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Media Center

DATA FOR A BETTER FUTURE

Press Release
The Red Crescent reviews the pivotal role of the Sheikha Fatima Fund for Refugee Women
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17 Jul 2024
​Her Excellency Dr. Maitha bint Salem Al Shamsi, Minister of State and Chairperson of the Higher Committee of the Sheikha Fatima Fund for Refugee Women, stressed the importance of the role played by global partnerships as a key driver in the work of local and international bodies and organizations, with the aim of accelerating international efforts to achieve sustainable development goals around the world. Her Excellency pointed to the keenness of Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, "Mother of the Nation", Chairwoman of the General Women’s Union, President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation, Honorary President of the Red Crescent Authority, President of the Sheikha Fatima Fund for Refugee Women, to support refugee issues, especially women, explaining that Her Highness Sheikha Fatima pays great attention to supporting women’s development efforts and empowering them to be a major and effective partner in achieving opportunities and achievements in general, especially those efforts directed to refugee women, and that Her Highness Since the establishment of the Fund, it has launched many projects and programs aimed at developing the capacities of refugee women and enhancing their skills in many developmental fields in order to secure a decent life for them. This came in the context of His Excellency Al Shamsi’s comment on the participation of the Crescent Authority team The UAE Red is part of the UAE delegation participating in the activities of the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development of the United Nations held in New York, organized by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs and concludes its work today. The Emirates Red Crescent Authority participated in many events accompanying the forum, including the session of Her Excellency Amina Mohamed, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, and a number of representatives of participating countries and organizations, as well as a lecture at the headquarters of New York University in the United States, which was attended by a group of graduate students from New York University from the School of Professional Studies, the Global Affairs and Global Security Program, the Conflict and Cybersecurity Program, and students from business majors and others. H.E. Abdul Allah Nasser Lootah, Assistant Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Knowledge Exchange and Competitiveness, Chairman of the National Committee for Sustainable Development Goals, said: "The UAE plays a pivotal role in supporting global humanitarian issues, making it a role model and a shining mark in development work. Many have established the UAE’s lofty values worldwide, namely peace, development and empowerment for all segments of society, especially women, and provided them with solutions with a quick return and impact that benefit their contribution to creating a future for themselves and their society." A paradigm shift During his participation in the forum, Hamoud Abdullah Al Junaibi, Deputy Secretary-General of the Local Affairs Sector of the Authority and Vice President of the Sheikha Fatima Fund for Refugee Women, reviewed the most prominent achievements of the Sheikha Fatima Fund for Refugee Women, which come as part of international efforts to accelerate the achievement of sustainable development goals.
He said: "Since its launch at the generous initiative of Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak in 2000, the Sheikha Fatima Fund for Refugee Women, through the Emirates Red Crescent and in cooperation with the UNHCR, has implemented many development projects that have made a qualitative leap in the lives of many of the most vulnerable groups, especially women and children, and contributed to improving the level of services provided to those affected in conflict areas." He stressed the keenness of the Sheikha Fatima Fund for Refugee Women and the Emirates Red Crescent Authority to intensify and continue their efforts. With the aim of maximizing the impact of their initiatives International Goals to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. During its participations, the Red Crescent delegation spoke about the signing of two new agreements by the Sheikha Fatima Fund for Refugee Women with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the first to renew the partnership between the two sides for a period of three years to support refugee women, and the second to implement a project worth one million US dollars to provide sustainable shelter for refugees and internally displaced persons in the Republics of Burkina Faso and Chad, benefiting about 871 refugee and displaced families. The delegation also reviewed the project to strengthen the capacity of refugees in Uganda, funded by the Sheikha Fatima Fund for Refugee Women, in cooperation with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), which benefited more than 45,000 people, 60 per cent of whom were women in the field of agriculture and livestock. High-Level Forum The High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) is the main platform of the United Nations on sustainable development issues and, since its inception in 2012, has played a pivotal role in following up and reviewing what has been implemented at the country level in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This session of the Forum is held Under the theme "Promoting the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Eradicating Poverty in Times of Multiple Crises: Effectively Implementing Sustainable, Resilient and Innovative Solutions". Throughout its 8-17 July 2024 edition, delegates participating in this year’s edition of the Forum will work on in-depth revisions of five of the Sustainable Development Goals: Goal 1 to eradicate poverty in all its forms everywhere, Goal 2 to end hunger, achieve food security, improve nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture, Goal 13 to support climate action and call for urgent action to combat climate change and its repercussions, and Goal 16 to promote peaceful and inclusive societies to achieve development. Goal 17, which focuses on global partnerships to promote the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals.

