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DATA FOR A BETTER FUTURE
Forecasting the Vision of the Youth Role in Harnessing Future Technologies
Dubai, UAE- 28th February 2019:
As part of plan to involve young people in the activities of the Emirates Innovation Month 2019, the Federal Authority for Competitiveness and Statistics (FCSA) organized a brainstorming session for young people at the Arab Youth Center in Dubai on 27 February 2019.
The brainstorming session was conceptualized to encourage the ideation of new outputs and ideas which center the main themes of the national strategy of the 4th Industrial Revolution. This was conducted in accordance with the aspirations of youth and in line with the efforts exerted by the FCSA and its partners to achieve the goals of the National Agenda and the vision of the UAE 2021.
More than 40 young talented Emiratis attended the brainstorming session from various sectors concerned with the national strategy of the 4th Industrial Revolution. The themes tackled during the session were on genetics and health care through robotics, smart and interactive cities, water and food future security, economic security and digital transaction technologies, . Topics such asestablishing a global center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, building an integrated and secure data environment and developing specialized talent and entrepreneurs were also tackled.
H.E. Abdullah Lootah, the Director-General of the FCSA, applauded this unique initiative and stressed that this initiative was developed to be part of the activities of the Emirates’ month for innovation, based on the guidance of the wise leadership to encourage the role of the youth for the the future.
“Youth has a central role in the UAE’s quest to achieve its vision of being the best country in the world by 2071, the centennial of founding the UAE. TheUAE has always been proactive in launching initiatives and programs that harness the creative energies of young people and transform their passion towards technology, sustainability, obtaining knowledge, new sciences and their applications to real initiatives and programs to serve the country and drive progress.” Lootah Said.
H.E. Saeed Mohammed Al-Nathri, the Director-General of the Federal Youth Foundation, visited the brainstorming workshop and praised the efforts of FCSA in providing outstanding opportunities for young people and enabling them to present their creations that support the achievement of the goals of the national agenda. He has also thanked the team of FCSA for organizing and managing the brainstorming session.
Participants were divided into seven teams. They were selected among those who have knowledge and cognizance of this subject and among those entities, which support our national strategy. Entitiesincluded the Ministry of Economy, the Ministry of Infrastructure Development, the Central Bank and a number of universities, such as UAE University, Khalifa University, University of Sharjah, American University of Sharjah, Higher Colleges of Technology, Dubai Health Authority Board, Future Economic Youth Council, Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), Dubai Smart, Abu Dhabi Police, Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company (DU), ADNOC, Statistics Center-Abu Dhabi, General Authority of Civil Aviation, Department of Economic Development in Dubai and others.
At the end of the session, each of the seven teams reached a set of ideas on the key theme they worked on. The FCSA experts, in cooperation with other concerned parties, evaluated proposals and presented the best ones to the relevant officials in each body.
Malik Al Madani, the Director of Strategic and Future Department and CEO of Innovation at the FCSA, concluded the session by saying: “ FCSA is keen to take advantage of the opportunities and harness them to empower young people. The Emirates Innovation Month is no exception to this rule. Therefore, we have responded promptly to various sectors to organize interactive session with young people and involved them in presenting the ideas that the young generation can implement.”
An Innovative Model for Exploring the Future of Institutional Government Action
- Lootah: This Race Combines Exploring the Future and Turning the Culture of Innovation into Sustainable Work
- Al Madani: The Core Theme of the Race to the Future is To Be A Better Model Tomorrow Than Today
Dubai, UAE- 25 February 2019:
As part of the plan adopted by the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority (FCSA) for the UAE Innovation Month of 2019, the FCSA innovation team organized a knowledge session on the “Race to the Future” initiative, which aims to develop a conception on how the shape and work and procedures mechanism of the Authority will be in the medium future, namely, after 6 to 10 years from today.
On this occasion, Abdulla Lootah, the Director-General of the FCSA, said: “This race combines exploring the future and turning the culture of innovation into sustainable work within institutional government work.”
He added: “Every effort by FCSA and it’s employeessee the impact on the future, and this in itself is a positive catalyst to draw and shape the future of the FCSA since today by its experts and staff. They put yesterday’s and today’s experience to build a prosperous and sustainable future for the Authority, the children of the homeland and its residents.”
