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DATA FOR A BETTER FUTURE
Ministerial Roundtable of XDGS foresees the future of the world 2030-2045, discusses international cooperation efforts to overcome challenges
As part of the World Governments Summit 2024, the XDGS Ministerial Roundtable was held on the first day of the summit to strengthen international cooperation and address growing global challenges.
Participating ministers from various fields met to set an ambitious agenda for global development and cross-border cooperation, under the theme “XDGs 2045: Navigating the Future of Our World," with the aim of stimulating concrete actions in line with global dialogue and the urgent need to strengthen sustainable development plans by following a comprehensive mechanism and a forward-looking approach to future global development.
This meeting came amid a constantly changing landscape in the twenty-first century and in light of challenges such as climate change, technological developments, and changing geopolitical dynamics, as world leaders face unprecedented challenges, which impose the need to intensify international efforts and coordinate action among countries to confront these challenges and shape the future of international cooperation.
To effectively navigate this uncertain future, leaders must first address a critical question: How can we collaboratively design a strong and just post-2030 global agenda that reflects the changing needs and aspirations of our interconnected world?
The XDGs 2045 Ministerial Roundtable aims to set a joint and ambitious agenda to promote sustainable development, and identify practical steps to achieve these common global goals, through the exchange of experiences and ideas between ministers and government leaders, as the roundtable contributed to developing innovative and effective strategies to achieve sustainable development goals in the short and long term.
The roundtable discussions cover the XDGs 2045 “Shaping The Future of Our World" Report, which indicates the role and obligations that each country must have towards implementing the sustainable development system and standards, which were previously presented in February 2023. The United Arab Emirates activated the concept of the XDGS 2045 Ministerial Roundtable as a dedicated event at the World Governments Summit. For governments to develop radical solutions to the challenges of the unknown future the world may face and practical strategies to achieve specific goals.
The ministerial roundtable was chaired by Eng. Suhail Mohammed Faraj Al Mazroui, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure and Chairman of the Global Council on SDG 11, Hanan Mansour Ahli, Managing Director of the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre, and Dr Mahmoud Mohieldin, Executive Director of the International Monetary Fund and Special Envoy of the United Nations for Financing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Chairman of the Global Council on SDG 1.
Ulvi Ramiz oglu Mehdiyev, Chairman of the State Agency for Public Service and Social Innovations under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and Dr. Heika Harmgart, Managing Director Europan Bank for Reconstruction & Development, Raouf Mazou, Assistant High Commissioner for Operations, UNHCR, and Bora Muzhaqi, Minister of Youth and Children of the Republic of Albania, also participated.
Suhail Al Mazrouie said: “The United Arab Emirates, through the visionary leadership, is working to solidify the country’s position as an active participant in implementing sustainable development goals through collective action with all nations worldwide, benefiting peoples and communities to achieve development goals and create a better future for all."
He added: “There isn’t much time left until the final deadline agreed upon by the international community in 2030. Promises, ideas, and visions alone are not sufficient today. Instead, the focus must be on action, implementation, and achievement. The challenges facing the world are increasing in size and complexity day by day, making it imperative to launch immediate solutions to enable governments and individuals to efficiently and effectively address the larger and more complex challenges."
"The summit serves as a platform where governments, international organizations, institutions, academia, and civil society convene to address the challenges and opportunities of the future," His Excellency emphasised. He further highlighted that the Global Governments Summit offers governments a forum to facilitate and stimulate the sharing of ideas, foster collaboration, and forge partnerships aimed at advancing the global goals beyond 2030.
His Excellency Abdulla Nasser Lootah, Deputy Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Competitiveness and Knowledge Exchange, and Vice Chairman of the National Committee on Sustainable Development Goals, stated that the ministerial roundtable presents a significant opportunity to expand upon the discussions held during last year’s World Governments Summit, which addressed the need to develop the global development agenda for 2030, review current commitments, and analyse future opportunities.
He further added: “The commitment of the United Arab Emirates to sustainable development is at the core of the visionary leadership’s vision for the future of the country, aiming to be one of the best countries in the world. At a time when its experience in dealing with sustainable development goals has become a global benchmark to be guided by, and an inspiring practice from which many governments around the world benefit, aspiring to achieve their national sustainability agendas."
Dr. Mahmoud Mohieldin said: “The global community must endeavor to make 2024 and the subsequent years a period of fast acceleration towards attaining the 2030 SDGs through effective public, private philanthropy partnerships, significant finance stimulus, knowledge and technology sharing and capacity development," he added.