UAE’s Smart City and AI Model Takes Centre Stage in Discussion Hosted by NYC Mayor’s Office During 2024 UN High-Level Forum
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16 Jul 2024
The UAE’s innovative use of artificial intelligence (AI) to drive comprehensive development was a focal point at a session focused on the potential of smart, sustainable cities and AI applications.
This event, hosted by the New York City Mayor’s Office for International Affairs and Partners, featured members of the UAE delegation and was held on the sidelines of the United Nations High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development.
Under the theme of “Transformational Local and Regional Governments: Artificial Intelligence As a Tool For Good”, the UAE delegation, along with international representatives and UN programme officials, explored sustainability opportunities in future cities and the potential use of AI in integrated government operations at both city and regional levels.
Notable attendees included Abdullah Nasser Lootah, Deputy Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Competitiveness and Experience Exchange, Chairman of the National Committee on Sustainable Development Goals; Michal Mlynar, Acting Executive Director of UN-Habitat; Amna Binzaal Almheiri, Consul-General of the UAE in New York; and Edward Mermelstein, New York City’s Commissioner for International Affairs.
The UAE delegation emphasised the government’s commitment to expanding AI usage and enhancing global partnerships to advance government and development initiatives, highlighting the strategic goal of achieving sustainable economic, social, and knowledge growth. They also discussed the importance of research, development, and innovation, facilitated by international cooperation.
Abdulla Lootah elaborated on the UAE’s proactive approach under the guidance of its visionary leadership, which prioritises integrating AI solutions in the development of sustainable smart cities and communities. He emphasised a human-centric design strategy, ensuring that community needs and well-being are at the forefront of every phase of development and service delivery. He underscored the role of innovative technologies in driving positive transformations and ensuring governance that enhances quality of life while mitigating any adverse impacts.
Furthermore, he discussed the significant impact of strategic initiatives like the Government Experience Exchange Programme, through which the UAE disseminates and shares best practices in governmental operations with global partners. This initiative aims to foster effective partnerships to achieve SDGs.
Lootah expressed gratitude to the New York City Mayor’s Office for International Affairs for organising the session. He said, “As we look to the future, our focus must remain on fostering inclusive partnerships and expanding technological capacities. By doing so, we can work collaboratively to bridge the digital divide, creating a future where technology significantly enhances the lives of individuals and communities worldwide.”
Since its establishment in 2012, the HLPF has served as the primary platform for the UN to discuss progress on the SDGs and has played a central role in monitoring and reviewing the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
HLPF 2024, themed ‘Reinforcing the 2030 Agenda and eradicating poverty in times of multiple crises: the effective delivery of sustainable, resilient, and innovative solutions,’ will conduct in-depth reviews on several SDGs: SDG 1 (No Poverty), SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 13 (Climate Action), SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).

