The Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority has joined the United Nations Global Working Group on Big Data the international organisation concerned with the sciences of big data which includes 22 countries and 9 international authorities, working under the umbrella of the United Nations.

The authority has joined the international group as an official member and representative of the UAE, with the aim of developing the nation's skills and learning the latest technologies and international experiments in the field of government programmes and initiatives related to the big data sector.

Mohammed Hassan Ahli, Executive Director of the Statistics and National Data Sector, expressed his happiness with this step. He stressed that the selection of the authority as a representative of the UAE is a source of pride and honour.

"The presence of the authority within this international group, which includes an elite of the most important experts of data and statistics in the world within one team, is a strategic quality that we look forward to benefiting from. The aim is to be one of the international pioneers in the sector of big data.

"The international work group, in particular, and the official statistics community, in general, have always pointed to the need to treat many international challenges in the big data sector, such as those related to methodology, quality, technology, legislations, privacy, administration and financial affairs. Therefore, the presence of the work team of the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority within this international group increases chances of co-operation with leading statistics authorities, international organisations, data producers, and experts in the field of big data, to deepen understanding and benefit from technological advancement to serve the production of official statistics," Ahli added.

The UAE participates in this international group in two areas. The first includes training and building abilities in the field of big data by developing programmes and creating awareness. While the second includes effective participation in the international platform for data, services and applications related to big data.

This international group aims to review the best international practices and effective initiatives related to innovation in the official statistics system, particularly in the use of big data.