Malik Al Madani, the Director of Strategic and Future Department and CEO of Innovation, has led the session and said: “Tomorrow will be better than today. This is the essence of this innovative initiative. However, its mold is the race, for its positive factors in motivation and joint action for Achieving success by teams competing among themselves and with themselves for the future of the Authority.”
Malik Al Madani explained: “The race launches in the innovation month of each year for five weeks and aims to explore the future of the Authority and its work method during the medium-term future, i.e., during the next 6 to 10 years. This is the first stop of Emirates centennial 2071, by building internal capabilities in the field of strategic planning and looking ahead, by creating an innovative tool for dealing with future, and ensuring readiness for global leadership, by relying on fostering a culture of institutional leadership and continuous improvement initiatives.”
The idea of the race is based on a previous initiative launched last year by the Authority in the name of the 50×50 Competitiveness Race, which aimed to devise a 50-speed accelerator program for the most critical competitive indicators and find solutions for them within 50 working days, within a comprehensive framework that sets the indicators of high sensitivity and significant importance which affect various sectors within the priorities of some federal and local government agencies.
Reem Al Hashimi: The Council will initiate the role and visions of young people and their ideas for building societies and sustainable development in and out of the UAE.
Shamma Al Mazroui: The Council is a unique opportunity to be involved in an experience of knowledge and acquire practical skills that qualify young people to be future leaders.
Dubai-UAE, 30 December 2018
The Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority (FCSA) has revealed that the evaluation phase of the candidates’ membership applications for the Youth Advisory Council for SDGs has been commenced.
The Youth Advisory Council for SDGs was announced that the council will be established in the presence of H.E. Amina Mohammed, the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, during the United Nations Global Data Forum 2018 held last October in Dubai.
The total number of candidates’ membership applications for the Youth Council reached 610 applications from inside and outside the country. UAE nationals represented 76% of the total applicants, while other nationalities submitted 24% of the applications. Additionally, 71% of applicants are of those who have completed their studies and applied for jobs. Meanwhile, the remaining 29% of the applicants are school students. As for the applicants’ gender, the percentage of female applicants was 52% as compared to 48% of males.
H.E. Reem Bint Ibrahim Al Hashemi, Minister of State for International Cooperation and the Chairperson of the National Committee for Sustainable Development Goals, expressed her pride of the youth of the UAE and their interest in the file of SDGs.
She added: “The participation of young people in the development of policies and plans is an embodiment of our leadership vision for the future of the UAE, its sons, and daughters, and its keenness that young people have a greater role and close association with everything related to sustainable economic and social development in the United Arab Emirates.”
She also stated that the Youth Advisory Council for Sustainable Development goals will play a significant role in raising awareness about the efforts of various government agencies and private sector institutions in the country to achieve the SDGs 2030, as well as help in creating opportunities for advancing youth visions and ideas which support human and sustainable development in and outside the country.
H.E. Shamma Bint Suhail bin Faris Al Mazrouei, the Minister of State for Youth Affairs, said: “The Youth Advisory Council for SDGs is a unique opportunity to be involved in an experience of knowledge and acquire many practical skills that enable young people to become leaders of the future, and responsible for supporting the march of social and economic development in the State through achieving the SDGs 2030.”
She added: “Our wise government has invested in the energies of young people and has made taking advantage of their capacities in the process of development, progress and sustainability among its top priorities.”
She further explained: Through young people, we can harness the inherent energies and high potentials that will qualify them to participate in building the UAE and realize its vision, which is to be the best country in the world by 2071.”
H.E. Abdullah Nasser Lootah, the Vice President of the National Committee for Sustainable Development goals and the Director-General of FCSA, stated: “This Council which is concerned with the SDGs, is an interactive knowledge platform for young people. It is through this Council young people can listen to each other’s opinions and other various and versatile viewpoints from their counterparts from other nationalities and ages. The Youth will will have the opportunity to be involved in the most important contemporary issues that capture the interest of our leadership in the UAE to enhance their role in building the future of the UAE and contribute to the achievement of the agenda of Sustainable Development Goals 2030.”
The applications submitted by young people will be evaluated according to the criteria set by several experts and specialists in the youth files and SDGs of the FCSA.