Ministry of Interior stresses the importance of global peace and security in achieving sustainable development goals
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15 Jul 2024

The Ministry of Interior stressed the importance of global peace and security in achieving the sustainable development goals and the UAE’s keenness to achieve a balanced and comprehensive development path that does not only affect the national level, but also benefits all countries of the world. This came during the participation of Lt. Col. Dana Humaid Al Marzouqi, Director General of the International Affairs Office at the Ministry of Interior, as part of the UAE delegation in the activities of the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development of the United Nations held in New York, organized by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs until July 17, in which the Ministry of Interior reviewed its international initiatives in climate action and community security. Lieutenant Colonel Dana Humaid Al Marzouqi noted the UAE government’s keenness to continue raising and enhancing global peace and security levels through law enforcement institutions, national security strategies, and modernizing the legislative system in line with the growing requirements of societies to achieve sustainable development goals worldwide. She said that our wise leadership realized early the importance of achieving the 16th goal of the sustainable development goals to achieve the rest of the goals, which requires the implementation of a comprehensive approach to make leaps Quality in the levels of achievement of all seventeen sustainable development goals, it is important to have strong and effective institutions, and a governance system, which will address and address various social, economic and environmental challenges, and the interest reflects the state’s keenness to achieve a balanced and comprehensive development path that does not have an impact only at the national level, but also to provide an effective development model that reaches its benefit to all countries of the world. She stressed that the State of U.A.E. continues as a leading model in achieving the sustainable development goals of 2030 and 2045. During her intervention at a session on the sixteenth goal on promoting peace, justice and strong institutions and its interrelationship with the rest of the sustainable development goals, she stressed that there is a need for more police cooperation at the international level, and issued an invitation to join in cooperation for a safer world. In her intervention, she referred to the International Law Enforcement Initiative for Climate (I2LEC), launched by the Ministry of Interior at the World Government Summit in partnership with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime last year 2023, which aims to establish a joint approach to inter-agency law enforcement action. International organizations and governments to develop global frameworks aimed at building the global research capacity of law enforcement agencies to address crimes that affect the environment. During its first year, the initiative achieved many results, including the support of more than 60 law enforcement agencies around the world, while joint international operations under the umbrella of the initiative contributed to the seizure of more than $ 32 million in environmental crime proceeds and the training of more than 270 law enforcement officials from more than 40 countries around the world. She stressed that such an initiative reflects the UAE’s belief that sustainable development cannot be achieved without ensuring the safety and stability of all societies, and strengthening cooperation and partnership globally. Al Marzouqi reviewed the latest developments in the strategic partnership between the Ministry of Interior and the United Nations Regional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI), which aims to provide protection for children using artificial intelligence applications to facilitate the fight against crimes against children and conduct the necessary investigations to detect and prosecute perpetrators. Since its launch in 2020, the initiative has announced projects that have a prominent role in disseminating working methods that have an impact on making the lives of the world’s children. Safer The entities participating in the initiative reached more than 580 entities from 106 countries around the world who benefited from 80 artificial intelligence applications that serve the protection of children around the world, including reducing the time to detect child victims. Among the most prominent projects launched by the initiative is a set of training courses for all those working in areas related to law enforcement. In May 2023, the first specialized training courses in the field of artificial intelligence for safer children began, and to date, 7 training courses were held, in which 415 officers and employees of executive agencies from 20 countries participated. She pointed to the UAE’s role as a responsible global partner in achieving the sustainable development goals through its pioneering efforts in the global humanitarian system, where it provided material and development assistance and exchange of experiences to regions suffering from conflicts, climate-related disasters and other humanitarian disasters. Participating in a session on gender balance, climate, peace and security, held in collaboration with UN Women and the Permanent Mission of Australia to the UN, Lieutenant Colonel Dana Al Marzouqi said: "The relationship between sustainability As the world faces the climate crisis and its growing impacts, we must work to address and reduce environmental crimes such as illegal logging, wildlife trafficking, and dumping of toxic waste, which, according to all studies and reports, have far-reaching consequences beyond environmental damage, undermining sustainable development efforts and exacerbating poverty and corruption levels, and often the effects of this on the levels of women’s participation in economic and societal advancement, and lower levels of equality and gender balance Consequently, development in those societies is disrupted. The High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) is the main platform of the United Nations on sustainable development issues, and since its establishment in 2012, it has played a pivotal role in following up and reviewing what has been implemented at the country level in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This edition of the International Forum is held under the theme "Promoting the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Eradicating Poverty in Times of Multiple Crises: Effectively Implementing Sustainable, Resilient and Innovative Solutions". Delegates participating in this year’s edition of the Forum are working Throughout its session, it has been conducting in-depth reviews of five of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Goal (1) to eradicate poverty in all its forms everywhere; Goal (2) to end hunger, achieve food security, improve nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture; Goal (13) to support climate action and call for urgent action to combat climate change and its repercussions; Goal (16) to promote peaceful and inclusive societies to achieve sustainable development, provide justice for all and build effective and efficient institutions; and Goal (17) which focuses on Establish global partnerships to promote the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. Follow Ajman News on Google News​​

