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DATA FOR A BETTER FUTURE
Dubai, UAE – 27, May 2019
UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum directed all government entities in the UAE to achieve the top ten in 1000 global competitiveness indicators over the coming ten years.
His Highness’ direction came during his visit to a meeting held at the Bab Al Shams Resort in Dubai today on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the beginning of competitiveness in the UAE. FCSA Board of Directors met today in the same hall from which the first government team was created to manage UAE competitiveness ten years ago.
I congratulate my brother Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed on the 10th anniversary of the beginning of our competitiveness path. We have taken the UAE to top positions in education, health, economy, innovation, security and safety. We started with a small team and an ambitious idea. Today, competitiveness is an integral part of the UAE government ecosystem"
"We are looking forward to a decade of innovative competitiveness … building upon what we have achieved in the past ten years. Today, the UAE is in the top positions in more than 300 indicators… In the next ten years, UAE will be in the top ten in more than 1,000 indicators. We have faith in our youth to achieve what our people aspire the UAE to be, the best in the world."
The FCSA team presented a summary report on list of key achievements of UAE global competitiveness over the past 10 years. The team also briefed His Highness a number of upcoming strategic initiatives in competitiveness, statistics and sustainable development goals.
His Excellency Mohammad Al Gergawi, instructed the FCSA team to work in accordance with the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid. He instructed FCSA to launch an initiative to accelerate achieving advanced competitiveness positions in partnership with the executive teams of the competitiveness indicators, in order to preserve the accomplishments the UAE achieved so far.
The FCSA Board of Directors also stressed the importance of focusing on capacity building and empowering young national talent in understanding competitiveness reports and indicators. Formal training, secondments conferences, events and specialized workshops are to be utilized for enhanced capacity building in competitiveness.
The FCSA board also praised the FCSA management team’s efforts in developing and modernizing the statistical the infrastructure in the UAE, underlining the importance integrating statistical and competitiveness strategy.
FCSA board also directed the FCSA management to identify global experiences in the field of statistics and data to mark a quantum leap based on the latest technologies on the global arena, such as analytical tools for large data, the Internet of things (IOT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI).
"Cooperation between federal, local and private sector entities and the community is an important factor that enabled the UAE to achieve such major achievements in global competitiveness reports and indicators, and enabled UAE be in the Top Ten ranks in 311 competitive indicators," said HE Al Gergawi.
Al Gergawi stressed that the UAE, under the leadership of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE President and the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, have become a model of excellence and leadership. Not only in the Arab world, but also globally, the UAE today leads in how government performance can be enhanced and modernized, making the UAE a destination for other governments around the world looking to enhance their own competitiveness journey"
HE Abdullah Lootah, director general of the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority said, "The celebration of the 10th anniversary to launch of the global competitiveness journey is a major milestone for the country’s ongoing march towards global leadership. The cooperation we are witnessing from our government and private sector stakeholders contributed significantly in the impressive results UAE achieved today. Through these innovative partnerships, we will continuous our enhancement in legislations and procedures," added Lootah.
Journey of competitiveness achievements
he UAE’s competitiveness journey began in 2009 with a small team of seven working under the leadership of His Excellency Mohammed Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and the Future. After less than 18 months of founding work, the competitiveness Team expanded in size and function. An independent governmental body representing members of its administration representing the seven emirates. After the establishment of the Emirates Competitiveness Council (ECC), HE Reem bint Ibrahim Al Hashemy, Minister of State for International Cooperation became chair of the board for nearly eight years.
Under her leadership, UAE competitiveness witnessed several important milestones such as hosting international experts and global events in competitiveness, the 3rd the Global Federation Competitiveness Councils (GFCC) forum held in Dubai in 2012.
The ECC Council also worked to strengthen bilateral relations prominent publishers of global competitiveness reports and indicators such as the World Economic Forum, Institute of Management Development (IMD) in Switzerland and The World Bank, the publisher of the Ease of Doing Business report.
In 2015, ECC and the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) merged to form the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority (FCSA), the federal agency charged with three mandates: enhancing UAE’s global competitiveness, modernizing the country’s statistical ecosystem and fulfilling UAE’s sustainable development goals.
The current board of directors includes 20 members representing a group of ministries and the local statistical center in the country.
The UAE competitiveness journey also marked a number of important achievements since the establishment of the FCSA, such as achieving the UAE’s top positions globally in 75 international competitive indices. The United Arab Emirates is among the top ten in 311 competitive indicators in 17 competitive reports monitored by the Authority. Another accomplishment that supported UAE competitiveness was the formation of the Executive Teams on Competitiveness Indicators as one of the outcomes of the competitive sessions in the UAE Annual Government Meetings, as well as the Number One Indicator Challenge project.
Dubai, 23 May 2019
In commemoration of Zayed Humanitarian Day, which falls on the 19th day of Ramadan every year, the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority observed this day and noble initiative by serving 4000 healthy food parcels to labors at their work places in Dubai.
All FCSA’s staff participated in preparing food parcels comprising of a fresh meal, free from any processed or preserved ingredients to express their gratitude to laborers for their ongoing efforts in support of the UAE’s progress and development.
Abdullah Lootah, Director-General of FCSA, availed the occasion to express admiration of accentuate FCSA’s commitment to contributing on the Zayed Humanitarian Work Day in honor of late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan’s (may God have mercy upon him)philosophy on humanitarian action. “Our founding father late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, may Allah rest his soul in peace, devised a crystal-clear approach for humanitarian work and we are definitely following his steps and honoring such a noble ongoing initiative to show appreciation and respect to our fellow human beings.”