A detailed outline of the renewed global commitment was developed as one of the most important points of discussion, as participants seek to identify effective mechanisms to ensure the commitment of countries and international organizations to achieving the set goals. Emphasis will be placed on developing specific action plans and defining responsibilities and incentives to ensure that agreed commitments are implemented effectively and comprehensively.
Through these proposed points of discussion, the XDGs 2045 Ministerial Roundtable demonstrates a strong commitment to sustainable development and international cooperation in multiple areas. Hopes are high that this meeting will contribute to developing specific and sustainable action plans to build a better and more sustainable future for all.
It is worth noting that the XDGs 2045 Ministerial Roundtable aims to identify the practical steps that should be taken to achieve sustainable development and focus on cooperative efforts among ministers to overcome global challenges and promote sustainable development.
The SDG in Action Forum, organized within the World Government Summit 2024, in partnership with the National Committee for Sustainable Development Goals, will witness expanded dialogues aimed at paving the way towards achieving the global agenda for sustainable development.
As a part of the accompanying events of the Global Government Summit 2024, taking place in Dubai from February 12 to 14, with the participation of heads of states and governments, over 80 international and regional organizations, 120 government delegations, and a distinguished gathering of global thought leaders and experts, the forum explores major global trends in more than 110 main interactive dialogue sessions, featuring 200 global personalities. Additionally, more than 23 ministerial meetings and executive sessions with the participation of over 300 ministers are scheduled.
His Excellency Abdullah Nasser Lootah, Assistant Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Competitiveness and Knowledge Exchange and Vice Chairman of the National Committee for Sustainable Development Goals emphasized that the UAE, under the wise leadership, has become a global model in sustainable development areas. He highlighted the continuous efforts of the UAE in accelerating the achievement of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (2030) on both national and global levels.
His Excellency said that the UAE’s commitment to sustainable development is reflected in the voluntary national review report presented during a special session on voluntary national reviews based on data for sustainable development goals within the United Nations’ High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development in July of the previous year.
He added that the UAE continues its diligent work to support the achievement of sustainable development goals in areas such as poverty eradication, hunger elimination, and the enhancement of healthcare and community health on a global scale. This is achieved through constructive partnerships with nations and international organizations to assist communities worldwide, particularly those less fortunate. Lootah emphasized that the UAE is a major international supporter of renewable energy projects in over 70 countries.
The Forum addresses future transformations and innovative solutions to global challenges that contribute to shaping a better future for humanity. It focuses on seven core themes, including accelerating growth and change for effective governments, artificial intelligence and new future prospects, a fresh vision for development and future economies, the future of education and the aspirations of future societies, new global transformations, and urban expansion and global health priorities.
Since its launch in 2016, the SDGs in Action Forum has been a platform for promoting innovation towards achieving global goals. It discusses global challenges through innovative solutions, projects, and initiatives to expedite sustainable solutions for all major global challenges.
Through the Forum, the World Government Summit launched the SDG Activation Platform, with the aim of strengthening the focus on the implementation of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals adopted around the world. The initiative was launched in partnership with the World Government Summit, the United Nations, the World Bank, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, and a number of local and international partners, with the aim of overcoming the challenges facing countries’ work to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
It’s worth noting that the National Committee for Sustainable Development Goals in the UAE was formed by a resolution issued by the Cabinet in January 2017. The committee, chaired by Reem bint Ibrahim Al Hashimy, Minister of State for International Cooperation, includes the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and 13 federal government entities, all sharing responsibility for implementing sustainable development goals nationally, monitoring progress, engaging relevant stakeholders, and submitting regular reports on the country’s achievements.
Dubai (Union) – The Higher Committee for Coordinating Statistical Work at the national level had its fourth meeting at the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre in Dubai; where they discussed the National Statistics Strategy plan, as part of its efforts to enhance continuous assessments of new emerging needs and improve the efficiency of the statistical system to serve development programs at both the national and international levels. The meeting was attended by H.E. Sheikh Sultan bin Abdullah Al Qasimi, Director of the Department of Statistics and Community Development, H.E. Hanan Ahli, Managing Director of the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre and Chairman of the Committee, H.E. Abdullah Gharib AlQemzi, Acting Director General of the Statistics Centre – Abu Dhabi, H.E. Younus Al Nasser, Assistant Director General, Digital Dubai & CEO, Dubai Data Establishment, Dr. Hajar Al Hubaishi, Executive Director of Ajman Statistics Center, Najwa Yaqoub, Executive Director of the Ras Al Khaimah Center for Statistics and Studies, and H.E. Dr. Ibrahim Saad, Director of Fujairah Statistics Center. H.E. Hanan Ahli, emphasized the importance of enhancing cooperation between the statistical entities in the country through the exchange of knowledge and experiences and unifying standards of statistical processes. She pointed out that the upcoming action plan will prioritize designing the future statistical system and ways to improve the competitiveness of the UAE in global reports and indicators. She highlighted the importance of focusing on technical areas with a high impact on the national statistical strategy. The Committee stressed the importance of the participation of the UAE delegation in the fifty-fifth session of the United Nations Statistical Commission, in coordination with the Office of the Permanent Mission of the UAE to the United Nations, as the meetings of the Committee represent an ideal opportunity to build channels of communication and fruitful cooperation with international statistical authorities. It is worth mentioning that the Higher Committee for Coordinating Statistical Work was established at the national level in 2016 as a national initiative aimed at enhancing partnership opportunities, developing mechanisms for joint work, intensifying coordination among statistical entities in areas of statistical work development, and designing policies and implementing strategies based on data supporting decision-making processes.