UAE Launches Report on Sustainable Development Beyond 2030
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12 Jul 2024
The UAE delegation at the United Nations (UN) High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development, organized by the UN Economic and Social Affairs Department at its headquarters in New York, revealed the findings of the ‘XDGs 2045: Navigating the Future of our World’ report. Developed by the UAE’s National Committee on SDGs, the forward-looking report outlines a sustainability roadmap that extends 21 years beyond the UN’s 2030 Sustainability Agenda.
The report draws on insights from the XDGs 2045 Ministerial Roundtable, a pivotal gathering that took place during the World Governments Summit 2024. It provides a high-level review of past global development agendas, evaluates current progress towards the 2030 Agenda goals, and outlines the critical steps required to ensure a sustainable and inclusive future for all.
His Excellency Abdulla Nasser Lootah, Deputy Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Competitiveness and Experience Exchange, Chairman of the National Committee on SDGs, said, "Looking beyond the 2030 Agenda, our focus remains on fostering a competitive and knowledge-driven economy. The UAE is dedicated to leveraging innovation and strategic partnerships to address emerging global challenges, ensuring that we continue to contribute effectively to both our national prosperity and global sustainable development."
The report’s findings lay the groundwork for global dialogue on the future trajectory of sustainable development goals beyond 2030. The insights contribute to the formation of a unified global vision for development and sustainability priorities, considering the rapid changes the planet is undergoing.

UAE, UN Discuss SDG Cooperation at High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development
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11 Jul 2024
​The UAE delegation to the United Nations (UN) High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development met with the UN’s Deputy Secretary-General on Wednesday to discuss how to accelerate progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) over the next six years.
 
UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed met with the delegation, led by His Excellency Abdullah Nasser Lootah, Deputy Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Competitiveness and Experience Exchange, Chairman of the National Committee on Sustainable Development Goals, at the UN’s headquarters in New York.
 
Discussions centered on opportunities for knowledge exchange, international cooperation and partnerships that embody SDG17, partnerships for the goals. In the meeting, the UAE delegation presented some of the country’s initiatives designed to support inclusive development to benefit individuals, society and the planet, while preserving resources for future generations.
 
As well as Lootah, the delegation included Rashid Mubarak Al Mansouri, Acting Secretary-General of the Emirates Red Crescent, Mohammed Saif Al Suwaidi, Director-General of the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development, Lieutenant Colonel Dana Humaid Al Marzooqi, Director-General of International Affairs Bureau at the Ministry of Interior, and Hashem Al Attas, Senior Portfolio Manager MENA at Masdar.
 
Amina Mohammed said, “I look forward to continued cooperation with the UAE to accelerate sustainable development for the 2030 Agenda and beyond, ensuring a better future for communities around the world”.
Abdulla Nasser Lootah stated, “The UAE is committed to enhancing cooperation with the United Nations to eliminate poverty and hunger, promote climate action, establish strong and effective institutions, and create partnerships that support sustainable development goals”. 
“Under the vision of its leadership, the UAE continues to establish strategic global partnerships, especially with UN development programs, to enhance knowledge exchange, stimulate sustainable development, and introduce innovative approaches – including the UAE’s – to achieving sustainable development”.
He added, “Today, after decades of hard work and close cooperation with countries, governments and organizations, the UAE has become a reliable global partner in achieving development goals and supporting peace, justice, and international institutions, including the United Nations”.
A large UAE delegation is participating in the UN HLPF on Sustainable Development, which runs until 17th July. Around 1,000 officials, experts, and specialists from around the world are taking part under the theme “Reinforcing the 2030 Agenda and eradicating poverty in times of multiple crises: the effective delivery of sustainable, resilient and innovative solutions”.