Dubai, 16 May 2019
The brainstorming session was attended by 80 government officials along with directors and executives from national and international private companies from various sectors, including IT, banking, retail, transport, aviation, services, and other industries. The General Secretariat of National Committee on Sustainable Development Goals organized a specialized workshop with a view to promoting dialogue between the public and the private sectors on how to develop ideas, tools, and working mechanisms to achieve the 17 SDGs with a thematic focus on Goal 5 on Gender Equality.
H.E. Reem Bint Ibrahim Al Hashemi, Minister of State for International Cooperation and Chairman of the National Committee on Sustainable Development Goals, organizing addressed the workshop. "H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has already issued his directives to do the needful to move up the UAE’s position on the Gender Equality Index," she said
"To put these directives in place, we have implemented several innovative initiatives in collaboration with our partners, who are already contributing to the UAE’s journey to achieve gender balance. As a matter of fact, today’s event is meant to initiate a dialogue with the private sector and activate its role as a partner in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, focusing on the gender balance in particular," H.E. Al Hashemi said.
Participants tackled several issues related to gender balance in the working environment of the public and private sectors. They also exchanged views and suggestions on the most critical topics, reports, and expectations of the government entities concerning laws and procedures. They also addressed the role of companies and private sector institutions in terms of implementing the policies and procedures that support creating a gender-balanced environment that guarantees achieving high level of work efficiency and productivity without any discrimination or by neglecting any aspects of prosperity and quality of life.
The workshop commenced by showcasing the UAE’s most significant initiatives and steps taken to empower women in achieving balance in participation in the development processes, while not losing sight of their role in social development.
The workshop was attended by representatives of the UAE Gender Balance Council, members of the Private Sector Advisory Committee (PSAC) reporting to the National Committee on Sustainable Development Goals, executives from national and international private sector companies, in addition to several FCSA’s experts and consultants.
Participants were split into six main brainstorming groups and tasked to debate various topics, including equal pay, women in leadership positions, quality and harmonization of facilities in the work environment together with other related issues. Each group presented the outputs of their brainstorming session with their suggestions and recommendations in the presence of representatives of the UAE Gender Balance Council, the National Committee on Sustainable Development Goals, and PSAC members.
H.E. Abdullah Lootah, FCSA Director-General, Deputy Chairman of the National Committee on Sustainable Development Goals and PSAC Chairman, said: "We are so pleased to organize these joint brainstorming sessions with such outstanding participation that we observed today. I want to thank the members of the UAE Gender Balance Council and all the private sector companies for their intellectual contributions during the workshop, which stems from the depth of their experiences in the UAE. The results of the brainstorming sessions will have an impact on improving many regulations and laws dedicated to achieving greater heights in achieving gender balance."
H.E. Shamsa Saleh, Secretary-General of the UAE Gender Balance Council, said: "Today’s workshop contributes to promoting dialogue with representatives of the private sector to work together to achieve a balance between men and women economically and socially. This includes cooperation in drafting laws, regulations, and practices, and to be the model country in the region in terms of gender balance."
Gender balance is a critical pillar in achieving progress and development across all areas and contributes to laying the foundations for the well-being and prosperity of future generations; laws and regulations play a crucial role in achieving this. For example, women’s participation in the Federal National Council (FNC) stands at 22.5%. However, with the development of laws and the enactment of new legislation, this percentage will potentially reach 50%. Achieving this percentage will give a push to the UAE’s ranking in the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) jumping from 84th place to the top five countries globally.
Ahmed Al- Falasi, Executive Director of Group Operations at Emaar and member of PSAC emphasized Emaar’s commitment to Goal 5 of SDGs. He pointed out: "We, at Emaar, are committed to empowering women and improving their representation in the workplace at all levels. One example of this is the "She" strategy launched by Emaar Hospitality Group to increase the number of women in management and executive positions in the company. We are also committed to promoting gender equality as an essential foundation for tremendous new economic opportunities, which will enrich the happiness of our country and society."
Many private sector companies accepted the invitation of the National Committee on Sustainable Development Goals to participate in this workshop including AT Kearney, Standard Chartered, TECOM Group, DP World, ADNOC, Unilever, Jumeirah Group, Transguard Group, Green Touches, Dubai Holdings, Emirates Global Aluminum, First Abu Dhabi Bank, Al Serkal Cultural Foundation, Emaar Properties, Societe Generale, HSBC, Fitch & Co, Emirates Group / Dnata, Procter & Gamble, Dubai Airport Free Zone, Masdar, Imperial Health Care Institute, Karim, Tristar, Dubai International Airport, Strategos, S & P, Middlesex University, Dentons, Nama Women Advancement, Dubai Multi Commodities Center (DMCC) Free Zone and CTG.
Cooperation with FCSA and Statistics Centers in Abu Dhabi and Dubai
Dubai, 5 May 2019
Having completed the requirements of the UAE Accredited Field Researcher License (AFRL) training program, 92 students from the Sociology Department enrolled in the Humanities and Social Sciences Faculty of the United Arab Emirates University (UAEU) got their licenses in a special ceremony held at FCSA premises. The training course was conducted in cooperation between FCSA, Statistics Center- Abu Dhabi (SCAD) and the Dubai Statistics Center (DSC) last April 2019.
