The UAE Government has launched the "Data Index," a benchmark developed to enhance government performance and track progress in managing and governing national data. The index adheres to global best practices and standards in statistics and data management.

Developed through a comprehensive plan by the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre (FCSC) in collaboration with the Prime Minister's Office at the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs, the Data Index serves as a key benchmark. It enables federal government entities to manage and provide high-quality, globally benchmarked data and statistics within the data and digital government of the "Performance Management System".

The index was unveiled during an event organised by the FCSC, attended by 120 data specialists representing 35 federal government entities.

The index launch coincides with the UAE's "Unified UAE Numbers" project, a landmark national initiative to strengthen transparency, improve data accuracy, and drive progress across various economic, demographic, social, environmental, and other fields. These efforts also reflect the UAE's ambition to be a global leader in leveraging data for strategic decision-making and sustainable development.

Mohammed Hassan, Executive Director of the Statistics and Data Science Sector at FCSC, said that the index covers three key areas: governance of data's regulatory and operational frameworks, application of the best statistical practices to enhance data quality, and digital transformation projects for managing data production processes within federal entities. This ensures reliability, quality, and comprehensiveness to support informed decision-making at all levels.