and media outlets from around the world.
This participation is part of the strategic partnership between the governments of the UAE and Uzbekistan, which was signed in 2019 and has witnessed rapid development in the relations between the two friendly countries. This partnership includes the enhancement of knowledge exchange, successful experiences, and government modernization initiatives, benefiting from the UAE government’s experience.
Her Excellency Hanan Ahli emphasized that the UAE government primarily focuses on embedding a culture of innovation in the governmental work environment. This culture has been a key driver in launching hundreds of innovative initiatives and successful projects. She added that the UAE government is committed to promoting the exchange of successful governmental experiences with other governments worldwide. The exceptional experiences of the UAE serve as a fundamental pillar that enables governments to develop their own models of governmental work, contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.
Ahli expressed her pride in sharing the exceptional UAE government model and shedding light on its experiences, reflecting the directives and visions of the UAE’s leadership, aimed at enhancing cooperation and knowledge exchange with friendly countries like Uzbekistan. Both nations have a strategic partnership in government modernization and development.
The forum provided a unique opportunity for participants to discuss economic and developmental plans, means of enhancing competitiveness in the context of more open and integrated international and regional economies, initiatives to improve the investment climate, policies for improving living standards, promoting sustainable and comprehensive economic growth, and various aspects of global competitiveness and ease of doing business.
The participation of the UAE government highlighted the importance of promoting digital transformation and its impact on the development of government work, education, services, and more. It also covered the UAE’s journey in implementing competitive strategies and elevating its global competitiveness rankings over the years, resulting in significant achievements.
It’s worth noting that the strategic partnership agreement in government modernization between the UAE government and the Republic of Uzbekistan, signed two years ago, aims to strengthen the exchange of knowledge and successful experiences in governmental work across various areas, including governmental accelerators, excellence, quality, services, smart applications, performance, government innovation, leadership programs, capacity building, programming, the future of education and the economy, global competitiveness, and business ease, among others, with the goal of positively impacting the development of Uzbekistan’s governmental system.
Dubai, March 30 2022- Reem bint Ibrahim Al Hashimy, Minister of State, affirmed For International Cooperation Affairs, Chairperson of the National Committee for Sustainable Development Goals, The UAE government adopts the Sustainable Development Goals and supports the visions of nations United Nations in accelerating the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, for the good of societies and peoples.
He came This was during the work of the Sustainable Development Goals Forum within the summit activities World Government 2022, organized under the theme "New Horizons for the Future" Humanity" organized by the UAE government at Expo 2020 Dubai with the participation of Heads of State, Heads of Government, Ministers, Officials of International Organizations and Global Experts and future forward-lookers.
H.E. Wafil Ramkalawan, President of the Republic of Seychelles, participated in the forum. H.E. María Juliana Ruiz, First Lady of the Republic of Colombia, and H.E. Edouard Ngerente, Prime Minister of the Republic of Rwanda, and Her Excellency Reem Bent Ibrahim Al Hashemi, Minister of State for International Cooperation and Chairperson of the Committee National SDGs, and His Excellency Suhail bin Mohammed Al Mazrouei, Minister UAE Energy and Infrastructure, and H.E. Amina Shona, Minister Environment, climate change and technology in the Maldives.
H.E. Mari-Ilka Bangistu, Director General of Policies Development and Partnerships at the World Bank, Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy in Indonesia, H.E. Abdulla Nasser Lootah, Director General of the Office of the Speaker of the Ministers in the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs, Deputy Chairman of the National Committee for the Objectives of Sustainable Development, and H.E. Mahmoud Mohieldin, Executive Director of the Fund International Monetary Fund. And a number of Their Excellencies and Excellencies officials in the government of the State UAE, and the chairs and members of the Global Councils for the Sustainable Development Goals.
Her Excellency Reem bint Ibrahim Al Hashimy stressed that the launch of the Development Goals Forum Sustainable Project, from Expo 2020 Dubai, reflects the UAE’s message and its pursuit of the good of human societies and the sustainability of the planet, and translates the directives of The wise leadership of the need to intensify efforts to achieve global development goals, Strengthening international frameworks to accelerate the achievement of the Global Development Goals Sustainable.
Her Excellency added that the importance of this forum lies in the fact that it frames visions and directions. for the next stage, and contributes to strengthening the role of the global councils in their session The second in line with the global trends of the future, and contributes to the empowerment of governments and communities to actively participate in the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, She expressed the thanks of the UAE government for all the international efforts being made Which met on the land of the UAE through Expo 2020 Dubai, and carried a message state The UAE in love and peace, and strengthening partnerships to serve humanity for all The peoples of the world.