The students were honored in a special recognition ceremony attended by H.E. Dr. Ateeq Al Mansouri, Associate Vice President for Student Affairs at the UAEU, H.E. Mohamed Hassan, Executive Director of the Statistics Sector at FCSA, along with a number of faculty members, trainers, program coordinators, and students.
H.E. Abdullah Lootah, Director General of the FCSA, highlighted the significance of data by saying: “Data is the key pillar for the process of decision-making, and the heart of strategies and future innovations, including artificial intelligence, robotics, and space exploration. Data is our national wealth, and we have to work hard to put data to optimal use to build our future and the future of the generations to come.”
He added: “We will find no onebetter than our sons and daughters to be entrusted with this strategic national wealth. Indeed, with the support we receive from the UAEU and the statistics centers in the UAE, and with cooperation with our society members, the UAE students will be fully able to play their role in supporting the national development process and achieving the vision and directives of our wise leadership and be one of the best countries in the world.”
H.E. Rashid Lahej Nasser Saeed Al Mansouri, Chairman of SCAD, said: “This initiative is a quantum leap to further enrich the national statistical and competitiveness work in the UAE. Statistics field requires creative human resources enjoying qualities of skillfulness, accuracy, intelligence, loyalty, and objectivity. Today, the UAEU students are joining the field teams who are committed to keep their promises they made, to meet the responsibilities they bore and to fulfill the obligations they have been entrusted upon by our wise leadership.”
H.E. Arif Obaid Al Muhairi, Executive Director of DSC, pointed out that the discipline of statistics is continually evolving with innovativestatistical products thatare rapidly accelerating in pace and diversity in application.
Al Muhairi emphasized on the importance of training programs in statistics by saying: “As a result of the variety of issues and phenomenas that are subjected to research, measurement, and evaluation, it is a must to have well-trained Emiratis who are able to keep pace with such rapid developments. Through offering training programs to our competent human resources and qualifying them to get certified in AFRL, these competent filed researchers will have the chance to join field teams who are monumental in conducting the most important stage of statistical surveys by collecting accurate and safe data.”
H.E. Dr. Ateeq Al Mansouri highlighted the significance of such initiatives in preparing students to be distinguished in their respective disciplines, productive in their communities and capable of improving their professional skills.
Dr. Al Mansouri highly appreciated the efforts exerted by the FCSA, SCAD, and DSC for providing support to the UAEU’s students. He also stressed the importance of this kind of training which links the outputs of education with the requirements of the society by equipping these students with the knowledge and skills they need.
Head of the Department of Sociology at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences of UAEU, Dr. Aqil Kazim, highly hailed the ongoing cooperation with the Department of Sociology which allowed the students to acquire applied skills in collecting data and conducting interviews while conducting social researches and be qualified to get their AFRL certificates.
He went on to say: “Training is one of the most important factors taken into consideration while preparing preparing students to join the labor market., Our department works closely with leading institutions in the UAE to provide various practical training programs, linking academic and theoretical studies with practical training experience.
92 female students from the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences were trained at the UAE University after attending a series of theoretical lectures and workshops followed by various tests.
During the one-week qualifying program, participants were introduced to various aspects of the statistical fieldwork in the UAE, data collection methodologies, types of questionnaires and surveys, techniques used for collecting responses, types of forms, data privacy protection in addition to several other topics relevant to statistics fieldwork.
The team in charge of this initiative pointed highlighted the long-term vision aiming at expanding the program through a series of practical steps, actions, and incentives to encourage competent Emirati students to join and experience this the journey of field statistics in the UAE.
Paris– Dubai, 1 May, 2019
The Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority (FCSA) participated in the meetings of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in the Middle East and Africa held in the French capital, Paris. The critical issues tackled by the participants were centered around statistics conducted in the member states.
FCSA received an invitation extended by OECD to attend the meetings and submit a working paper related to statistics. FCSA accepted the invitation and an official delegation headed by H.E. Abdullah Lootah, Director- General of FCSA, accompanied by a number of statistics and data experts and specialists attended.
In his presentation on the UAE model of the statistics sector management, H.E. Lootah shed a spotlight on how statistical work serves the process of managing the national competitiveness strategy and distinct initiatives to achieve the SDGs 2030.
“Participation in the meetings of the OECD in Paris was an important opportunity to bring before the member states the UAE’s experience in linking statistics and data with competitiveness and the SDGs,” said Lootah.
“These high-level meetings shape the economic tendencies in the future, for they are an essential element in presenting the experiences of member states and taking advantage of the successful ones. The participating delegates highly appreciated the experience of the UAE as a role model for the developed countries. The UAE methodology is based on harnessing advanced technologies and data collection and data analysis to support the efforts of the UAE for improving its level on the global competitiveness indicators, on the one hand, and for supporting national initiatives gearing towards achieving the UAE sustainable development agenda,” Lootah added.
These remarks were made during the speech of the Director-General delivered at the fourth session held under the theme of “Statistics and Global Competitiveness.”
In his speech, the Director-General talked the Global Value Chains (GVC) and using the advanced statistical tools for overcoming the various challenges and for drawing upon the available expertise and skills.
Furthermore, participants discussed the importance and advantages of trade in services, which is now growing in importance due to the extensive use of the internet and digital payment platforms around the world. This makes the trade in services an open market to the global competition where survival will be only for innovative services and products of high specialty if they meet local needs.