The Ministry of Community Development announced the launch of the Household Income and Expenditure Survey 2024, in cooperation with national statistics centers in all emirates of the country, in a comprehensive national initiative that will continue for a whole year. The survey covers about 19,000 households nationwide and aims to provide a series of data and indicators related to the economic and social lifestyles of families, in addition to studying the conditions and standards of living within the country, and the seasonal changes that families go through for their income and spending over a whole year. Leadership’s Vision Her Excellency Shamma bint Suhail Al Mazrouei, Minister of Community Development, said: "In accordance with the vision of the wise leadership, the UAE launched The National Strategy for Wellbeing 2031, with the aim of moving from the concept of a good life to a comprehensive concept of integrated wellbeing," stressing the commitment of the Ministry of Community Development to continue improving the aspects of life for individuals and families through a scientific approach that seeks to progress development plans and programs and renewable services that touch the reality of the needs of Emirati families, which supports their cohesion and stability and protects their members within the framework of a sustainable development plan. Her Excellency pointed out that the survey on household income and expenditure represents a major step the importance that the Ministry and its partners are working on at a state level to feed the database of families, and this is integrated with the plans and initiatives that the Ministry is working on to serve the community in the UAE. For his part, His Excellency Dr. Mugheer Khamis Al Khaili, Chairman of the Department of Community Development – Abu Dhabi, stressed that the wise vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, may God protect him, places providing a decent life for Emirati families as a priority, and aims to enhance their quality of life and happiness, to ensure a decent and sustainable life and a bright future for all family members. His Excellency praised the efforts of the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre from developing the "Household Income and Expenditure Survey" project and continuously stressing awareness from the beginning of the importance of this survey, which provides data and figures that constitute a reality of household income and expenditure levels in the country, which constitutes in its objectives a major step for decision-makers and officials to identify the data and indicators resulting from the survey, develop strategic development plans, in addition to implementing initiatives, whether social or economic, to improve all aspects of life for individuals and families, which would reflect positively on all components of these families, hence providing a decent quality of life that enhances their happiness. His Excellency highlighted that the Community Development Department in Abu Dhabi places great emphasis on the family, considering it the "foundation and nucleus" for a cohesive and interconnected society that contributes to the progress and prosperity of the emirate. This has led to the launch of the department’s "Abu Dhabi Family Wellbeing Strategy," which is a comprehensive plan aimed at continuing to empower families and supporting their efforts in the emirate. This strategy encompasses children, youth, elderly citizens, residents, and all individuals, ensuring the provision of a nurturing and healthy environment for all families.
Quality of Life
Her Excellency Hessa bint Essa Buhumaid, Director General of the Community Development Authority in the Government of Dubai, said: "The UAE, under the leadership of the President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and the directions of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, believes that enhancing the quality of life of families is a great priority, and is working to enhance and consolidate it for the benefit of achieving the gains of all its members." Her Excellency pointed out that the Household Income and Expenditure Survey 2024 represents a qualitative step to update data and information that will support decision-makers and officials in developing Strategic plans and qualitative initiatives that improve the lives of families in the UAE, indicating that the Community Development Authority is working to provide multiple social services and programs aimed at improving the lives of the individual and society, and strengthening family ties to build a cohesive society.
International standards
For his part, His Excellency Sheikh Mohammed bin Humaid Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Sharjah Department of Statistics and Community Development, said that the data collection process is carried out according to specific international principles and standards, stressing that dealing with the data that will be collected through the survey will be confidential, and will be used for the purposes of research and statistical study.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Humaid Al Qasimi called on members of the community to cooperate fully to make this survey a success and support the planning process for the economic and social development of the UAE.