His Excellency Suhail bin Mohammed Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, said that this Global gathering at the Forum contributes through the World Government Summit to Foreseeing a sustainable future for human societies, and building capacity to accelerate efforts Achieving sustainable development goals by investing in solutions Sustainability, building competencies and expertise, and pioneering sustainable development thought Develop a clear strategy to ensure that we keep pace with the requirements of future generations, By employing all future foresight tools, which help us anticipate opportunities Future challenges and repercussions, analyzing their impacts, and developing innovative solutions to them, providing alternatives to them, in addition to stimulating and pushing resources and technologies Information, culture, expertise and innovations to achieve development goals in line with the goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development."
For his part, His Excellency Omar Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, said: Digital Economy and Telework Applications, Director, World Summit Foundation For Governments: The World Summit Governments form a global platform that inaugurates a covenant A new and bright new sustainable development that embodies the UAE’s efforts The world’s leading and forward-looking vision of its wise leadership in building A more sustainable future for all humanity" He added: "The SDG Global Councils represented a qualitative addition for international efforts aimed at accelerating the achievement of development goals, and that the role of It has been playing a major role since its transformation from an idea to an idea. A comprehensive international initiative through the World Government Summit platform that provides Councils have the optimal environment to bring together decision-makers and thought leaders from the disciplines of And multiple countries to address the most important issues and files in the world at the level of sustainability".
His Excellency praised the pioneering role of the UAE government in supporting the achievement of the goals of The global sustainability agenda, and its keenness to launch initiatives aimed at accelerating Implementing them in a way that reflects positively on communities around the world.
Addressing the forum, H.E. Catherine Russell, Executive Director The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has the important role it plays The UAE in terms of strengthening The role of international organizations working in the field of Supporting Childhood, she said: "We have made excellent efforts to support childhood, and dedicate the right to Children in quality education, access to necessary health care, and life But it is still in front of the world, whether governments or international organizations. Or the private sector, a lot to do especially in light of the disasters surrounding childhood around the world, whether as a result of the repercussions of the Covid pandemic, or as a result of crises geopolitics around the world".
Russell said that the countries of the world agreed 7 years ago to adopt development goals. UNICEF was fortunate to collaborate with the UAE to Achieving these goals, she continued, "While we have made progress on this Framework, we have also seen some decline due to the challenges of the pandemic and change climate and the current conflicts that threaten the march of this progress. We must We put children’s rights at the heart of global agendas, and we must invest in Social protection programs. Some 23 million children are unvaccinated. essential in 2020 alone, as we have to deal with the health problem The psychology facing many children and adolescents around the world."
Russell added: "The focus must be on children in low-income communities. as The return of children to classrooms and education must be ensured. The pandemic has forced Millions of women around the world are losing their jobs, and there are ten million A child is at risk of early marriage. There are millions of children who do not They have access to clean water and sanitation services. So we can’t Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals without tangible progress on children."
On the other hand, the forum witnessed the participation of His Excellency Val Ramcallon, President of the Republic of Seychelles, who was interviewed by H.E. Abdulla Nasser Lootah, Director General of the Office of the Presidency of the Ministers in the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs Vice President of the Global Councils for the purposes of Sustainable development.
During the dialogue session, His Excellency the President of Seychelles pointed out that the development goals Sustainable has been an integral part of his life since childhood, noting that the population of Seychelles are keen not to waste water and conserve resources, stressing that the objectives of Sustainable development 13, 14 and 15 specifically address their vulnerabilities An island country like Seychelles that is surrounded by water on all sides.
said On the impact of youth and their role in the future, "We must convey values important to the younger generation and to give them a better future so that they can provide This promising future for the generations to come, as young people should remember that Their actions affect the world in one way or another."
On the theme "Transformational Leadership: New Horizons for the Future of Humanity", H.E. Mary Elka Bangistu, Director-General for Development Policy and Partnerships World Bank, former Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy of the Republic Indonesia, a speech in which she noted that the Sustainable Development Goals represent A map of our common future that we want to build for future generations, stressing that The meeting of 150 countries on these goals was difficult, and the performance of any country in The achievement of these goals depends on its leadership.
Her Excellency said: "The SDGs are interconnected and multiple. purposes, so we should simplify them and turn them into easy goals, and we should There shall be cooperation between local and central governments, companies and entities Academic and society at large, and to allow citizens to engage in these operation".
Another panel discussion on The same topic with the participation of His Excellency Suhail bin Mohammed Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, and H.E. Dr. Mahmoud Mohieldin, Executive Director of the International Monetary Fund, United Nations Special Envoy on financing the 2030 Agenda, and Her Excellency Rose Marie Houaro, Minister of Local Government Community development in the Republic of Seychelles.