Based on the evaluation results, the best candidates will be selected for several meetings and personal interviews, to choose 10 of them to be members of the Council.
The members of the Council will have many opportunities to participate actively in a number of events, sessions, seminars and activities in the UAE, most importantly, is the participation in preparing the agenda of conferences and events related to SDGs to be held during 2019 and 2020.
Mahra Hussein Al Ali, the Chairman of the Youth Council of the FCSA, stressed that: “We, the young people all over the world, need opportunities and constructive environments that drive innovation, creativity, and valuable work. This is certainly, what the UAE government is keen to provide us with. TheYouth Advisory Council will provide such environments and opportunities for the Youth towards achieving the SDGs.”
“Indeed, the establishment of this council is an confirmation of the leadership’s confidence in youth, their energies and potentials in promoting construction and productivity, and playing leadership roles in the country’s prosperity and development,” she stated.
It is worth mentioning that the Youth Advisory Council for Sustainable Development Goals marks the cooperation between the FCSA and the Federal Youth Foundation.
The members of the Council will be young people between the age of 15 to 35 years. An equal number of males and females will be selected in support of Goal 5 of SDGs on Gender Equality.
In partnership with the Ministry of Community Development and National Statistical Centers
Household Income and Expenditure Survey 2019 is Announced
- The survey covers more than 20,000 households in the country in the largest socio-economic statistical project
- The fieldwork will take one year and cover all seven Emirates
- 350 field researchers will be supported by advanced statistical tools
20 December 2018 – Dubai, UAE
The Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority announced the official launch of the 2019 Household Income and Expenditure Survey at a press conference today. The announcement was made by HE Hessa bint Isa Buhamaid, Minister of Community Development and the UAE and was attended by HE Abdullah Nasser Lootah, Director General of the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority. Also present at the event was HE Humaid Rashid Humaid Al Shamsi, Secretary-General of the Executive Council of Umm Al Quwain, HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Humaid Al Qasimi , Director of Sharjah Department of Statistics and Community Development, HE Ahmad Abdulla Al Suwaidi, Director General, Statistics Center – Abu Dhabi, HE Arif Obaid Al Muhairi, Executive Director, Dubai Statistics Center, HE Dr. Ibrahim Saad, Director of Fujairah Statistics Center, Dr Ibrahim Akoum, Executive Director, Ras Al Khaimah Center for Statistics and Studies and Mrs Hessa Zayed, Fieldwork Manager, Ajman Statistics and Competitiveness Center.
During the press conference, HE Hessa bint Isa Buhamaid announced the launch of the survey’s fieldwork that will be targeting more than 20,000 Emirati and non-Emirati families distributed across the seven emirates. Her Excellency said that the UAE family has been and will remain the focus of the Ministry of Community Development and all government agencies for decades and until this very moment. This focus, she added, will grow further in the future in accordance with the directives of the UAE leadership. Her Excellence also noted “The happiness of the UAE community and ensuring prosperity and sustainable development is the focus of our attention, which is why we work with the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority and all national statistical centers on the Household Income and Expenditure Survey Project.”
“We recognize the importance of this survey because it provides data and statistics that are an accurate reflection of the income and expenditure levels at a household level in the country. Thus, decision makers will be able to utilize the data produced by the survey to design, launch and implement various impactful social and economic programs aimed at improving all aspects of life for individuals and families such as housing, education and health; reiterating the UAE’s status as a destination for happiness and prosperity,” Added HE Buhmaid.
Her Excellency also stressed the importance of the families’ response and cooperation, “Cooperating with with the field researchers is imperative for the success of this important national project.”
HE Abdulla Nasser Lootah, expressed his excitement in launching the Household survey. “We are proud to launch the Household Income and Expenditure Survey 2019. This national project, which is being implemented over a period of one year, reflects the strong cooperation, collaboration and teamwork spirit between the Ministry of Community Development and the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority and all national statistical centers in the UAE,” he added. “This survey is regarded as one of the most importance statistical projects because of the type of data it produces. Data that is crucial for any decision makers who is seeking to develop strategic plans and initiatives that can positivity impact the lives of families in the UAE”
Approximately 350 field operators, consisting of observers, supervisors, researchers and experts spread across all emirates, will be working on the project. This number does not include the office staff providing support at the FCSA and national statistics office.