During his keynote speech at the 2019 Global Summit, José Angel Gurria, Secretary-General of the OECD, highly acclaimed the UAE’s economic growth. He also hailed the big projects implemented for making the UAE society happy, particularly the infrastructure and housing projects, and projects related to environment, human development and community development which all aim at providing services and ensuring all means of comfort, stability, and decent life for all the segments and nationalities living in the UAE society.
Chairing the First Meeting of the FCSA Board of Directors in 2019
Dubai, 9 April 2019
Chairing the first meeting of the Board of Directors of the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority (FCSA) in 2019, H.E. Mohammad Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and the Future and Chairman of the FCSA Board of Directors, acknowledged the support provided by all members of the FCSA Board of Directors to boost efforts exerted by the FCSA to further improve the UAE’s ranking in global indices and to achieve the goals of the National Agenda 2021.
He pointed out that FCSA has become a regional and global knowledge hub. “FCSA showcases the UAE model in competitive strategies, and how data, initiatives, and innovative methods in providing and disseminating data can support the design and shaping the future.”
“FCSA has become a key resource for decision-makers, officials, and experts from the UAE and abroad who desire to use statistics tools to shape the future with sights set to serve their countries and people. Data is national wealth, so we have to work hard to make use of them to build the future of our coming generations, to realize the vision and guidance of our wise leadership and rise to be among the best countries in the world.”
The FCSA team presented their proposed work plan for the current year, which includes setting up a series of specialized files focusing on a number of areas such as the impact of data on the national agenda indicators and global competitiveness reports, legislation and its role in promoting the UAE’s global competitiveness, SDGs and their relationship with the UAE Vision 2021 and the initiatives includinge race to thefuture and others.
Several projects and initiatives based on advanced technology, such as artificial intelligence were also presented. An innovative analytical tool based on geospatial information systems (GIS) was also introduced. Additionally, some innovative services such as the compilation, analysis, and classification of satellite images using machine learning and artificial intelligence techniques were also introduced.
Members of the FCSA Board of Directors praised the efforts of FCSA’steam and the relevant initiatives. They recommended focusing on national and international indicators, especially those related to the National Agenda 2021. They also stressed the importance of cooperating and collaborating with the competent task forces of the federal government entities concerned with the national agenda by providing statistical data and competitive indicators in respect of each body and its terms of reference.
The meeting ended with an open discussion between members of the Board of Directors and the FCSA task team, where several ideas and proposals related to the FCSA 2019 operational plan were tackled. They underlined the importance of working together with all partners and cooperating with federal and local government agencies, private sector companies, international institutions, and society to achieve the vision of the UAE 2021.
The FCSA Board of Directors is chaired by the Minister of the Cabinet Affairs and the Future of the United Arab Emirates, and includes 18 members; namely H.E. Minister of Economy, H.E. Minister of Health and Community Protection, H.E. Minister of State for Financial Affairs, H.E. Minister of Health and Industry, H.E. Minister of Education, H.E. Minister of Human Resources and Emiratization, H.E. Minister of Community Development, H.E. Minister of State for Happiness and Quality of Life, H.E. Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, H.E. Secretary General of the Office of H.H. Minister of Interior, H.E. Acting Director General of Identity in the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship, H.E. Deputy Secretary General of the Supreme Council for National Security, H.E. Chairman of the Board of Directors of Statistics Center – Abu Dhabi, H.E. Secretary General of Dubai Executive Council, H.E. Director General of Sharjah Department of Statistics and Community Development, H.E. Secretary General of the Ajman Executive Council, HE Secretary General of Umm Al Quwwain Executive Council, H.E. Director of Fujairah Emiri Diwan and H.E. Secretary General of the Ras Al Khaimah Executive Council.
- Among the top three countries in the world to be included on the UN Sustainable Development Knowledge Platform.
- UAE achieves the full electronic connectivity with the UN Sustainable Development Knowledge Platform.
- The first Arab country and the second country in the world to achieve full and real-time connectivity to the UN Sustainable Development Knowledge Platform located in New York
- Showcasing five national initiatives of the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change in the field of integrated waste management, air quality, wildlife, marine environment, and environmental protection development policies
- Electronic linkage and real-time update of the UAE’s international assistance data on the UN website
Al Zeyoudi: Full connectivity with United Nations Sustainable Development Goals better informs the international community of UAE’s efforts to achieve sustainability.
Al Hashemi: Sharing the UAE model of sustainability in the economic, social and environmental fields with the international community meets the directives of our wise leadership
Dubai, 30 March 2019
The Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority (FCSA), in coordination with the General Secretariat of the National Committee on Sustainable Development Goals, has made a remarkable step towards enhancing the UAE’s efforts to achieve SDGs. The e-integration between several government institutions in the UAE and the UN platform of data and facts related to the UAE’s initiatives and efforts catersto the goals of SDGs 2030.
The UN-led global platform, in coordination with ESRI which is a specialized company in geographic information systems and services, aims to achieve greater access to information on all activities and initiatives documented by governments to achieve the sustainable development goals. The UAE is one of the first countries to be included in this platform, which consists of five countries: The United Arab Emirates, Palestine, Ireland, the Philippines, and Mexico.
FCSA presented to Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, the results of the e-linking of the Ministry’s initiatives with the UN platform, upon which a section had been dedicated to the efforts, achievements, and initiatives of the UAE to achieve the Sustainability Agenda 2030.
H.E. Al Zeyoudi acclaimed this achievement and appreciated the efforts of task forces that oversaw the completion of this linkage. He said, “Achieving full connectivity with the UN SDGs strengthens the UAE’s position and global competitiveness, better informs the international community of its efforts to achieve sustainability and contributes to the achievement of the goals of the UAE Vision 2071 to be the world’s leading country in all sectors.”