H.E. Suhail Al Mazrouei said: "The late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, may God rest his soul, directives to stop the burning of associated gas for production operations, which contributed to the launch of an initiative to stop gas flaring completely in Our national companies, at a time when other international companies Burn natural gas. In 2007, we started thinking about diversifying the energy mix. We have, and we also launched the first peaceful nuclear program in the region, where we celebrated Recently the commissioning of the second nuclear plant, where the two plants provide 1400 megawatts of energy."
"We seek to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by about 70% by 2050, and the diversification of the energy mix as well, and this contributed to the impact on More than 40 countries are on sustainability projects. There is no doubt that these efforts come thanks to The presence of leaders Wise, and this is clearly embodied in the UAE."
H.E. Dr. Mahmoud Mohieldin said: "There is no doubt about the importance of leadership in dealing with With the most important challenges, the importance of organizations such as the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank To address the challenges facing the SDGs, there are many Strong institutions that exist in each country, and should take advantage of these institutions to provide solutions to our challenges. The impact of events The last world will be big on fuel, food and financial issues and the economy and fertilizer so there will be a long-term impact on food production, We must have immediate solutions in the short term, and the world must come together to We avoid food crises and famine.
H.E. Rose Marie Houaro, Minister of Local Government and Development, said: Society of the Republic of Seychelles: "When I became a minister 17 months ago, I was keen to Motivating my team and enabling them to understand the plans of the new government, as I was keen to Talk to my fellow ministers in the government so that they can understand the role of our ministry, We started implementing a program for change, focusing on encouraging everyone and networking. With. The Government of Seychelles is committed very implement the Sustainable Development Goals, but We can’t implement it alone, we need the support of the private sector and non-governmental organizations. government and support our people as well."
On the subject of advancing the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals to prosper Humanitarian, H.E. Florin Sabataro, Minister of Economy of the Republic of Romania, in which he said: "Leaders must provide sustainable solutions on Short, medium and long term. We must also ensure that global growth is More comprehensive.
"We also need to promote a circular economy, competitiveness and the development of The private sector, and rethinking leadership development strategies. The two sectors Public and private need a new form of leadership development to reconfigure Our strategies to help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals."
Another panel discussion was attended by H.E. Dr. Tariq Al Gurg, Chairman Executive Director, Dubai Cares, and His Excellency Dr. Manal Taryam, Executive Director, DHA Primary Health Care, Executive Director and Board Member Trustees of Noor Dubai Foundation and Dr. Sonia Bin Jaafar, CEO Abdulla Al Ghurair Foundation For education.
H.E. Dr. Tariq Al Gurg said: "There are around 250 million children out of school. 750 million children and adolescents cannot read or write. We can’t solve These problems if we are not united and work collectively. And if we don’t In coordination and cooperation, these obstacles and problems will continue. States must Adopts new educational systems to replace the old systems that were implemented 120 years ago years."
"Dubai Cares has been designing a new education system during for the past five years, and I am pleased to announce this system at this meeting.
All United Nations bodies and multilateral institutions have agreed to this. system, and we will unveil it soon."
H.E. Dr. Manal Taryam said: "The implementation of Development and maintenance is not easy. It is critical that we provide Access to affordable, high-quality healthcare. And we have many programs In several countries it suits the culture and diversity of each country. And what helped us to reach More than 30 million beneficiaries is understanding what the environment in which we operate and the culture of The people and partners we collaborate with."
She said Dr. Sonia Ben Jaafar: "In March 2020, 13 million students did not return Universities in the Arab world are able to study at their universities due to the pandemic Surprisingly, but e-learning was a magic tool that helped Continued education. We have learned from this that change is possible, and that it is important New strategies can be undertaken in this regard. We must move towards New systems of partnerships based on shared values around development goals sustainable".
In a session entitled "Global Councils for the Sustainable Development Goals: Ambassadors Change for limitless possibilities", delivered by His Excellency Ayman Almoayyed, Minister of Youth And sports in the Kingdom of Bahrain, a speech in which he said: "We rely in Bahrain on 5 The pillars are the exchange of ideas, where we ministers meet every Thursday to network. Exchange of expertise, experiences and lessons learned, in addition to localization of experiences programs, communication and awareness, promoting optimal feelings of confidence, pillar The fifth depends on the replay of this course, which turns us into ambassadors of change real."
Mary Amy Bury, General Manager of Positive Impact Finance, said: Societe Generale for Banking and Investment in the same session: "I see that you must focus on impact first to obtain funding, because showing value The positive impact helps to support access to funding, and can be This is through existing initiatives rather than new ones."
