Friday, 8 November 2019

A Global First – Dubai-WCCD Local Data Hub Launched with WCCD President & CEO and TEC Secretary General

   










November 8, 2019
Dubai, UAE

First announced at the United Nations High-Level Political Forum in July 2017, the World Council on City Data (WCCD) President & CEO was in Dubai this week, alongside His Excellency Abdulla Mohammed Al Basti, Secretary General of the Executive Council of Dubai (TEC),  to launch the first of a global network of WCCD Local Data Hubs. 



From resilience to sustainability to inclusivity and prosperity, critical global agendas require local-level solutions – and these solutions must be rooted in globally comparable, standardized and independently verified data. 

In response to this challenge, the WCCD President & CEO, Dr. Patricia McCarney, launched the first WCCD Local Data Hub, alongside His Excellency Abdulla Mohammed Al Basti, Secretary General of the Executive Council of Dubai (TEC) this past Wednesday. Together with the TEC & WCCD Senior Leadership, also in attendance were senior representatives from WCCD Member Cities including, Riyadh, Madinah and Yanbu, Saudi Arabia; Amman, Jordan; and Ajman, UAE. Additionally, WCCD's longstanding partners, the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) was at the event.

“It is a pleasure to be here, surrounded by colleagues from Dubai and across the region, all sharing the common belief that city data can truly act as a universal language,” stated WCCD President & CEO, Dr. Patricia McCarney earlier this week. “For the WCCD, Dubai is a city of firsts. In 2014, it served as a Foundation City of the WCCD - as one of the first twenty cities globally certified under ISO 37120.  In 2017, Dubai served as the first host of the WCCD Global Cities Summit. Now, under the leadership of His Excellency Abdulla Mohammed Al Basti, Dubai is stepping up to host the first of a global network of WCCD Local Data Hubs. It is my pleasure to be standing alongside His Excellency and to officially launch the first WCCD Local Data Hub, here in Dubai.”

Connecting cities across the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia with high calibre WCCD ISO 37120 standardized data, the new Dubai-WCCD Local Data Hub will drive city leadership on important global agendas. Through the lens of localizing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and rolling out the two new WCCD ISO standards (ISO 37122 - Indicators for Smart Cities & ISO 37123 – Indicators for Resilient Cities), the Hub will also serve as a nexus for cities in the region to discuss, and act on, these critical global agendas. An additional focus will include leveraging WCCD ISO-certified data to drive public and private sector infrastructure investment. Working through this ambitious agenda will help to create cities – region-wide – that are truly smart, sustainable and resilient.

The leadership of the Executive Council of Dubai, the WCCD, and partners from around the region and globally assemble to launch the Dubai-WCCD Local Data Hub.

The Secretary General of the Executive Council of Dubai (TEC), His Excellency Abdulla Mohammed Al Basti, emphasized that the Local Data Hub is a testament to Dubai’s pioneering position in the sustainability space. “Today cities are the centre of economic growth, innovation, and social well-being. Cities accommodate more than 55% of the planet’s population and contribute more than 80% of the global GDP [...] Stemming from Dubai’s pioneering global position as an innovator, the Government adopted a strategic planning methodology underpinned by data for its decision-making policy. Claiming the prestigious ISO 37120 certification was a testament to that – making Dubai one of the first cities in the world to receive this certification. Today, and in partnership with WCCD, Dubai continues to be a key player with the launch of the Dubai-WCCD Local Data Hub.” 

From L to R: Representatives from Riyadh, the WCCD, Dubai, Yanbu, Amman and Madinah 
Bringing together a group of cities from across the Region, the Dubai-WCCD Local Data Hub is underscored by four critical pillars: showcasing leadership, demonstrating results, catalyzing action and enabling city-to-city Learning. “Dubai’s commitment to creating a more sustainable, resilient, and prosperous future for its citizens is well known worldwide,” continued Dr. McCarney. “The opening of the Dubai-WCCD Local Data Hub underscores an additional commitment to these principles by acting as a leading city in the region, and globally.”

For more information, please contact: 

James Patava
james.patava@globalcities.ca