He attributed the ability of the task forces to complete this achievement under the guidance of the wise leadership regarding the importance and necessity of cooperation and coordination and the joint work among all institutions of the government sector.
The UAE webpage on the UN Sustainable Development Knowledge Platform currently features 26 articles, including summaries of key sustainability initiatives, data, and studies, most notably the section of National Sustainability Initiative Presentation and Documentation. UAE is recognized as the first country in the world to add a documentation component , which constitutes a knowledge center and provides all users with the most critical aspects of the achievements and successes of institutions in the UAE.
Current initiatives include case studies in six areas: international assistance and cooperation, integrated waste management processes, air quality, wildlife, the marine environment, and the development of environmental protection policies.
Such connectivity enables the sharing of sustainability information directly from the sites of federal and local government institutions to the UN platform without the need to re-publish information or copy data, so that data updates to ensure synchronization for immediate accessibility on the UN Sustainability Information Platform.
H.E. Reem Bint Ibrahim Al-Hashimi, Minister of State for International Cooperation and Chairman of National Committee on Sustainable Development Goals, said “The objective of the UAE’s inclusion in this global platform is to meet the wise leadership’s directives to share the UAE’s model of sustainability in the economic, social and environmental fields with the international community. This helps spread knowledge, share experiences and build capacity around the world, in addition to recognizing the importance and necessity of publicizing the great efforts exerted by the federal and local government institutions as well as the private sector inside and outside the country in the field of sustainability. Our participation opens up broader horizons for dialogue with those concerned with and interested in the concept of sustainability. This ensures the continuous development of our working mechanism and the way we manage this critical global dossier.
H.E. Abdullah Nasser Lootah, Vice President of National Committee on Sustainable Development Goals and FCSA Director-General, said: “This initiative supports the efforts exerted to keep pace with the UN 17 SDGs by providing clear data tools, which would contribute to the facilitation of planning, monitoring and measuring progress in achieving the goals of sustainable development, and to report to the United Nations Statistics Division.”
He concluded: “FCSA’s collaboration with ESRI in completing electronic connectivity with the UN platform would further support the FCSA’s capacity and enhance its planning potential in the future towards supporting sustainability at the national and global levels and achieve the 2030 Agenda goals.”
The Information Center of UAE Sustainable Development Goals can be found at http://www.sdg.org
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
SDGs are a set of goals defined by the United Nations, also known as Global Agenda 2030. They constitute an international call to end all forms of poverty. These goals are unique in that they call for joint actions by all poor, rich and middle-income countries to promote prosperity for their peoples while protecting the planet and preserving resources for future generations. This convention is unique because it had never happened that 193 countries affiliated to UN to agree on a long-term vision for the future of the globe. The 17 SDGs are based on the success of the Millennium Development Goals (2000-2015). SDGs include four key aspects: environmental, social and economic aspects in addition to partnerships. The 2030 Agenda includes a total of 169 targets and 233 indicators.
SDGs are linked to each other and success in achieving one goal will often resolve other issues that contribute to the achievement of other SDGs. Achievement of SDGs requires collaboration and working with all partners and stakeholders in a practical way so as to make the right decisions and to improve life in a sustainable way for future generations. SDGs also provide a set of clear objectives and indicators for all countries, which can be incorporated into their national plans, with highlighting the environmental challenges facing the world. These goals are a comprehensive roadmap that provides the basic methodologies and tools for achieving the 17 SDGs by unifying nations to bring positive change to the world and to sustain the planet’s resources for future generations.
- UAE delegation participates in the inaugural Global Competitiveness Summit in Zurich.
- Hanan Mansour Ahli: The UAE’s participation reflects its position as a global model for shaping the future and redefining competitiveness pillars.
The UAE delegation participated in the inaugural Global Competitiveness Summit 2026, held in Zurich, Switzerland. The event was organised by the International Institute for Management Development (IMD), bringing together senior government officials, leading economists and competitiveness experts, global CEOs, and heads of international organisations. The summit featured the world’s largest high-level dialogue on shaping the future of global competitiveness in an era defined by AI, big data, and accelerating economic, geopolitical, and technological transformation.
Represented by the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre (FCSC), the UAE took part as an institutional partner of the summit’s inaugural edition, contributing to discussions on the future of competitiveness and economic policy. The participation builds on the UAE’s ranking among the world’s top five most competitive economies in IMD’s World Competitiveness Yearbook, underscoring its global leadership in government excellence, economic resilience, future readiness, and AI.
The UAE delegation was headed by Her Excellency Hanan Mansour Ahli, Managing Director of the FCSC, with the participation of Mariam Al Afridi, Executive Director of the Office of Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum – Dubai Culture & Arts Authority, alongside representatives from First Abu Dhabi Bank Group.
H.E. Hanan Mansour Ahli, Managing Director of the FCSC and Head of the UAE delegation, stated that, “The UAE’s participation as an institutional partner in the inaugural Global Competitiveness Summit launched by IMD, together with its ranking among the world’s top five economies in the World Competitiveness Yearbook, reflects its position as a global model for shaping the future and redefining competitiveness pillars. The world is moving beyond traditional KPIs towards AI- and data-driven models that will fundamentally transform how competitiveness is assessed, managed, and developed.”