Ibrahim Al Zu’bi, Chief Sustainability Officer at Majid Al Futtaim, said: Holding, saying: "The momentum must be maintained in the private sector, we have been able to Identify the problem and challenges and focus on solutions and opportunities immediately, and we By integrating these solutions into our business model to increase revenues, there is no doubt that the UAE Serves as an excellent example at the level of the Global Development Goals Councils sustainable so that it can be replicated at the government and private sector levels."
Khawla Al Muhairi, Executive Vice President of Strategy and government communication with DEWA, the importance of supporting policymakers at the local and international level to understand the sustainable development goals, noting that SDG Global Councils are a good model for partnerships collaborative, and that these councils are able to develop integrated policy solutions.
Saw Another session entitled "Empowering Communities and the Future of Education and Health and Technology" with the participation of H.E. Amina Shona, Minister of Environment and Change Climate and Technology, Republic of Maldives, and Isabel Abulhoul, Director Executive and Board Member of the Emirates Literature Foundation, and Clint Brown, Director Product Engineering at Esri, Claire Cassie, Global Director of Policy and Insights In the Economist Impact.
H.E. Amina Shona said: "Building a resilient nation that is able to adapt to Climate change requires investment in human capacity, education and care Healthy. The only way we can tackle climate change is Invest in human capital and prepare young people for the impact of climate change. I More than 90% of the Maldives are vaccinated, and we have been able to open up our country Again for tourism after three months of closure. And we relied on technology intensively during the pandemic for development and climate surveillance."
Isabel Abulhoul, Executive Director and Board Member Emirates Literature Foundation: "I came to the UAE in 1968, and you weren’t Life then is the same as it is now There was a scarcity of water. So the population was Careful not to waste resources, and this has had a profound positive impact on Myself, as Dubai is known for its ability to find solutions to every problem, and we have been able to In our turn, we found solutions, and in light of the pandemic, we held events in the air We were open while adhering to social distancing and we used technology as well."
Clint Brown said: "Over the last two years, technology has evolved further. of its development over the past ten years. Five years from now, he will enter High school students to the workforce. So there’s a lot of effort that They should be made to support them and train the next generation of professionals. They will have to Also learn ways to live sustainably and recycle in ways we never imagined. The The younger generation is able to contribute in this context."
Claire Cassie said: "What helps us promote social resilience is taking Evidence-based decisions, data and measurement. This tool is suitable in Empower policymakers to make decisions. We must learn how to respond To improve our systems and develop new structures to be more prepared for any crisis Coming."
In turn, H.E. Edouard Ngirente, Prime Minister of the Republic of Rwanda, closing speech in which he pointed out that the world is gathering today under the dome of the summit Global governments in person two years after the pandemic, noting that this Reflects what can be achieved when countries cooperate with each other to achieve a goal Shared. "The 2030 Agenda provides a general path and goal in which all are committed to States. We aspire to provide high quality for all citizens, and The Sustainable Development Goals are fully in our national agenda."
"The recovery from the pandemic must be driven by economies and more environmentally friendly communities. 60% of Rwanda’s population is over 18. Years after vaccines, the country has shown promising signs of recovery. No doubt that this forum is an ideal occasion to reflect on our strategies and promote Our commitments and maintaining momentum in this decade. The 2030 Agenda is the ambitious and requires significant financial resources."
It reflects the high-level international participation that the forum enjoyed under the umbrella of World Government Summit, for decision-makers, elite experts and academics in Global Development Goals Councils Sustainable, its leading position The UAE and its pivotal role in supporting international efforts in this field, It confirms the high confidence that the international community places in the UAE and its ability to Implementing its commitments in this vital file and other global issues other.
On the sidelines of the forum, multidisciplinary dialogue sessions were held in which leaders participated. States, ministers and elite decision-makers in governments and international organizations academic institutions, community-based organizations and private sector companies, to shed light Highlighting innovative projects and discussing creative ideas aimed at implementing The seventeen Sustainable Development Goals at the national and global levels.
Participants discussed the capacity of the SDG Global Councils, With its unique network and the multiplicity of partnerships and specializations, to lay the foundation stone for the Transformational leadership, striving to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and drawing A brilliant future for future generations. In addition to the many topics that The world is concerned about sustainability and ways to achieve global goals.
The new session of the World Development Goals Councils features Sustainable by applying a more comprehensive model, so that the focus shifts from each committee’s work to a goal One exclusively, to work on an interconnected model that ensures a methodology that supports the processing of Different global goals in a single project, so that the framework can contain New for each council on a single "focus" goal, can also include a set of Other goals.