5 years
Her Excellency Hanan Ahli, Managing Director of the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre stated that the United Arab Emirates is witnessing the implementation of a Family Income and Expenditure Survey every five years. Experts from the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Center, in collaboration with national statistical centers, have developed an approved scientific design for the sample of households to be visited. Hanan Ahli added that the survey will provide outputs related to the economic and social levels of families, contributing to empowering and supporting decision-makers in the formulation of economic and social policies. It will also provide data and results that enhance all aspects of life for individuals and families in the country. She noted that the survey sample will cover all emirates in the country, involving approximately 19,000 households, and represents an advanced mechanism to survey aspects of consumer spending in areas such as housing, education, health, and more.
A Careful Approach
In the same context, Abdullah Gharib Al Qamzi, Acting Director General of the Statistics Center – Abu Dhabi, confirmed that the samples were designed according to a proportional distribution method based on the number of households in the emirate. This approach ensures the required level of accuracy through an integrated process conducted in collaboration with the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Center and national statistical centers, using the latest scientific methods. Al Qamzi said: "The Household Income and Expenditure Survey is carried out periodically to provide data on household income and expenditure. According to demographic and family characteristics, studying the levels of income and expenditure of the family and the individual and showing its relationship to economic and social factors, in addition to the distribution of individuals and families according to income and expenditure groups, collecting the necessary data to support the relevant projects, and estimating the national accounts related to income and consumption.
Spending Patterns
Younus AlNasser is the Assistant Director General, Digital Dubai & CEO, Dubai Data Establishment, said: "The Household Income and Expenditure Survey is in line with the higher national trends that are inspired by the vision of ‘We the UAE 2031’, which stipulates the establishment of the most prosperous society on a global level. The survey also embodies the importance of relying on digital data to draw conclusions and make decisions that contribute to building a brighter future, achieving community happiness, and consolidating the UAE’s leading position in various relevant global indicators".
Dr. Hajar Saeed Al-Hubaishi, Executive Director of Ajman Statistics Center, said The Household Income and Expenditure Survey aims to calculate the average income and expenditure of the individual and family. This data is linked to multiple factors such as education, profession, and activities. economic, as well as demographic, social and economic aspects. The survey provides accurate indicators on the monthly income and expenditure of households and individuals and helps estimate the current demand for goods and services. It also makes it possible to predict the future needs of the population with regard to goods and services.
Community Well-Being
Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Shayeb Al-Naqbi, Director-General of the Ras Al Khaimah Department of Economic Development, pointed out that the data of the Household Income and Expenditure Survey provide the necessary indicators to assess the level of well-being of households and individuals. By knowing the characteristics of the housing inhabited by the family, the durable goods available to it, the expenses of families on various items of expenditure, and identifying the activities of the informal sector, such as the activity of agriculture within the family sector (self-production outside the establishments), and its importance to the national economy. Dr. Ibrahim Saad, Director of the Fujairah Statistics Centre, said that the household income and expenditure survey will meet the needs of the SNA of data necessary to prepare national accounts related to the final consumption of households, in addition to measuring the inflation rate, and calculating the quantities and values of consumption of goods and services to estimate the demand for them in the future."
The General Secretariat of the National Committee for Sustainable Development Goals and the Global Councils for Sustainable Development Goals 2030 concluded a series of events organized in conjunction with the work of the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference or Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC (COP28), which included the Sustainable Development Goals Forum, in addition to many developmental initiatives and programs aimed at strengthening international partnerships in confronting the effects of climate change, eradicating poverty and protecting the planet, which will positively reflect on societies of future generations.
The SDG’s Forum discussed a number of goals in its sessions, including the fourth goal "education" and its importance as one of the decisive factors in contributing to advancing climate action, the seventh goal "clean energy", and the thirteenth goal "climate action". The forum concluded with the speech of His Excellency Suhail bin Mohammed Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure and Chairman of the World Council for the goal 11 "sustainable cities and communities".
The forum was attended by a group of experts on sustainable development goals in the UAE, and was attended by members of the global councils and a group of global specialists and advisers participating in COP28.
