UAE ranks first in MENA region for quality infrastructure for sustainable development

The United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) and International Network and Quality Infrastructure have ranked UAE first in the MENA region and 11th globally in the 2022 Quality Infrastructure for Sustainable Development Index.

The index is based on five main indicators: metrology, accreditation, conformity assessment, policy and standards.

The UAE, listed in the ‘L group’ of countries (those with a GDP between $100bn and $1tn), ranked ahead of countries such as Portugal, Singapore, Finland, Denmark and Belgium, according to the state news agency, WAM.

Omar Suwaina Al Suwaidi, under-secretary at the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT), said, “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 (QCC), 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.”

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 organisations, and reported by the centre.”

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Dr Hilal Humaid Al Kaabi, secretary-general of QCC, commented, “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.”

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.