It is worth mentioning that the Global Councils for Development Goals initiative was launched Sustainable 2018 at the 2022 World Government Summit, which constitutes A leading global platform that brings together government leaders and ministers Senior officials, decision-makers, thought leaders and specialists in affairs financial, economic and social from different countries of the world, to exchange experiences Knowledge and ideas that contribute to foreseeing the future of governments, and host A variety of workshops, sessions and initiatives focused on the latest Trends and best practices in leading governments, delivering innovative solutions To anticipate global challenges.
Dubai, March 30 (WAM) – María Juliana Ruiz, the First Lady of the Republic of Colombia, affirmed that governments should provide opportunities for women to actively participate in promoting sustainable development in societies, as they are the foundation of change and progress. Without their involvement, countries cannot enter new stages of excellence, development, and advancement in all vital fields and sectors. She emphasized that sustainability is not a choice but a necessity for societies. These statements were made during her participation in a special session at the "Sustainable Development Goals Forum" held at the World Government Summit 2022.
Her Excellency said: “There is no doubt that the SDG Forum represents a very important event, as it discusses topics of great importance to communities in fighting poverty, providing quality education and health, and empowering Women and other global goals endorsed by countries in the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, These urgent goals require serious work and alignment of national development plans worldwide with the Sustainable Development Goals, with policies designed to enhance their achievement."
She also expressed her strong belief in the power of partnerships and collective action to achieve these global goals, stating that she believed it is the best way to achieve efficiency and effectiveness in each of the 17 goals, which form ideal soil To cultivate in them our humanity for children, mothers and the elderly, as well as for the which form an ideal ground to nurture humanity for children, mothers, the elderly, and for the planet we all inhabit.
Furthermore, she discussed Colombia’s experience in working towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. She stated, "Colombia possesses valuable experience in human resource development, particularly in women’s empowerment. The percentage of higher education among Colombian women has increased, and a national strategy has been developed to enhance the skills of the youth in Colombia, along with legislation to curb violence in society, and other initiatives related to childhood, education, and health."
We are proud to have an agenda to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. We have sufficient capacity to achieve these goals through the presence of plans to implement them, Colombia is keen to support positive change, and women are the focus of This change, and we must unite efforts to work together, towards a better future.
Her Excellency concluded her speech by stressing that the World Government Summit Platform Inspiring governments and nations with the participation of leaders who inspire people, and on the ground The UAE, which has a world-leading experience, including Actively participate in supporting the Sustainable Development Goals.
UAE maintains its ranking in the top ten for the fourth year in a row
June 16th, 2020 – Dubai, United Arab Emirates:
For the fourth year in row, the United Arab Emirates is leading the MENA region in the IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook 2020, issued by the WCC (World Competitiveness Center) of the World Institute for Management Development in Lausanne, Switzerland, which puts the UAE at 9th place in the world among the most competitive countries in the world.
The UAE maintained its position among the top ten competitive countries in the world in 2020, ahead of countries such as the United States, Ireland, Finland, Luxembourg, Germany, and the United Kingdom, to be the only Arab country that succeeded in asserting itself in the Big Ten Club in the World Competitiveness Yearbook for 4 years in a row, since joining the top ten in 2017, despite the challenges of COVID-19 pandemic that influenced the 2020 edition.
According to the results of the report, the United Arab Emirates ranked first globally in 23 indicators and sub-factors, while it ranked among the top five globally in 59 indicators and in top ten globally in 106 indicators, out of 338 indicators covered by the report this year.
The IMD World competitiveness yearbook 2020relies on questionnaires collected (33.33%) and on statistics and data provided by countries (66.67%). The report focuses in its classification of the countries on four factors (Economic Performance, Government Efficiency, Business Efficiency and Infrastructure) with 20 sub-factors each that cover 338 competitive indicators in various economic, financial, legislative, management and social fields, along with some new indicators added in this year’s edition of the yearbook. Some of the new additions reflect the importance of achieving sustainable development objectives, and provide a vision of the economy’s position with respect to the various sustainable objectives that must be met within ten years, such as education, environment, empowerment, ageing and health.
UAE takes the lead in 7 factors (The UAE achieves great leaps in 7 factors)
At the sub-factors level, the UAE achieved an improvement in 7 factors, ranking at 1st place globally in the Labor Market factor, and the 5th globally in the Employment Factor, the 6th place in the Pricing Factor. The UAE is also advancing in other sub-factors, such as the social framework, education, and technology, health and the environment infrastructures, while maintaining its rank unchanged in two sub-factors, the factor of Attributes and Values (second in the world) and the factor of Tax Policy (third in the world).