His Excellency, Abdulla Lootah, Deputy Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Competitiveness and Knowledge Exchange, Chairman of the Emirates Competitiveness Council, and Vice-Chairman of the National Committee on Sustainable Development Goals, stressed the UAE government’s constant endeavor to enhance and support international efforts to achieve the SDGs, and pointed to the country’s pioneering experience that has been continuous for many years in this field, the latest achievement of which was the announcement of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, to invest $ 100 billion in financing climate action and renewable and clean energy. The UAE is committed to investing an additional $130 billion over the next seven years, reflecting the visions of the wise leadership and its tireless work to support global efforts to achieve climate neutrality by 2050, and the seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
H.E. Abdullah Lootah said that the world is facing great challenges in its march to implement the 2030 Agenda, in many areas including poverty, finance, climate change and others, and that the National Committee on SDG’s works to harness all available capabilities, and exchange information and experiences with stakeholders on the widest scale, to find practical solutions to reduce unprecedented climate change. He stressed the importance of youth participation in the success of efforts to achieve the sustainable development goals, and praised the active role of youth in COP28, which included the participation of the Young Leaders Program to achieve the sustainable development goals in more than 10 sessions, covering the topics of epidemics and health, women’s empowerment, financing and gender balance, among others.
Dr. Mahmoud Mohieldin, the United Nations Special Envoy on Financing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, held a key session to discuss the importance of mobilizing financing and intensifying efforts to tackle poverty in a radical way. The SDG Youth Council actively participated in several conference sessions held in the Blue and Green Zones, with the presence and participation of government officials and decision-makers.
The General Secretariat of the National Committee for Sustainable Development Goals concluded its participation in the activities of the COP28 conference, by launching the second generation of sustainable buses in partnership with Emirates Transport, as part of the "Road to Sustainability" campaign.
The Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre organized an intensive national workshop on services trade statistics, in cooperation with experts from the World Trade Organization, the International Monetary Fund, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and the United Nations Trade and Development Organization.
The workshop was attended by experts and specialists in national accounts and trade statistics from government agencies from all around the UAE, including the Ministry of Economy, the Ministry of Finance, the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Ports Security, as well as statisticians and economists from local statistical centers in the country.
His Excellency Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of State for Foreign Trade, stressed that the UAE, thanks to the vision of the wise leadership, continues to strengthen its international position in services trade, as it ranked 12th as the largest exporter of services in the world during 2022 according to the World Trade Organization, while the value of UAE services exports reached AED 567 billion, equivalent to $155 billion, according to the "Trade Profiles" report issued by the organization last October. This report provides key data on the trade of goods and commercial services for 197 countries worldwide.
His Excellency added that the new strategy for services exports recently adopted by the Cabinet will increase the contribution of this vital sector with promising potential to non-oil foreign trade and GDP of the UAE, as the UAE’s service exports are growing at rates faster than the global average, helping to solidify the UAE’s position as a global business hub with an increasingly advanced and high-value economy that relies on services.
Her Excellency, Hanan Ahli, Manager Director of the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre, said that organizing the workshop comes as part of the joint efforts of the Centre, the World Trade Organization, ministries and government entities. These efforts aim to ensure alignment in the methodologies of collecting data related to services trade with the best practices and international standards. This is done to improve the business environment and achieve sustainable economic growth.
1,600 contestants representing 400 teams of young talents specialized in the fields of artificial intelligence and data science from the UAE and around the world participated in the activities of the United Nations Datathon 2023 platform, which was held in the UAE under the auspices of the United Nations, in the presence of data science specialists from the most prominent universities in the Arab region and the world.
Datathon 2023 is a participatory platform that supports and motivates young talents, organized in partnership between the Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications Office, the National Committee on Sustainable Development Goals, the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre (FCSC), and the Federal Youth Authority, with the support of academic institutions in the country.
The platform aims to enhance the leadership of the United Arab Emirates globally in the fields of artificial intelligence applications and data science, and to raise awareness of the importance of this sector in shaping future pathways.
Her Excellency Hanan Ahli, Managing Director of the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre said that the UN Datathon serves as a platform for exploring and developing advanced solutions and innovative projects based on the outputs of the rapid evolution of emerging technologies. These can be employed to address various challenges in current and future vital sectors.
Her Excellency emphasized that the UN Datathon encompasses various domains of emerging and advanced technology, spanning data analysis, big data, artificial intelligence, smart conversational robots, blockchain, metaverse, augmented reality, 3D and 4D printing technology, along with several other emerging technologies. The aim is to harness the innovations of youth in these fields to contribute to building more advanced and prosperous societies. H.E. Mohammed Hassan, the Executive Director of the National Statistics and Data Science Sector at FCSC, asserted that the UN Datathon platform will strengthen communication among the youth of the UAE and their counterparts worldwide. It will provide a supportive environment for participants to develop solutions that address the challenges and rapidly changing dynamics in various fields. This, in turn, contributes to supporting efforts to achieve sustainable development goals.
His Excellency stated that participants in the United Nations Datathon 2023 will have the opportunity to engage in numerous sessions designed in an interactive and stimulating format, enabling them to unleash their creativity and enhance a culture of teamwork and collaborative work aimed at maximizing the utilization of available resources.