UAE Lays Out Priorities for Sustainable Development at UN High-Level Political Forum
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10 Jul 2024
​A delegation from the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday presented the country’s strategic vision for renewable energy, and climate action in the context of accelerating global progress towards Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through international partnerships.
The delegation was participating in the second day of the United Nations (UN) High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development, organised by the UN Economic and Social Affairs Department at its headquarters in New York and taking place until 17th July.
Representatives from the UAE presented at key sessions highlighting the UAE’s model for facilitating access to energy, eliminating poverty and hunger and securing a more climate resilient future.
A global model in setting development priorities
His Excellency Abdullah Nasser Lootah, Deputy Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Competitiveness and Experience Exchange, Chairman of the National Committee on Sustainable Development Goals, said the UAE has set a global precedent in identifying development priorities. These priorities include building sustainable healthcare systems, creating energy and climate solutions, and forging strategic partnerships with countries, governments, UN programmes, and international organisations to support progress on SDGs in line with the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
He said, "The UAE has invested heavily in healthcare, renewable energy, and climate action and began implementing global best practices in sustainable development long back and even before the UN adopted the 17 SDGs in 2016. Today, as we approach the 2030 deadline for achieving SDGs, the UAE continues to intensify partnerships and expand their scopes to boost international efforts”.
He added, “The UAE’s participation at the forum aims to highlight these urgent priorities, especially within developing countries, and explore opportunities to enhance cooperation around SDGs, especially focusing on ending hunger and poverty, accelerating climate mitigation, and supporting peace, justice, and strong institutions. The UAE looks forward to further progress on this path and we firmly believe collaboration is the fastest way to achieve SDGs”.
Tripling renewable energy capacity
The delegation participated in a session titled “Tripling Renewable Energy Capacity and Accelerating Just Energy Transitions in the Global South”, where Lootah presented the country’s commitment to tripling renewable energy capacity and doubling energy efficiency by 2030, a pledge made by 130 countries at COP28 in Dubai.
Climate and healthcare
In cooperation with the World Health Organisation (WHO), the UAE delegation organised a session on mitigating climate change impact and enhancing global healthcare outcomes.
During the session, Dr. Alanoud Alhaj, Assistant Under-Secretary for Green Development and Climate Change at the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, said, “The UAE climate action centres around Sustainable Development Goals that enable access to healthcare, adequate and affordable food, quality education, and increased resource efficiency, among other vital aims. During the UN High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, we stressed that the UAE is committed to ensuring food security for all and remain steadfast in our pursuit of SDG2: Zero Hunger. Through strategic planning, innovative solutions, and international cooperation, we are making tangible progress towards ending hunger, enhancing food security, and promoting sustainable agriculture globally”.
She added, “As we navigate the complexities of global warming and environmental degradation, we cannot overlook how these issues impact economic, social, and health-related outcomes. To tackle these, we need a unified strategy for sustainable development. SDG 13 which calls to limit and adapt to climate change is particularly linked with goals that address water scarcity, hunger, health, and economic growth, among others”.

