The UAE Ranks First in the MENA Region and 11th Globally in UNIDO's Quality Infrastructure for Sustainable Development Index

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates – 15 September 2022 - The United Arab Emirates has been ranked first in the MENA region and 11th globally in the 2022 Quality Infrastructure for Sustainable Development Index report issued by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the International Network and Quality Infrastructure (INet QI). The UAE, listed in the L group of countries (those with a GDP between US$100 billion and US$1 trillion), ranked ahead of countries including Portugal, Singapore, Finland, Denmark, and Belgium.

This index is an effective tool that gauges and compares the strength of quality infrastructure within countries to achieve sustainable development. It is based on five main indicators: metrology, accreditation, conformity assessment, policy, and standards. The UAE’s quality infrastructure also meets the needs of partners from both the private and government sectors, including manufacturers and suppliers, as well as consumers.
Boosting Standards and Efficiency

His Excellency Omar Suwaina Al Suwaidi, Undersecretary at the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology, said: “The UAE has an advanced framework that supports quality infrastructure, which excels in the five main indicators of the index. Driven by the ministry, as part of a clear strategic roadmap to contribute to sustainable economic growth, the UAE's industrial framework comprises technical legislation, standard specifications, metrology, accreditation, conformity assessment, monitoring, and market intelligence. This framework contributes to enhancing the UAE’s industrial capability and performance and as well as the quality of local manufacturing.”

His Excellency continued: “The ministry’s national industrial strategy focuses on supporting the growth of national industries and enhancing the country’s competitiveness regionally and globally. We encourage innovation and the adoption of advanced technology solutions among manufacturers as well as developing an attractive environment for local and global industrial investors. All this is supported by our quality infrastructure, which includes more than 26,000 standard specifications and technical regulations within dynamic sectors such as future industries, information technology, management systems, education, health, among others.” 

His Excellency Al Suwaidi added: “UNIDO’s report reflects the UAE’s capabilities and efforts to create a supportive, efficient, innovative, and safe legislative environment. Moreover, MoIAT and its strategic partners, such as the Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council, the Dubai Central Laboratory within Dubai Municipality, and the Emirates International Accreditation Centre, as well as other relevant entities in each emirate, aim to continuously upgrade standards, metrology, and regulations according to the latest global developments. In doing so, we aim to strengthen the industrial sector, and oversee their adherence to standards of quality, efficiency, and competence in a way that supports growth, sustainability, efficiency, and the reduction of the industrial sector’s environmental impact.”

Leadership’s Clear Strategy
Hanan Mansour Ahli, Director of the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre, said: “Ranking first in the MENA region and 11th worldwide in the Quality Infrastructure for Sustainable Development Index reflects the efforts of the UAE government. It is representative of the government’s clear strategy for making the UAE one of the world’s most advanced countries, in line with the leadership’s vision.” 

She added: “Globally, the UAE is ranked first in 152 competitive indicators and in the top 10 in 425 competitive indicators. This is out of the 1,502 indicators that are published by the United Nations and other international organizations, and reported by the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre. The country’s remarkable achievement in the Quality Infrastructure for Sustainable Development Index is a global recognition of MoIAT’s and its strategic partners’ efforts to achieve sustainable development and enhance the UAE’s position in global competitiveness reports.”

Establishing the Foundations of the Economy
His Excellency Dr. Hilal Humaid Al Kaabi, Secretary-General of the Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council (QCC), commented: “Abu Dhabi has a vision to build a knowledge-based economy through establishing a quality infrastructure system based on international standards. The council’s contribution to this notable achievement is through its role in unifying standardization and developing quality infrastructure and metrology. The emirate aims to maintain a safe and healthy environment for the community and ensure fairtrade through a series of programs and certificates.

His Excellency said: “The council supports regulatory and government bodies in implementing quality standards and systems to ensure that products, employees, and processes comply with the relevant standards set by Abu Dhabi, with the aim of enhancing the level of safety and quality of products and raising the competitiveness of those products locally, regionally, and globally. 

An Advanced and Integrated Ecosystem
His Excellency Eng. Dawood Al Hajri, Director-General of Dubai Municipality, said: “This achievement by the UAE in the Quality Infrastructure for Sustainable Development index is a milestone in our efforts to enhance global competitiveness. It reflects the country’s advanced and integrated ecosystem for quality infrastructure, which contributes to its economic and industrial growth while underlining the quality of its frameworks, accreditations, and standards.

His Excellency added: “Dubai Municipality manages a quality infrastructure system by adopting advanced technology tools based on innovation and knowledge. These systems are used to meet consumer needs across different fields in addition to providing technical lab services for testing and accreditation. This is all in an effort to align with the leadership’s directives to enhance the quality of life in Dubai and consolidate its top rankings in global growth and performance indicators.”

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