It is worth mentioning that the Open Data Datathon is one of the global initiatives organized in the UAE, in conjunction with the main event organized in the Republic of Uruguay, under the auspices of the United Nations, and the UAE represents an accredited regional platform for organizing data for the Middle East and North Africa region, with the aim of facilitating the entry of participants in the global competition.
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.
Dubai, October 19, 2018
The Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority (FCSA) hosted the meetings of the UN Global Working Group (GWG) on Big Data across an entire day. The meetings explored the five key pillars of utilising Big Data to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the UN’s 2030 Agenda.
H.E. Abdullah Lootah, FCSA Director General and Chairman of the Organising Committee of the UN World Data Forum 2018, opened the meetings, which discussed ways to improve the quality of statistics, strategies for addressing challenges in the Big Data sector, and mechanisms to consolidate partnerships with leading statistics entities from around the world, as well as data developers and experts on Big Data.
Ms. Heather Savory, Co-Chair of the UN Big Data Group and Director-General of Data Capacity at the National Statistical Office of the United Kingdom, said: “I would like to begin by thanking the UAE for hosting these meetings, which provide an international platform and ideal environment that enhances cooperation and partnership among all sorts of institutions and organisations. We are waiting to catalyse research and development efforts to provide secure services and applications, which, in turn, can be used to implement various projects in collaboration with leading tech companies and academic institutions. We look forward to exploring the best practices that enable the international statistics community to embrace modern technologies, improve the collection of data and utilise them to drive development and achieve SDGs locally and internationally.”
Meanwhile, Niels Ploug, Co-Chair of the UN Big Data Group and Director of the Department of Social Statistics of the Statistics Office of Denmark, said: “Independent official statistics serve both governments and the private sector, providing data about economic, social and environmental sectors. With that in mind, technology and data can help outline a clear image of the challenges that lie ahead for our society. Meeting here in Dubai is ideal to address our ability to utilise these resources and we look forward to partnering with the private sector to access its data and develop wider-reaching services.”
Mohamed Hassan Ahli, Executive Director of the National Statistics and Data Sector at the FCSA, said: “The UAE is hosting GWG’s Open Day meetings, in line with the directives of our wise leadership in supporting and encouraging innovation, benefiting from the data revolution and harnessing advanced technology to achieve strategic objectives and sustainable development plans locally, regionally and internationally.”
“Big Data is the cornerstone of optimising the use of artificial intelligence to employ cutting-edge technology in forecasting the future,” Ahli added. “Such forecasts are a key pillar of data-driven strategic planning, which is used across all UAE Government entities. These meetings will undoubtedly offer an opportunity to introduce international best practices in data and statistics across economic, social, environmental, health and educational spheres.”
The GWG meeting agenda included over five sessions showcasing the most prominent experiences and expertise in harnessing Big Data to achieve SDGs.
Session 1 highlighted the developments of the GWG’s Global Platform for Big Data and its contributions to producing official statistics. It also underlined new platforms for reliable methodologies and algorithms and monitoring of Earth’s data, e.g. Earth Observation Data, to collect and analyse data and integrate AI and machine learning applications.
Exploring agriculture and crop statistics, Session 2 shed light on the experiences of Canada, Colombia and the World Food Programme through satellite imagery data. Session 3, meanwhile, focused on assessing the movement of individuals and groups through analysing data collected from mobile electronic devices and methods of utilising such data to derive statistics on tourism, migration, daily commute and refugee movements.
Session 4 dealt with price fluctuations and their impact on the future forecast of commodity prices and spending behaviours through collecting data from bar codes, as well as from store and market reports. This while Session 5 addressed the challenges of Big Data and privacy, showcasing best practices in protecting personal data and making relevant decisions.
Around the end of the sessions, members of the GWG proposed key learnings and takeaways, which included: The need for statistics offices to modernise in order to benefit from the Big Data revolution; the necessity of optimising the insights that can be gathered from satellite imagery; tapping into machine learning and artificial intelligence; benefitting from the insight provided by data sources and technologies to improve the quality and relevance of official statistics and enable better decision-making for policymakers in the UAE and abroad.
The session underlined the importance of collaboration among the global community to achieve sustainable development in this new digital economy. This includes organising major events, such as the GWG ensure that knowledge is shared among statistics offices across the globe. The main objective from this type of event is to ensure that this is done in an open, transparent and collaborative manner. In addition to enhancing official statistics, Big Data also has great potential to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals to end poverty and hunger, ensure quality education, better healthcare and more equality, all the while addressing climate change and ensuring a better future for everyone.