National Statistics reviews national efforts to support statistical work at the state level
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10 Jul 2024
​The National Statistics Committee held its first meeting at the headquarters of the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Center in Dubai, to discuss efforts to support national strategies that serve the integration of statistical work at the state level and achieve global statistical excellence to serve development programs at the national and international levels.
The meeting discussed the importance of intensifying efforts to raise the efficiency of the statistical system, enhance cooperation frameworks and effective partnerships between local statistical centers and other entities, to implement joint projects and initiatives in the statistics and data science sector, and develop continuous assessments of renewable needs at the level of the UAE.
The meeting was chaired by H.E. Hanan Mansour Ahli, Director of the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Center, and attended by H.E. Sheikh Sultan bin Abdul Allah bin Salem Al Qasimi, Director of the Department of Statistics and Community Development in Sharjah, H.E. Yusuf Fahad, Executive Director of the Statistics Sector at SCAD, H.E. Younis Al Nasser, CEO of Dubai Data and Statistics Establishment, H.E. Dr. Hajar Al Hubaishi, Executive Director of Ajman Statistics Center, and H.E. Dr. Ibrahim Saad Mohamed Director General of Fujairah Statistics Center, and His Excellency Abdulrahman Al-Shayeb Al Naqbi, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Ras Al Khaimah Statistics Center.
The members of the National Committee for Statistics approved the strategic national projects for the statistics sector in the country, which will support the processes of harmonization and unification of frameworks and methodologies between local statistical centers, in an effort to produce a unified number at the state level with high quality, characterized by integration and comprehensiveness, and in line with the best international practices with the optimal exploitation of new data sources as an important tributary to statistical data sources that reflect the success of economic sectors in order to serve the promotion of investments and attract capital, entrepreneurs and innovative projects to State.
H.E. Hanan Mansour Ahli, Director of the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Center, Chairman of the National Statistics Committee, said: "The UAE is a global model in activating an integrated statistical system, with effective efforts and unlimited support from the wise leadership and local statistical centers, and this is evident in the priorities of the National Statistics Committee, which contribute to enhancing the UAE’s competitiveness in the statistical field and leading global efforts towards Creating an integrated and contemporary national statistical system that measures the country’s progress in data science and artificial intelligence."
Ahli added: "The adoption of the national project to develop the methodology for measuring GDP represents the basis for designing the future of the statistical system, to achieve the optimal measurement of the positive growth of vital economic sectors and activities in the country, and for the national economy to continue its exceptional performance in light of the economic policies pursued by the UAE government."
His Excellency Sheikh Sultan bin Abdul Allah bin Salem Al Qasimi, Director of the Department of Statistics and Community Development in Sharjah, stressed the Department’s keenness to strengthen coordination and integration mechanisms with the authorities concerned with statistical work at the state level, and to improve work at the local and federal levels, which contributes to harnessing data to serve the development of vital sectors for the prosperity and quality of life of community members.
H.E. Abdulla Gharib Al Qamzi, Acting Director General of SCAD, stressed the need to unify visions on the priorities of developing the statistical work system, consolidate effective partnerships that support investment in data science and statistics, and encourage the optimal use of technologies. Modern and innovative in coordination with members of the National Statistics Committee in the UAE.
His Excellency Younis Al Nasser, CEO of Dubai Data and Statistics Establishment, said: "We, at Digital Dubai and Dubai Data and Statistics Establishment (DDA), are pleased to be at the forefront of every federal effort that enhances our common orientations in the field of data science and its various applications, and we believe that the National Statistics Committee represents a successful embodiment of this integrated central approach."
He added, "This committee works according to a strategic vision based on supporting a strong national environment in the field of data, which is the essence of the digital age, and it seeks to apply the best standards and draw inspiration from the best international experiences in order to propose innovative solutions to meet current and future challenges, taking into account global changes, especially in the field of emerging and renewable technologies."
Her Excellency Dr. Hajar Al Hubaishi, Executive Director of Ajman Statistics Center, said: "The high level of coordination between statistical centers in the UAE through the National Statistics Committee contributes to enhancing the role of statistics in foreseeing the future at the level of all vital sectors, and providing accurate data and reliable statistics to support National Strategic Planning and Decision Making Processes."
His Excellency Dr. Ibrahim Saad Mohamed, Director General of Fujairah Statistics Center, praised the importance of integrating the statistical work system in the UAE, and the need to focus on adopting the best standards and methodologies used and adopted globally in statistical work, in collecting, analyzing and disseminating national data periodically.
His Excellency Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Shayeb Al Naqbi, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Ras Al Khaimah Statistics Center, praised the importance of the meetings of the National Statistics Committee, as they are a national mechanism to set priorities and develop integrated plans, to ensure the organization of joint statistical work in order to achieve the strategic objectives of the statistical system in the UAE. The
National Statistics Committee, affiliated to the Council of Ministers, coordinates national efforts, promotes integration and cooperation in the field of statistical work between the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Center and local statistical centers, and develops national policies, programs and strategies to publish the UAE’s unified numbers, in accordance with international standards.