Commenting on the UAE’s performance in this year’s IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook, His Excellency Abdullah Nasser Lootah, Director General of the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority said:
“Within the UAE2021 vision and in preparation for the Golden Jubilee, the UAE is moving forward with an ambitious strategy that anticipate the future, nurture a culture of excellence to be in the lead of world competitiveness at various levels. Thanks to the vision and guidance of the UAE’s leadership, the country managed since 2017 to join the top 10 competitive countries in this report, and to consolidate its well-deserved position among the top ten globally in the overall ranking and regional leadership. ”
Rapid changes
Hanan Mansoor Ahli, Executive Director, Competitiveness Sector, said: “The annual change in the ranking of the top ten countries in the yearbook reflects the intensity of the competition between the leading countries in recent years. And thanks to the guidance and support of UAE’s leadership and continuous efforts by the government to enhance the country’s world competitiveness, the UAE has succeeded in solidifying its position among the top ten most competitive economies in the world.”
Fourth in the world in Economic Performance despite the global pandemic
Despite the emergency circumstances that the whole world is going through because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the UAE has achieved a balanced performance in the factors of the report, as it moved forward three places in the Economic Performance factor, with the Netherlands topping the global ranking, followed by The United States and Singapore, while the UAE ranked 4th in the world, moving forward three places comparing to last year’s report, ahead of countries such as Germany, China, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Canada, Japan and others.
UAE is leading the world in 23 indicators
The UAE ranked first globally in 23 indicators included in the report within its factors and sub-indicators. In addition, the UAE ranked first globally in the indicators: Bureaucracy Absence, Immigration Laws, Redundancy Costs, low Central Government Foreign Debt, Tax Evasion, Collected Personal Income Tax (%), Collected Indirect Tax Revenues (%), Real Personal Taxes, and the percentage of Females in Parliament, all of which are indicators included in the factor of the Government Efficiency and its sub-factors.
Furthermore, the country ranked first globally in many other indicators such as Labor Force out of the total population, Working Hours, Competent Senior Managers, Industrial Disputes and Foreign Labor Force, all of which are included in Business Efficiency factor. The UAE once again topped the ranks globally in indicators such as Dependency Ratio, Public-Private Partnership and Environmental Laws within the factor of infrastructure and its sub-factors.
With Sights Set to Take Effective Steps in Support of SDGs
UAE- 25th January 2020
With the participation of the National Committee on the Sustainable Development Goals, the Higher Committee for Coordinating Statistical Work held its first meeting in 2020.
Her Excellency Reem Bint Ibrahim Al Hashemi, Minister of State for International Cooperation Affairs and Chairperson of the National Committee on the Sustainable Development Goals expressed her pleasure to meet the members of the Higher Committee for Coordinating Statistical Work.
H.E. Al Hashemi emphasized the necessity of concerted efforts to provide accurate and up-to-date data, which contributes to advancing the UAE’s competitiveness in sustainable development dossiers.
“The statistical work system requires integration in all aspects of the statistical work and data collection. We should have a mutual understanding of the working mechanism in the next stage with sights highly set to achieve the vision of the UAE wise leadership in areas of sustainable development, and to move steadily forward to realizing goals of the UAE Centennial 2071,” she stated.
H.E. Al Hashemi underlined that more efforts must be exerted to make data accessible to all, and strive hard to promote and further boost up partnerships between government and local entities along with the private sector. She also touched upon areas of improvement in the statistical work by saying: “We have to invest in the mutual advantages generated by the enormous volumes of data, knowledge, and experiences to serve best the important initiatives and projects dedicated to supporting the statistical work, and enhance the achievement of the SDGs in UAE.”
H.E. Reem Bint Ibrahim Al Hashemi availed the opportunity to extend her sincerest appreciation to all the national statistics centers for their dedicated efforts to provide data and further enhance the UAE’s competitiveness in various global competitiveness reports. She stressed: “The UAE today is a role model in areas of developing strategies for achieving the SDGs. We look forward, through our meeting, to unifying the efforts of statistics centers to identify solutions to challenges and turn them into genuine opportunities.”
H.E., the State Minister, concluded her statement by giving weight to the fact that UAE deserves that everyone pushes himself to the limit to bring our homeland to the level of developed country worldwide, and create a better future for present and future generations.
H.E. Abdullah Nasser Lootah, Director-General of the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority (FCSA) and Deputy Chairperson of the National Commission on SDGs, thanked H.E. Reem Bint Ibrahim Al Hashemi for attending the meeting and the directives and remarks she presented.