All field teams attended intensive training and are equipped with latest advanced field tools and methodologies such as geo-spatial positioning systems, mobile applications on handheld devices, and other advanced techniques and modern statistical methods to ensure accuracy and quality of results.
| Emirate | Sample Familes per Emirates | Percentage |
| Abu Dhabi | 8784 | 42% |
| Dubai | 3816 | 18% |
| Sharjah | 2304 | 11% |
| Ajman | 1632 | 8% |
| Umm Al Quwain | 1248 | 6% |
| Ras Al Khaima | 1632 | 8% |
| Fujairah | 1296 | 6% |
| Total | 20712 | 100% |
Table (1) Sample breakdown per Emirate
The survey will help extract more than 65 indicators such as the basket of goods and services, consumer price indices, cost of living index, and price indices to help assess the level, direction and structure of the economic well-being of families.
The survey also provides accurate information on the demographic, social and economic characteristics on the components of society, including gender, age, nationality, educational level, marital status, labor force, occupation, economic activity, employment status and others.
The survey helps to update the base years of statistical indicators, such as inflation rates, as the periodicity of survey implementation extends to five years, providing seasonal coverage of household income and expenditure rates.
Session taking place on sidelines of World Data Forum will discuss how traditional statistics gathering is making way for digital forms
Dubai, October 24, 2018
The impact of the data revolution on statistics gathering and fieldwork will be an issue under the spotlight at a side session of the forthcoming United Nations World Data Forum, which is being organised by the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority (FCSA) and takes place October 22-24 at Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai.
Titled Bye ‘Bye-Bye Statistics,’ the activity being presented by Saber bin Saeed Al Harbi, Director General of GCC-Stat, will examine how advances in technology are creating breakthroughs in data collection and negating the labour intensive, traditional methods for harvesting and promulgating statistics.
“We are facing a sea-change in the way data is collected, stored, analysed and disseminated, with rapid leaps forward in technology creating a fundamental shift in the way that information is gathered. The ‘Bye-Bye Statistics’ session on the side-lines of the UN World Data Forum aims to show attendees how it is now possible to do away with time-consuming fieldwork and the compiling of static tables. It will reveal the latest developments in virtual statistics and how to best utilise data acquired from sensors, satellite imagery data and GPS integrated data,” Saber bin Saeed Al Harbi
Bye-Bye Statistics will discuss the future demographic of the statistics world, which the session coordinators say will feature fewer compilers and more analytics, with those involved in the field also being younger. It will highlight how statistics will be defined by networks instead of buildings, with the work increasingly involving smart skills and machine learning. It will also examine the process of initiating change and the policies that managers responsible for data collection can adopt to ensure that their teams become enthusiastic early adopters of the new models.
“The Bye-Bye Statistics session will examine the best ways for managers to introduce these changes to bring their teams along with them. We will be examining the various stages involved in creating successful change, such as establishing a sense of urgency, creating a guiding coalition, developing a strategy, generating short-term wins and consolidating gains,” added Saber Al Harbi
Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, Ruler of Dubai, the UN World Data Forum 2018 brings together more than 1,500 data experts, high-ranking government officials and prominent policy makers from around the world. Now in its second edition, the globally-recognised event contributes to the establishment of a scientific incubator environment to enhance the role of data and statistics in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals 2030; namely food security, health and learning.
Memorandum of Understanding will see bodies work together to meet the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals
Dubai, October 24, 2018
The Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority (FCSA), the UAE government body tasked with developing the UAE’s performance in data collection and in improving the country’s ranking across global indices, has announced that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN).
Under the terms of the agreement, the FCSA will partner with SDSN – a body that operates under the auspices of the United Nations Secretary-General to mobilise global scientific and technological expertise for sustainable development – to share knowledge and resources. The specifics of the MoU relate to SDSN’s research network on data and statistics ‘TReNDS’ and the organisations’ mutual objective of providing better-quality data to monitor sustainable development.