“The summit reflects a fundamental shift in the global understanding of competitiveness; from measuring performance to continuously managing competitiveness in the age of AI. For the UAE, it provides an important platform to showcase its experience in leveraging data and AI to inform decision-making and shape public policy, thus enhancing future readiness, economic resilience, sustainable development and long-term prosperity,” H.E. added.
H.E. Ahli participated in the summit’s plenary session, which brought together representatives from the world’s five highest-ranked economies in the IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook to exchange best practices and policy approaches that promote competitiveness and future readiness. She further joined a panel discussion titled ” From lean to resilient: How companies can readjust in a volatile world.,” which examined the shift from operational efficiency towards resilient and sustainable organisational models. The discussion highlighted the importance of institutional capacity-building and economic resilience as essential drivers of sustained competitiveness and long-term growth.
Dr. Mariam Al Afridi participated in a session titled “The role of middle powers and the Global South within a realigned global order.” Her remarks explored one of the emerging dimensions of competitiveness: the rise of the experience economy as a new source of competitive advantage. She noted that the future competitiveness of middle powers will increasingly depend not on their size, but rather on their ability to create compelling experiences that attract talent, investment, entrepreneurs, and institutions. In a world where attractiveness is becoming as important as productivity, experience economy has become one of the defining drivers of competitiveness in the decades ahead.
During the summit, the UAE presented a paper titled “Competitiveness in the Age of Artificial Intelligence,” examining how rapid advances in AI are reshaping the global economy, redefining competitiveness, and transforming the sources of competitive advantage. The paper highlighted the importance of developing integrated national AI ecosystems as the strategic infrastructure underpinning future competitiveness, encompassing advanced computing capabilities, data, national talent, governance frameworks, and digital infrastructure that enable sustainable growth and long-term prosperity.
The summit announced the results of the IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook 2026, ranking the UAE among the world’s top five most competitive economies for the second consecutive year. The UAE outperformed major economies including the United States, Denmark, Sweden, and the Netherlands, while retaining its position as the leading economy in the region for the tenth consecutive year. It ranked first globally in 21 competitiveness indicators, among the top five in 67 indicators, and among the top ten in 118 indicators spanning labour markets, infrastructure, government partnership, innovation, AI, and education.
The UAE’s participation in the Global Competitiveness Summit reflects its long-standing institutional partnership with the IMD World Competitiveness Centre through the FCSC, which leads national efforts related to the World Competitiveness Yearbook and other IMD competitiveness reports. The summit serves as a global platform for dialogue on the future of competitiveness and the economic and technological trends shaping national performance, while the World Competitiveness Yearbook, published annually since 1989, continues to be one of the world’s leading benchmarks for assessing the competitiveness of economies.
Bin Touq:
- Results reflect the success of the UAE leadership’s forward-looking vision in in developing an advanced and sustainable aviation ecosystem.
The aviation sector continues to support economic growth and enhance the UAE’s global competitiveness.
Hanan Ahli:
- Air transport sector data reflects the efficiency of the UAE ecosystem and its role in enabling the continued growth of this vital sector.
A Success Story Driven by Data and Numbers
Results highlight the UAE’s strong performance across global aviation competitiveness indicators.
- Aviation remains a key driver of economic growth, strengthening the UAE’s position as a global hub for trade, tourism, and logistics.
- Official data and statistics continue to serve as a strategic foundation for policymaking, decision-making, and enhancing national competitiveness.
- Continued investment in airports, airlines, and logistics infrastructure supports the objectives of the “We the UAE 2031” vision.
The UAE reinforced its position as one of the world’s leading aviation hubs in 2025, with passenger traffic through the country’s airports reaching a record 156.8 million, marking a 6.1% increase compared to 147.8 million passengers in 2024. Aircraft movements also grew by 6.8%, reaching 855,300 movements.
The figures, released by the FCSC highlight the continued success of the UAE’s long-term strategy to develop a world-class aviation ecosystem through sustained investment in infrastructure, airports, and logistics services. These efforts have strengthened the UAE’s role as a global air transport hub and a strategic gateway connecting East and West, while supporting economic growth and sustainable development.
Abdullah bin Touq: UAE Continues to Strengthen Its Global Aviation Position
H.E Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Tourism and Chairman of the Board of the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), affirmed that the latest results reflect the success of the UAE leadership’s vision in building an advanced and sustainable aviation ecosystem supported by world-class airports, infrastructure, and regulatory frameworks aligned with international best practices.
H.E. highlighted that the aviation sector continues to enhance the competitiveness of the national economy and strengthen the UAE’s position as a leading global air transport hub connecting East and West, as well as North and South.
He added that national efforts will continue, in collaboration with local and international partners, to further develop world-class logistics infrastructure, enhance the passenger experience, invest in national talent, and expand international partnerships, in line with the objectives of the “We the UAE 2031” vision.
Hanan Ahli: Data as a Driver for Better Decisions and Sustainable Growth
H.E Hanan Mansour Ahli, Managing Director of the FCSC, stated that air transport data reflects the efficiency of the UAE’s national ecosystem and highlights the sector’s contribution to sustainable economic growth.
H.E. emphasized that official statistics play a key role in supporting policymaking, informed decision-making, and measuring national performance, while strengthening the UAE’s position across global competitiveness indicators.
“The FCSC continues to enhance the national statistical system by providing reliable, high-quality official data aligned with international best practices. This enables effective performance measurement, supports future planning, and provides a comprehensive knowledge base for decision-makers,” H.E. added.