H.E. Lootah added: “Our work in the Higher Committee for Coordinating Statistical Work and the National Committee on SDGs focuses on the significance of data and statistics in achieving the indicators of the UAE National Agenda 2030, constant quest to further boost up the achievements, and adopting innovation as a systematic work approach to achieve the goals of the UAE Centennial 2071.”
While highlighting the significance of this meeting, H.E. Lootah pointed out that joint meetings constitute a real opportunity to discuss visions and ideas that would add value to the dialogue on supporting partnerships between statistics entities to move forward of achieving the SDGs.
He also stated: “This would enhance our work in parallel with global efforts exerted to achieve sustainability. It would also help identify priorities, discuss challenges, and review a range of innovative and effective solutions that contribute to accelerating the pace of achieving the SDGs in the UAE.”
Commenting on the significance of the meeting, Abdullah Ahmed Al Suwaidi, Acting Director-General of the Statistics Center- Abu Dhabi (SCAD), assured SCAD’s commitment to achieving the SDGs. He said: “This meeting was of outstanding importance and meant to exchange experiences, reviewing the best practices in the field of sustainability, and highlighting the vital role of statistical data in supporting the sustainability process. It also dedicated to identify the best methods to take advantage of the statistical data, improve its quality and make them accessible to the public, and channel them in the manner that contributes to the UAE’s progress and prosperity and the world at large.”
Al Suwaidi added: “The United Nations and the member states that endorsed the Global Sustainability Agenda 2030 acknowledged the importance of providing data and statistics of development indicators as unified criteria for identifying efforts to achieve the SDGs. in view of that, all countries committed to achieving their SDGs strive hard to provide the latest figures and data on sustainability and make them accessible.”
Promoting Initiatives
Arif Al Muhairi, the Executive Director of the Dubai Statistics Center (DSC), highlighted the significance of this meeting by saying: “The statistical work system requires integrating all relevant aspects of the statistical work, data flow and developing a mutual understanding of the working mechanism through cooperation between statistics entities in the UAE.
Hailing efforts to hold this meeting, he commented: “This meeting was held with the participation of the members of the National Committee on SDGs as a genuine realization of the interest that the UAE’s wise leadership attaches to promoting initiatives and partnerships that best serve to achieve the SDGs. It is held to emphasize the importance of joint work, harnessing innovative solutions, and benefiting from the data revolution to achieve the Sustainable Development Agenda 2030.”
For her part, Dr. Hajar Al Hubaishi, Executive Director of the Ajman Statistics and Competitiveness Center, emphasized: “The meetings of the Higher Committee for Coordinating Statistical Work are held according to a general framework dedicated for the process of developing and implementing statistical work in the UAE. This could be realized by achieving coordination and integration among official statistical entities, government authorities, and the private sector institutions to ensure that the flawless flow of data effectively and systematically.”
Dr. Hajar went on to say: “The joint meeting earned special importance as it is held with the participation of the members of the National Committee on SDGs. This definitely, contributes to developing a data environment that supports the efforts exerted to achieve the SDGs in the UAE through devising tools and means to ensure the provision of accurate and up-to-date data. They all are meant to contribute to the efforts exerted to achieving sustainability in the UAE by implementing various strategic initiatives and projects.”
On his turn, H.E. Humaid Rashid Humaid Al Shamsi, Secretary-General of the Executive Council of Umm Al Quwain, shed light on the commitment of Umm Al Quwain Emirate to coordinate and combine efforts of the national statistics entities and provide support to them to make optimal use of data and the best methods of collecting and analyzing them.
He pointed out: “This is done to support the national statistical work systems, to implement the best practices in this vital sector and to take advantage of the methodologies designed to support sustainable development dedicated to realizing the directions of the UAE Government and its federal and local authorities to achieve the SDGs. Such efforts will finally lead to promote methods to achieve our national agenda and the UAE Centennial 2071.”
On the other hand, H.E. Najwa Yaacoub, Executive Director of RAK Center for Statistics & Studies, singled out the need to conclude partnerships in the field of statistical work to support the SDGs.
She stated: “This meeting is one of the active channels of communication with the strategic partners to contribute to pursuing the achievement of the SDGs. Moreover, it is an opportunity to develop the appropriate statistical work mechanisms to harness innovation to achieve sustainable development, one of the catalysts for realizing growth in many other vital sectors.
H.E. Najwa Yaacoub mentioned that the meeting agenda focused on expanding the methods to support and measure the UAE National Agenda designed to contribute to achieving the SDGs 2030. Also, the agenda focused on the importance of data and statistics to support decision-making processes and achieving the anticipated achievements at the level of the UAE and the world at large.”