FCSA Signs Agreement to Partner with United Nation’s Sustainable Development Solutions Network
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20 Nov 2018

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.

In collaboration with the World Bank Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority Hosts 3rd Governing Board Meeting of International Comparison Program
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25 Oct 2018

  • Program Celebrated its 50th anniversary at FCSA headquarters in Dubai

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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.

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Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority Hosts ‘Global Working Group for Big Data’ Meetings in Dubai
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21 Oct 2018

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.

Ministry of Interior Signs Partnership Agreement with Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority
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08 Oct 2018

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.

Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority Organises Panel Discussion on Utilising Data and Artificial Intelligence in Sustainable Development
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04 Oct 2018

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.

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“RASMI” Initiative

A strategic initiative within the "Unified UAE Numbers" project, which was launched by His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court.

“RASMI” is a mark of accreditation for national data and statistics issued by the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre, across all vital sectors, to create new bridges for the UAE through unified, accurate and consistent data and statistics.

The “RASMI” accreditation mark aims to:

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Highlight the strength of the Unified UAE Numbers to support the UAE’s global competitiveness journey.

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Ensure the highest levels of transparency and accuracy in producing national data.

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Reduce duplication and support mechanisms for integration and coordination between federal and local data-producing entities.

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Enhance community trust in published national data and statistics.

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Raise statistical awareness among individuals in society through interactive visual content.

مبــــــادرة "رســـــــمي"

هي مبادرة استراتيجية ضمن مشروع "أرقام الإمارات الموحدة" الذي أطلقه سمو الشيخ منصور بن زايد آل نهيان، نائب رئيس الدولة نائب رئيس مجلس الوزراء، رئيس ديوان الرئاسة، بمثابة علامة اعتماد للبيانات والإحصاءات الوطنية الصادرة عن المركز الاتحادي للتنافسية والإحصاء لكافة القطاعات الحيوية لمد جسور جديدة لدولة الإمارات عبر بيانات وإحصاءات موحدة ودقيقة ومتسقة.

تهـــدف علامــــة اعتمــــاد "رســــمي" لـ:

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إبـــــراز قـــــوة أرقـــــام الإمـــــارات المـــــوحدة، لدعـــــم مسيـــــرتنــــــا في التنــــــافسيــــــة العــــــالميــــــة.

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ضمــــــان أعــلى درجــــــات الشـــــفـــــافيــــة والــــــدقــــة في إنتــــــاج لبيــــانــــــات الـــــــوطنيــــــة.

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دعـــــم آليـــــــات التكـــــــامل والتنسيـــــــق بيــــــن الجهـــــات الاتحادية والمحـــــلية المنتجــــــة للبيانــــــات لتقــــــليـــــــل الازدواجيـــــة.

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تعـــــزيـــــــز ثقـــــــة المجتمــــــع فـــــي البيـــــــانــــــات والإحصــــــاءات الــــــوطنيـــــــة المنشـــــــورة.

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نشـــــــر الـــــــوعي الإحصـــــــائي بيـــــــن أفــــــراد المـــــــجتمع عبـــــــر محتــــــوى مـــــــرئي تفــــــــاعلي.