Record Growth in Passenger Traffic Across UAE Airports
According to FCSC data, total passenger traffic through UAE airports, including arrivals, departures, and transit passengers, reached 156.8 million passengers in 2025, compared to 147.8 million in 2024, an increase of 9 million passengers and growth of 6.1%.
Arrivals increased to 44.2 million passengers, compared to 41.6 million in 2024, while departures reached 43 million passengers, compared to 41.7 million. Transit passenger traffic recorded the strongest growth, rising by 8% to 69.5 million passengers, compared to 64.3 million in 2024.
Passenger traffic by emirate reflected continued growth across the UAE’s airports. Dubai Airports recorded 104.5 million passengers in 2025, compared to 100.9 million in 2024, representing 3.5% growth. Abu Dhabi Airports welcomed 34.2 million passengers, achieving 10.7% growth compared to 2024.
Sharjah International Airport recorded 16.9 million passengers, reflecting 10.7% growth, while Ras Al Khaimah International Airport surpassed one million passengers for the first time, recording an exceptional 56.8% increase compared to 2024. Fujairah International Airport achieved the highest growth rate, with passenger traffic increasing by 170% to reach 164.6 thousand passengers.
Growth in Aircraft Movements Reflects UAE’s Aviation Capacity
The growth of the UAE’s aviation sector extended beyond passenger traffic, with total aircraft movements reaching 855.3 thousand in 2025, compared to 801 thousand in 2024, representing 6.8% growth.
Aircraft arrivals increased by 7.3% to 414.3 thousand movements, while departures also grew by 7.3% to 414.1 thousand movements, reflecting the capacity, efficiency, and global connectivity of the UAE’s airport infrastructure.
Leading Global Performance in Aviation Competitiveness
The UAE continues to achieve strong global rankings across key aviation competitiveness indicators, ranking:
1st globally in the Air Transport Quality indicator in the IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook 2026.
3rd globally in the Efficiency of Air Transport Services indicator.
3rd globally in Available Airline Seats per Week per Million Population.
8th globally in the Number of Operating Airlines indicator.
10th globally in the Air Services Agreements indicator, according to the World Economic Forum’s Travel & Tourism Development Report 2024.
6th globally in the Air Connectivity indicator in the Future Readiness Economic Index 2023.
These results reaffirm the UAE’s position as one of the world’s leading aviation hubs, supported by an integrated national aviation ecosystem, advanced infrastructure, and the strategic role of official data in measuring performance and strengthening global competitiveness
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister, and Ruler of Dubai, has approved the National Programme for Developing the Statistics System in the UAE.
This strategic initiative embodies the UAE’s commitment to enhancing the quality of official economic statistics, keeping pace with rapid transformations of the economy, and consolidating the UAE’s standing among the world’s leading economies.
The programme includes setting 2024 as the unified base year for national accounts and reconstructing the time series for the GDP of the UAE for the period 2010–2026. This will provide a more accurate and comprehensive picture of the real size, diversity, and growth momentum of the UAE’s economy, enhance the reliability of official economic statistics, and strengthen their international comparability.
This will also support economic decision-making, public policy development, and future planning, while also boosting the confidence of investors and international financial and economic institutions, thus contributing to the UAE’s emergence as a global economic powerhouse.
The programme comes in response to the structural transformations in the national economy in recent years, most notably the rapid growth of non-oil economic activities, the expansion in services, digital economy, technology, and investment sectors, and the utilisation of modern administrative data sources. That includes data generated by the implementation of corporate tax and value-added tax.
This provides more comprehensive coverage of economic activities and contributes to increasing the accuracy of their measurement, thus reflecting the country’s economic reality.
The programme is based on an integrated national framework for updating and harmonising national accounts, in accordance with the UN System of National Accounts and the best international statistical standards and recommendations. This is achieved through updating the base year, expanding data sources, and enhancing the integration of administrative records, ensuring the production of more accurate, consistent, and transparent economic indicators in line with the latest international practices.
The programme also reflects an institutional commitment to regularly updating the base year, in line with the best international standards and practices of statistics.
In addition, the programme adopts a unified national methodology for reviewing GDP data at the national level. This ensures the sustainable development of the national statistics system and its ability to keep pace with economic transformations.
All future updates will be conducted in line with internationally recognised methodological frameworks and based on the readiness and availability of national data, ensuring the continued quality and international comparability of official statistics.
The National Programme for Developing the Statistics System comprises a comprehensive review of national accounts, a globally recognised statistical practice adopted periodically by advanced statistical systems as national economies develop and more comprehensive data sources become available.
This aims to bolster the quality of GDP measurement by reflecting the continuous evolution of statistical methodologies and data sources, and to keep pace with the country’s economic growth.
The programme is executed through a comprehensive national partnership led by the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre, the national entity responsible for unifying official statistics across the UAE. This is achieved in coordination with local statistics centres in the various emirates and federal data providers within the framework of the national statistics system.
This approach enhances the integration of roles and the unification of data sources. The partnership includes multiple key national entities, most notably the Central Bank of the UAE, the Ministry of Finance, the Federal Tax Authority, the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation, the Emirates Investment Authority, Etihad Water and Electricity Company, and others. This collaborative effort provides a comprehensive national economic database that supports the development of a more accurate and detailed time series of GDP.
The National Programme for Developing the Statistics System in the UAE serves as the strategic umbrella for modernising the UAE’s national statistics system.