The UN Global World Group for Big Data comprises 22 member countries, including the UAE, represented by the FCSA, which strives to develop national competencies and seek out the latest international technologies and experiences in government Big Data programmes and initiatives. Furthermore, the GWG aims to identify international best practices and innovation-driven initiatives in terms of official statistics, particularly the applications of Big Data.
The GWG also includes nine members of international entities, including Eurostat, the GCC Statistical Center, the International Telecommunication Union, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, the United Nations Statistics Division, and the World Bank.
Dubai, October 8, 2018
The Ministry of Interior has signed a partnership agreement with the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority (FCSA) to enhance bilateral collaboration and coordination in the lead-up to the second edition of the UN World Data Forum, set to be held in Dubai’s Madinat Jumeirah on October 22-24, 2018.
The Forum brings together high-ranking officials, prominent decision makers, and more than 1,500 experts and specialists in data and statistics from all around the world. The partnership agreement allows the Ministry of Interior to showcase the latest successes achieved in the police and security sector through a data-centred approach.
The agreement was signed at the Ministry’s headquarters by His Excellency Lt. General Saif Abdullah Al Shafar, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, and H.E. Abdullah Nasser Lootah, FCSA Director General and Chairman of the Forum’s Organising Committee, in the presence of Brigadier General Mohammed Humaid bin Dalmuj Al Dhaheri, Acting Secretary-General of the Office of the Minister of Interior, and a number of FCSA officials.
The agreement is in line with both entities’ efforts to promote cooperation among institutions across the UAE to better serve the community and establish the UAE as an example to be emulated around the region and the world, all the while highlighting the country’s credentials as a prime destination for major international conferences and events.
H.E. Lt. General Al Shafar noted that signing this partnership agreement with the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority reiterates the Ministry’s commitment to supporting events and initiatives revolving around statistics in general, and the activities of the UN World Data Forum 2018, in particular, which is a notable event for the international statistics sector.
The Lt. General went on to note that the Ministry, under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister of the UAE and Minister of Interior, is committed to building excellent relationships with entities across the UAE and facilitating the exchange of knowledge and expertise among them. This, in turn, catalyses sustainable development, ensures safety and security, and helps provide advanced services.
For his part, H.E. Abdullah Nasser Lootah said: “We are happy to be collaborating with the Ministry of Interior to harmonise all efforts and ensure the UN World Data Forum 2018, held in the UAE, is a resounding success. This partnership also echoes our dedication to strengthening partnerships with all stakeholders across the UAE to ensure sustainable development, secure the country’s spot at the top of international competitiveness indexes, and highlight its role in fostering collaboration to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).”
“This partnership is an important step forward; it supports all the efforts to create a massive, centralised database for the UAE – the first of its kind in the world – firmly establishing the country as a global leader in embracing data as a key ingredient in sustainable development,” H.E. Lootah added. “It allows us to benefit from expertise, explore best practices, build national capacities, and utilise advanced technologies to mine accurate data and use it as a foundation upon which to build a better future for coming generations.”
The agreement stipulates that the two parties are to cooperate and provide all resources necessary to support the world-leading Forum that examines the role of data in accomplishing the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda. The two entities will also benefit from the Forum’s discussions and takeaways to empower national talents and hone their statistical skills. Held under the aegis of the United Nations, the World Data Forum brings together prominent data producers and consumers to launch initiatives that improve available data on health, education, income, the environment, and climate, among other areas of interest for sustainable development.
Dubai, October 3, 2018
The Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority (FCSA) organised a panel discussion titled “Data and Artificial Intelligence: An Active Role in Building the World’s Future” as part of the “Data for a Better Future for Humanity” series in the lead-up to the second UN World Data Forum, set to be held in Dubai’s Madinat Jumeirah on October 22-24, 2018.
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 Forum brings together high-ranking officials, prominent decision makers, and more than 1,500 experts and specialists in data and statistics from all around the world.
Her Excellency Sarah bint Yousif Al Amiri, Minister of State for Advanced Sciences, attended the session, along with H.E. Abdullah Nasser Lootah, FCSA Director General and Chairman of the Forum’s Organising Committee; while H.E. Ohood Ali Abdullah Al Shuhail, Director-General of Ajman Digital Government; and Eng. Bashar Kilani, Region Executive, IBM Middle East, participated in an interactive discussion with officials from statistics centres, universities and youth councils around the UAE, debating how data affects the use of artificial intelligence (AI), particularly with regards to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) locally and internationally.
