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UAE ranks 10th globally in Open Data Inventory report

The UAE ranked 10th globally in the 2024/2025 Open Data Inventory (ODIN) report, issued by the Open Data Watch (ODW), surpassing major countries such as Sweden, the Netherlands, Germany, Canada, and the United States.

This marks a new milestone for the country, reinforcing its global leadership in adopting digital government concepts and open data.

The ODIN report, published biennially by the Open Data Watch, assesses the openness and comprehensiveness of data published on the websites of national statistical offices in 197 countries. It covers vital sectors, including economic, financial, social, and environmental statistics, making it one of the world’s leading specialized reports.

The report’s ranking is based on 64 indicators that measure the availability of statistical data provided by countries through official open data platforms and assess whether they meet the international standards of openness. This includes criteria such as machine-readable data, unrestricted data downloads, metadata availability, and comprehensive geographic coverage.

The UAE secured first place globally in several indicators, including monetary and banking statistics, food security and nutrition, and the prices and inflation index, where it advanced by 45 ranks. It also ranked second globally in the global trade index and educational outcomes index, with a leap of 54 ranks, alongside other indicators such as environment, health, and gender balance.

Majed Sultan Al Mesmar, Director-General of the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA), highlighted that this achievement reflects the UAE's commitment to a forward-looking vision where digital policies are integrated with comprehensive development efforts.

He noted that the UAE has established itself as a global platform for data-driven decision-making and a leader in comprehensive digital transformation in the region and worldwide.

“This achievement demonstrates the UAE's enabling role in enhancing the country's digital readiness by developing legislative and regulatory frameworks, supporting national open data policies, and providing a strong digital infrastructure, ensuring integration between government entities and positioning the UAE as a global reference in adopting digital government concepts, transparency, and data-driven innovation,” Al Mesmar said.

Hanan Ahli, Managing Director of the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre (FCSC), emphasised that the UAE's advancement in the 2024/2025 ODIN report represents a pioneering model of a future government based on transparency, openness, and the strategic use of data to drive comprehensive development.

She noted that this achievement reflects the UAE's forward-thinking vision and continuous investment in building a resilient and advanced statistical system based on digital readiness. It supports the country's global competitiveness and its main objectives in achieving integration between entities, supporting future planning in various vital sectors, developing policies, promoting community participation, and positioning the UAE as a global leader in adopting digital government and open data concepts.

Open data refers to a collection of freely available data and statistics that can be used, reused, distributed, or shared by any individual or organization without restrictions. Governments around the world make these datasets accessible to everyone online. In the current edition of the ODIN report, the UAE achieved 92 points in the data openness component and 74 points in data coverage, with an overall score of 84 points.