The agreement was signed on the sidelines of the UN World Data Forum 2018, which was hosted by the FCSA at Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai from October 22-24. The second edition of the global summit aimed at exploring ways of improving the collection and analysis of statistics to meet the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) under Agenda 2030. The signatories to the agreement were H.E. Abdullah Nasser Lootah, Director General of the FCSA and Chairman of the Organising Committee of the UN World Data Forum 2018, and Jessica Espey, Senior Adviser at SDSN.
“Our new partnership with the Sustainable Development Solutions Network will see the UAE run SDG pilot initiatives when needed to support the network’s research, while the network will reciprocate by supporting the FCSA with capacity building when possible, participating in SDG-related events where feasible, and contributing to the UAE’s annual report on SDGs. We see our relationship, which will last until at least 2020, as an important step in helping the UAE meet its obligations towards the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals,” said H.E. Lootah.
Organised by the FCSA and held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, Ruler of Dubai, the UN World Data Forum 2018 attracted more than 1,500 data experts, government officials and policy makers from around the world. Following the inaugural event in Cape Town, South Africa in 2017, the successful second edition of the Forum has established the event as the preeminent global activity to discuss the role of data and statistics in achieving the UN SDGs in the areas of food security, health and learning.
- Program Celebrated its 50th anniversary at FCSA headquarters in Dubai
Dubai, October 25, 2018
The Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority (FCSA) has hosted the third Governing Board Meeting of the International Comparison Program (ICP) at its headquarters in Dubai Festival City, marking the first time the meeting takes place in the Middle East.
Held in collaboration with the World Bank, the meeting was chaired by Statistics Austria, the country’s federal statistical office, and follows the three-day UN World Data Forum 2018, organised by the FCSA in Madinat Jumeirah on October 22-24, bringing together more than 2,500 data experts, policy-makers, and representatives from academia, private companies and civil society organisations (CSOs) from around the world.
FCSA Director General His Excellency Abdulla Nasser Lootah welcomed the Board members to the Authority’s headquarters, congratulating them on the International Comparison Program’s Golden Jubilee. “The initiative has come a long way since 1968 and has evolved into the largest statistical partnership in the world with participation from more than 200 countries, 20 institutions and many renowned experts,” H.E. said.
“The United Arab Emirates joined the programme in 2011 and is fully committed since then to all its requirements,” H.E. Lootah added, noting that the UAE was one of the first countries to implement sub-national Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) in 2015. “We believe that the ICP outcomes are very important for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), national statistics requirements, the UAE National Agenda, and competitiveness reports,” he concluded.
"Producing regular high quality data on Purchasing Power Parities is of utmost importance for reliable international economic comparisons of countries and lies at the heart of the International Comparison Programme. Strong commitment at the highest level as we have seen it from members and observers of the ICP Governing Board in its meeting in Dubai make me confident that the currently running ICP exercise will be a big success.", says Konrad Pesendorfer, Co-Chair of the ICP Governing Board and Director General of Statistics Austria.
The attending Board members discussed the overall progress made in the implementation of the ICP’s 2017 cycle and interim activities, examined regional progress reports, and evaluated outstanding risks and mitigation measures, before concluding the meeting with preparing for the ICP 2020 cycle.
The ICP is a worldwide statistical initiative led by the World Bank under the auspices of the United Nations Statistical Commission, with the main objective of providing comparable price and volume measures of gross domestic product (GDP) and its expenditure aggregates among countries within and across regions. Through a partnership with international, regional, sub-regional and national agencies, the ICP collects and compares price data and GDP expenditures to estimate and publish purchasing power parities (PPPs) of the world’s economies.
The Governing Board (GB), meanwhile, is a strategic and policy-making body, which sets the policies that govern the production of regional and global PPPs; approves the methodology and any methodological improvements; conducts outreach to policy-makers to ensure the inclusion of the ICP in the national permanent statistical work; and helps with fund-raising at country level to increase national funding for the ICP.
Austria currently co-chairs the ICP Governing Board with India; the Board includes members from Belarus, Brazil, China, Fiji, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, South Africa, Suriname, and the United States, as well as from organisations such as the Asian Development Bank, African Development Bank, International Monetary Fund, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, the United Nations Statistics Division, and the World Bank. The Statistical Office of the Commonwealth of Independent States and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (UN_ESCWA) also serve on the Board as observers.