This to be achieved through an integrated package of legislative, institutional and technical initiatives, including the comprehensive national review of GDP, the national strategy for the statistics system, a package of policies supporting statistical work, the national platform for statistical data, the statistical leadership development programme and the UAE Principles for Official Statistics document, which supports economic decision-making and consolidates the country’s competitiveness as a leading global model in developing and producing official economic statistics.
The UAE’s real gross domestic product grew by 3 percent in the first quarter of 2026 to reach AED485 billion at constant prices, while non-oil GDP grew by 4.8 percent, raising its contribution to 79.4 percent of the national economy.
The figures reflect the continued strength of non-oil economic activities and the resilience of the national economy despite the regional challenges witnessed during the first quarter, whose impact was confined to a limited number of activities and did not affect the overall trajectory of economic growth.
Data from the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre showed that the contribution of non-oil activities to GDP increased to 79.4 percent in Q1 2026, compared with 78.0 percent in 2025, underscoring the effectiveness of the UAE’s economic diversification policies and progress towards the objectives of the “We the UAE 2031” Vision.
Mohammad bin Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs, said the results reflected the success of development policies aimed at increasing the contribution of non-oil sectors to the national economy.
He said, “The Q1 2026 results reflect the ability of the UAE’s government work system to translate the wise leadership’s strategic vision into tangible economic results that serve people and the future.
“The growth led by the non-oil economy — through sectors such as finance, trade, and information, technology and communications, which contributed significantly to non-oil GDP growth in the first quarter of 2026, raising its contribution to 79.4 percent — is not an isolated figure, but the outcome of integrated government policies and initiatives working as one system towards one goal: consolidating the UAE’s standing as a global leader in competitiveness, excellence and future readiness.”
“We continue to work with our partners in the government and private sectors to ensure that economic performance remains a true reflection of the quality of life and the opportunities the UAE provides for its citizens, residents and investors from around the world,” he added.
Financial and insurance activities led economic growth, expanding 17.3 percent year-on-year, followed by construction at 8.1 percent, human health and social work activities at 7.7 percent, information and communication at 5.9 percent, and professional, scientific and technical activities together with administrative and support services at 4.9 percent, reflecting continued momentum across vital, high-value-added economic activities.
Real estate activities grew 4.8 percent, public administration, defence and compulsory social security rose 4.5 percent, while wholesale and retail trade expanded 2.6 percent, reflecting the broad-based nature of economic growth.
In terms of their actual contribution to growth, financial and insurance activities made the largest contribution, accounting for 2.44 percentage points, followed by construction with 1.04 percentage points, wholesale and retail trade with 0.42 percentage points, real estate with 0.36 percentage points, and professional, scientific and technical activities together with administrative services with 0.29 percentage points.
Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Tourism, said the results reflect the robustness of national economic performance and its ability to sustain growth.
He said, “The results of the first quarter of 2026 reflect the robustness of the national economy’s performance and its ability to sustain growth and enhance its competitiveness at both the regional and global levels, embodying the success of the vision and directives of the wise leadership, as well as the policies and legislation adopted by the country to advance economic diversification.
Al Marri stated, “Non-oil sectors continue to lead growth, raising their contribution to 79.4 percent of GDP, supporting the UAE’s sustainable economic growth and reinforcing its position as a global hub for business and investment.”
He added that the strong performance of non-oil sectors confirms the resilience and competitiveness of the UAE’s business environment, which has continued to develop over recent years. This performance also reflects the country’s vision of transitioning towards a more diversified and sustainable economic model, capable of adapting to global developments and sustaining its growth trajectory, in line with the objectives of the ‘We the UAE 2031’ Vision, which seeks to double the size of the national economy to AED3 trillion by 2031.
The strong performance of non-oil sectors is consistent with the UAE’s expanding foreign trade, supported by the network of Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements, which has opened new markets for national non-oil exports and strengthened manufacturing, trade and logistics activities.
Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Foreign Trade, said, “The UAE’s GDP growth results for the first quarter of 2026 reflect the success of the wise leadership’s vision in continuing to build a more open and globally competitive economy. It confirms the soundness of the approach based on expanding trade and investment partnerships and strengthening the UAE’s integration into the global economy through the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements programme.
“This opens new horizons for growth, reinforces the UAE’s position as a global gateway for world trade, and enhances the country’s attractiveness to high-quality investments.”
Al Zeyoudi added, “This approach is clearly reflected in the record performance of non-oil foreign trade, as the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements continue to open new markets for UAE exports of goods and services, supporting the growth of non-oil sectors, increasing their contribution to GDP and advancing sustainable economic development.
Non-oil exports grew by 23.9 percent during the first half of 2026 to reach AED452.8 billion, recording the highest growth rate among the components of the UAE’s foreign trade, which confirms the pivotal role of trade openness in stimulating domestic production and enhancing the competitiveness of the industrial and services sectors as among the country’s most important drivers of economic diversification.
As part of the comprehensive transformation of the national statistical system, the UAE is currently undertaking a comprehensive revision of its GDP accounts, including the integration of new data sources, the incorporation of free zones within the scope of statistical coverage, and the alignment and harmonisation of methodologies in line with international standards and best practices to enhance the accuracy and comprehensiveness of economic measurement.
The announced results are based on the current statistical methodology, and the time series will be updated in line with the outputs of the Comprehensive GDP Revision Programme upon its completion.
The programme is being implemented in partnership and technical coordination with a number of specialised international institutions and organisations, ensuring that methodologies are aligned with the best international standards and practices to enhance the reliability and comparability of the results.
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