Dr. Ibrahim Saad, Director of the Fujairah Statistics Center, underlined that the meeting received additional importance as it is being held to enhance the position of statistics in sustainable development.
He pointed out: “The statistics sector receives immense care and attention of the UAE’s wise leadership based on the importance of its active role in policy and decision-making, as well as contributing to establishing development projects.”
Dr. Ibrahim indicated that providing accurate statistical information contributes to drawing strategic plans for sustainable development in the UAE, and enhances the flow of data and indicators between the government departments and private sector institutions.
Dr. Ibrahim concluded by stating that “This would have positive implications in realizing developments in economic and social growth. It would absolutely enhance methods adopted to achieve the SDGs 2030 and boosts the UAE’s competitiveness in global reports and indicators.”
High-Level Meetings Brought Together Ministers and FCSA-UN Strategic Partners
Dubai, UAE- 19th February 2020
On the sidelines of the FCSA’s participation in the activities of the Global Women’s Forum Dubai (GWFD) 2020, a meeting attended by H.E. Jamila Bint Salem Al Muhairi, Minister of State for General Education, H.E. Sarah Bint Yousif Al Amiri, Minister of State for Advanced Sciences, and H.E. Abdullah Nasser Lootah, Director-General of the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority (FCSA), was held with Mr. Pedro Conceição, Director of Strategic Policy at UNDP’s Bureau for Policy and Programme Support.
The attendees of the meeting tackled the up-to-the-minute advances in the process of improvements and developments in place in the UAE adopted to empower the Emirati women and activate their role in the field of social and economic growth in the UAE.
FCSA, in cooperation with its strategic partners, participated in several plenary sessions of the GWFD 2020 agenda, in addition to holding high-level bilateral meetings with senior officials and experts from all over the world. FCSA highlighted the central role played by the UAE in empowering women while emphasizing its role in the development processes and striving hard to achieve gender balance.
H.E. Jamila Bint Salem Al Muhairi, Minister of State for General Education Affairs, touched upon the active role played by the Emirati women in the education sector.
H.E. Al Muhairi stated: “The Emirati women have turned their future aspirations into brilliant and ground-breaking success in education and educational activities. They were able to achieve such successes due to their perseverance and sound preparations to lay a necessary foundation in the growth, development, and prosperity of the UAE. The Emirati women demonstrate in every single day tremendous capacities to assume critical tasks and positions.
While shedding light on UAE achievements in women empowerment, H.E. Al Muhairi stated: “The UAE tops all Arab countries in the UN reports on gender balance and ranks high on the global level in gender equality, particularly in terms of low illiteracy rates and their participation in the secondary and higher education. Indeed, Emirati women represent 55% of the bachelor’s degree graduates, 41% of the master’s degree graduates, and 48% of Ph.D. degree graduates.”
On the other hand, H.E. Sarah Bint Youssef Al Amiri, Minister of State for Advanced Sciences, noted that “Young Emirati women’s competencies and energies participate intensely and sensibly in the UAE space program. This is consistent with the UAE’s directions to empower the Emirati women in all sectors, particularly the UAE project to explore Mars and space sciences, gender balance approach, and activating the role of the Emirati women as a partner in the development, progress, and prosperity currently unfolding in the UAE.”
H.E. Al Amiri underlined the importance of women working in space and advanced sciences and their role in leading their projects. She stated: “34% Emirati women participate in such projects, and by this they achieve the highest percentage of women participating in tasks and projects of advanced sciences and the space sector.”
Regarding the achievements of Emirati women regarding their remarkable progress in global competitiveness reports, H.E. Abdullah Nasser Lootah, FCSA Director-General, emphasized the fact that the UAE has made significant strides in indicators related to women in global competitiveness reports. “They have achieved top spots globally in many indicators. Emirati women topped several indicators on women empowerment at the level of Arab countries.”
H.E. Lootah underscored the significance of the GWFD 2020 as a global dialogue platform dedicated to exchanging global experiences, and showcase the UAE’s successes in the area of women’s empowerment and gender balance.
On his part, Mr. Pedro Conceição, Director of Strategic Policy at UNDP’s Bureau for Policy and Programme Support, hailed the UAE’s dedicated efforts in the field of women’s empowerment.
He stated: “I have noted the UAE government’s commitment to empowering women and its constant endeavor to develop women’s participation further and give them more opportunities, considering that they are an important element in social and economic development.”
He concluded by underscoring that the UAE has already achieved myriad progress as a result of the undergoing improvements realized at various levels.
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.
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.
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