The UAE has reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to supporting international efforts to achieve inclusive and sustainable development, emphasising its dedication to building effective global partnerships that promote stability, accelerate prosperity, and advance the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and beyond. This vision is guided by principles of international cooperation, future foresight, and a human-centric development approach.
This came at the conclusion of the UAE’s expanded participation in the 2025 High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development, organised by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) at UN headquarters in New York City. The forum witnessed broad international participation from government representatives, international organisations, and civil society institutions.
The UAE delegation included several government leaders and officials representing the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs; Ministry of Interior; Ministry of Investment; Government Experience Exchange Programme; Secretariat of the National Committee on the SDGs; as well as representatives from the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD); Noor Dubai Foundation; and Dubai Chambers.
UAE A Leading Model in Development Cooperation and Global Partnerships
His Excellency Abdulla Nasser Lootah, Assistant Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Competitiveness and Experience Exchange and Chair of the National Committee on SDGs, affirmed that the UAE has established itself as a leading model in international development cooperation. This model is built on sustaining positive impact, enhancing experience exchange, and developing innovative solutions to address global challenges.
He stated: “At the forum, we showcased pioneering national development initiatives that highlight the importance of strategic partnerships in accelerating the achievement of the SDGs. These included the 2045 XSDGs Report, which outlines development foresight for the next two decades, and the Government Experience Exchange Programme. We also held meetings focused on advancing multilateral cooperation to support the development of innovative solutions across key areas such as health, economic growth, the future of work, biodiversity, and global stability.”
Lootah confirmed that preparations are already underway for the UAE’s 2026 Voluntary National Review, which will assess progress towards the 2030 Agenda. The review underscores the UAE’s firm commitment to transparency and accountability, providing a comprehensive analysis of challenges and opportunities while identifying future development priorities. The process will involve participation from government, private, and civil society sectors to ensure unified efforts, based on the UAE’s ambitious vision for a sustainable and inclusive future driven by innovation, sustainability, and human development.
He also highlighted the UAE’s preparations to host the 2026 United Nations Water Conference taking place in December, which aims to strengthen global action to ensure the sustainable availability of water for all.
Enhancing Collaboration and Joint Action
A statement issued by the UAE delegation reaffirmed the country’s ongoing focus on strengthening international cooperation, knowledge and expertise exchange, and the importance of promoting sustainable practices across climate action, economic, social, and human development. The statement emphasised the UAE’s commitment to joint action to drive balanced growth that prioritises human and environmental protection, ensuring a positive development impact for communities worldwide.
Shaping Tomorrow & Innovative Events
The delegation organised a series of high-profile events that drew significant international interest, including the Sustainable Development Goals Exhibition for 2030 and 2045 at the UN Headquarters under the theme “Shaping Tomorrow: UAE Leadership for a Sustainable Future.” The exhibition served as a global platform to highlight the UAE’s role and raise awareness on the urgency of accelerating sustainable development.
Engagements also included a dedicated international session hosted by the Government Experience Exchange Programme to promote knowledge-sharing and expand partnerships, spanning nearly 50 countries and six international organisations, in support of the UAE’s vision for advancing international cooperation and strategic partnerships.
Report and Foresight Study
As part of its commitment to sharing knowledge, expertise, and valuable data, the UAE launched the 2025 edition of the 2045 XSDGs Report at the forum titled “Envisioning 2045: Inclusive Pathways to Sustainable Development.”
The delegation also presented the results of the latest 2045 XSDGs Global Survey, involving participants from 55 countries across various age groups and academic disciplines. The survey offered key recommendations and comprehensive perspectives on sustainable development for the next 20 years.
In collaboration with the Consulate General of the UAE in New York; Permanent Mission of the United Arab Emirates to the United Nations in New York; and Noor Dubai Foundation, the National Committee on SDGs also hosted a high-level roundtable to explore the role of healthcare innovation in accelerating SDG 3 on Good Health and Well-being. The session highlighted the importance of scaling and expanding access to health innovation worldwide.
Global Councils for SDGs
The delegation presented the UAE’s Global Councils on Sustainable Development Goals, launched during the World Governments Summit 2018. The initiative acts as a dynamic network that brings together decision-makers from government, international organisations, academia, and the private sector to exchange experiences and best practices aimed at accelerating the achievement of the SDGs.