H.E. Sarah Al Amiri asserted that the UAE, guided by the forward-thinking vision of its wise leadership, has espoused a proactive approach, tailored to the requirements of the Government of the Future and rooted in data as a fundamental component in decision making. This is in line with the UAE’s quest to establish its lead in various sectors and find solutions for all challenges, particularly those with direct impact on the lives of individuals and society.
“Data is the cornerstone of knowledge; and knowledge is the driving force behind positive change,” H.E. added. “With that in mind, the optimal utilisation of data and scientific research will play a key role in establishing a developed ecosystem that embraces advanced science and technology to upgrade key services and provide a better life and brighter future for all members of the community.”
“We, at the Office of the Minister of State for Advanced Science, prioritise data, research and statistics, which, we believe, play an immense role in ensuring the optimal use of advanced science and research, as per the objectives of the National Advanced Sciences Agenda 2031,” H.E. Al Amiri noted. “The Agenda seeks to establish a conducive environment to help achieve the objectives of the UAE Centennial 2071 Plan, by placing science and technology at the disposal of sectors and establishing a comprehensive database to help identify the most important challenges and create solutions to address them.”
The Minister of State for Advanced Science concluded by asserting the importance of promoting scientific research, guiding the youth, and empowering them to remain aware of advanced sciences in order to ultimately build a generation of distinguished Emirati scientists and achieve further success to reflect the best possible image of UAE youth.
For her part, H.E. Ohood Ali Abdullah Al Shuhail said: “The Ajman Government is working to build a robust database in collaboration with all Government entities and according to the Ajman 2021 vision, which, in turn, aims to achieve the UAE leadership’s vision to build a better future for our societies and coming generations.”
“Processing data through advanced technologies is fundamental for adopting artificial intelligence,” H.E. Al Shuhail continued. “With that in mind, we consider the community to be a key partner in supporting Government entities by providing the necessary data to upgrade Government operations, while the private sector’s cooperation is paramount to build a comprehensive data ecosystem that facilitates forecasting future challenges and formulating adequate solutions for them.”
“Having realised the importance of these advanced technologies early on, the UAE appointed a Minister of State for Advanced Science to the Federal Government and proceeded to work on a National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence that echoes the 2021 Advanced Science Strategy and intersects with four of its main themes in nine key sectors,” H.E. explained.
Al Shuhail noted that the Ajman Digital Government emphasises developing technological skills among young generations and to that end, it has launched a series of initiatives, collaborating with Sandooq Al Watan and other entities to launch “Emirati Coder” to train 260 students in programming and robotics. The Ajman Digital Government also collaborated with Dark Matter Group’s educational arm, Ajyal Talent Management, to introduce four new courses to the curriculum at Ajman Academy as a prelude to implementing them in schools across the emirate.
Meanwhile, Eng. Bashar Kilani began by identifying artificial intelligence as a concept, which consists of using machines to simulate human intellect, noting that the first recorded implementations of this advanced technology emerged in the 1950s and 1960s in the form of devices that analyse voices and images. With the data revolution, these technologies made their way to other areas, such as analysis, machine learning and reading.
“The successful implementation of these future technologies relies on accurate data to support decision making,” Kilani said. “Data plays a pivotal role in improving performance and customer satisfaction, increasing companies’ bottom lines, and helping employees hone their professional skills by automating repetitive tasks and allowing them to shift their focus on more important duties.”
Kilani noted that the emergence of these advanced technologies will create new jobs on the market, where two-thirds of jobs in the future are expected to be completely new, while automation and robots will take over 80% of human tasks. The IBM Region Executive cited examples where this is already happening, such as in bank transactions, self-driving vehicles and drones.
“Data is the oil of the future, and we are on the cusp of great growth in the sector and the proliferation of related professions, such as data scientist. There will be increasing demand for data scientists in engineering, data scientists in medicine, etc.” Kilani concluded. “The UAE will lead the way in utilising this data to improve performance across key sectors and maintain the UAE’s steady rise on international competitiveness indexes.”
The UN World Data Forum 2018 is the most important international gathering of data and statistics in the world. It 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.
Taking place over the course of three days, the UN World Data Forum receives support from major strategic partners, namely: The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MOFA); the Ministry of Interior (MOI); GCC Statistical Center (GCC-STAT); the Smart Dubai Office (SDO); Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA); Dubai Statistics Center (DSC); DP World; Abu Dhabi Ports; Statistics Centre – Abu Dhabi; Sharjah Department of Statistics and Community Development (DSCD); Fujairah Statistics Centre; and the General Secretariat of the Executive Council in the Emirate of Umm Al Quwain.
SDGs Talk with HE Maitha Al Shamsi, Minister of State
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