Women’s Empowerment and Child Welfare
The Secretariat of the UAE’s National Committee on SDGs and the Consulate General of the UAE in New York also organised a high-impact session on accelerating innovation to advance gender balance and sustain progress in the post-2030. The discussion focused on closing the digital gender gap, enhancing care and empowerment systems, and promoting women’s leadership roles.
Sustainable Economic Growth
The UAE delegation hosted a high-level roundtable titled “Beyond 2030: Reimagining Economic Growth for People and Planet,” exploring new dimensions of growth beyond traditional metrics and market indicators.
Two key sessions were also held, addressing the role of economic diplomacy in promoting global and societal stability and the integration of social and economic development priorities.
The Ministry of Interior shared impactful results from its cross-border collaborations aimed at enhancing environmental sustainability, most notably operation “Green Shield”; a joint effort between the UAE, Brazil, Peru, Colombia, and Ecuador to preserve the Amazon Basin’s biodiversity in Latin America.
Driving the SDGs Through Partnerships
The delegation led several high-level sessions focused on accelerating SDG implementation through partnerships and held approximately 48 bilateral and multilateral meetings with organisations, institutions, global programmes, and government representatives to reinforce international cooperation for inclusive development.
The UAE also participated in the Science Day, held as part of the HLPF on Sustainable Development.
The UN High-Level Political Forum
The HLPF on Sustainable Development serves as the United Nations’ central platform for topics related to sustainable development. Since its establishment in 2012, the forum plays a pivotal role in monitoring national and international progress on the 2030 Agenda.
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UAE – 06 November 2025: The UAE Government has launched the Unified UAE Numbers, the comprehensive national platform dedicated to AI-powered data and statistics aimed at providing accurate, real-time and trusted data to support decision making and drive the UAE’s readiness for future shifts. The launch took place at the UAE Government Annual Meetings 2025.
The Unified UAE Numbers platform is being developed in partnership between the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Center (FCSC) and the Ministry of Foreign Trade, and in coordination with relevant federal and local entities. The platform will be hosted on the UAE Government Federal Network (FedNet) to ensure maximum security.
The platform is an outcome of the Economic Data Retreat, where extensive discussions focused on strengthening the national statistics system, its governance, and data exchange between entities. It will create a unified, smart national ecosystem that enhances the quality and reliability of national data, driving the UAE’s transformation toward smart statistics.
His Excellency Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Foreign Trade said: “This day marks our transition from a phase of compiling data to one of managing knowledge. From traditional statistics to smart statistics. This strategic transformation is embodied by the Unified UAE Numbers platform, which opens new horizons for decision makers to harness the power of data to drive development, national economy’s competitiveness and the UAE’s global status.”
His Excellency Al Zeyoudi added: “This platform shows how the UAE’s statistics ecosystem has matured to become capable of providing accurate, trusted and real-time data to help read economic trends and guide policies and investments. Ultimately it will strengthen the UAE’s ability to respond to global shifts and shape the future of vital sectors.”
Her Excellency Maryam bint Ahmed Al Hammadi, Minister of State, General Secretary of the UAE Cabinet and General Supervisor of the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre (FCSC), said: “The launch of the Unified UAE Numbers platform embodies our leadership’s vision for a future government driven by data and AI. This platform represents a major step in the government’s digital transformation, fostering a unified approach and empowering entities to make swift, precise decisions backed by trusted, real-time data.”
Her Excellency Al Hammadi added: “By establishing a smart national statistics infrastructure, we are building a foundation to inform public policy, bolster the UAE’s competitiveness, and accelerate economic growth across all sectors.”
Her Excellency pointed out that the platform is an outcome of the Economic Data Retreat, which brought together 28 national entities in the first phase to establish 380 economic indicators and lay out a unified framework for GDP data, as well as balance of payment and investment.
She highlighted the essential role of data in formulating policy, setting priorities, measuring impact, and monitoring performance, noting that ultimately, this platform ensures that governance is data-driven, thereby strengthening the UAE’s readiness for AI adoption, achieving seamless integration of national databases, and creating an agile regulatory environment that champions both innovation and sustainability.
SDGs Talk with HE Maitha Al Shamsi, Minister of State
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