Latest news with #NationalDataProgramme
Qatar Tribune
6 days ago
- Business
- Qatar Tribune
NPC launches revamped Qatar Open Data Portal
Tribune News Network Doha In a move aimed at strengthening data governance and fostering institutional integration in the management of government information, the National Statistics Centre (NSC) at the National Planning Council (NPC) on Thursday organised a forum themed 'Toward Integrated National Data Governance: Achievements, Partnerships, and Sustainable Support'. The event serves as a strategic initiative by the Council to engage directly with planning, quality, and IT departments across ministries and government agencies, under the broader umbrella of the National Data and Statistics Strategy. Secretary-General of the National Planning Council His Excellency Dr Abdulaziz bin Nasser bin Mubarak Al Khalifa inaugurated the forum. In his speech, he said, 'The National Data Programme — a key component of the National Strategy for Data and Statistics — has achieved significant milestones in recent periods, in alignment with the objectives of the Third National Development Strategy. Among the most notable achievements is the issuance of the National Data Policy, approved by the National Planning Council. This policy has laid the foundation for principles of governance, integration, and shared responsibility in the management and governance of data.' He also announced the launch of the newly revamped Qatar Open Data Portal, saying: 'We are pleased to announce the launch of the Qatar Open Data Platform in its new form, now featuring more than 1,100 datasets covering a wide range of sectors. 'Open data has become a decisive factor in attracting foreign investment and facilitating informed economic decision-making, which directly contributes to achieving the targets of economic growth and diversification.' Through this regularly convened forum, the NSC seeks to share updates on the National Data Governance Programme and foster inter-agency cooperation mechanisms designed to activate effective data governance and management practices, and showcase projects related to national data governance platforms. In addition, the Centre is using the forum to respond to government entities' inquiries, clarify their roles and responsibilities in implementing the National Data Governance Programme, and highlight the technical and training support it offers to ensure that institutional efforts align with national data policies. The forum marks a continuation of the National Planning Council's broader efforts, following the launch of the National Data and Statistics Strategy last May, under the patronage of Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs His Excellency Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, and chair of the National Planning Council. The strategy has since served as a springboard for a series of ambitious national initiatives aimed at modernising the country's data ecosystem. The forum placed particular focus on the progress made in developing tools under the National Data Governance Programme, particularly the Open Data Platform. A visual presentation showcased the platform's technical architecture and operational objectives, outlining how to advance transparency by making government data publicly accessible in line with international best practices. Such efforts are expected to foster innovation and build trust with the public. On the regulatory front, the NPC team delivered a detailed presentation on the national policies, standards, and regulations governing data. The presentation included an overview of compliance mechanisms and internal procedures for managing data within government agencies. This segment was led by Maha Rashid Al Mutawa, director of the National Data Affairs Department at the National Statistics Centre, who elaborated on the institutional and legislative frameworks underpinning these efforts. In the area of capacity building, Maha Abdullah Al Sherif, statistical researcher at the Statistical and Data Training Centre, announced the launch of a series of specialised training programmes and workshops. Designed to be delivered both in-person and online, these sessions will combine theoretical instruction with practical application. Scheduled throughout the year, the training aims to bolster the competencies of government departments in data management, analysis, and governance — boosting institutional readiness and enhance their optimal use of data in government work. The forum also explored the institutional partnerships critical to the success of the National Data Programme — chief among them is the strategic cooperation with the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology and the Cybersecurity Agency. These partnerships aim to ensure the readiness of digital infrastructure and the integration of national technical and regulatory frameworks. The forum highlighted effective technology partnerships with leading digital solution providers such as Microsoft and Informatica, both of which delivered advanced presentations on tools for governance, integration, and data quality. Microsoft showcased its intelligent data management ecosystem through Azure and Microsoft Fabric technologies, emphasising their role in supporting interoperability and real-time data analysis. Informatica, for its part, presented its advanced vision via the Intelligent Data Management Cloud (IDMC) platform — a solution designed to build a unified national data index and a transparent, referential data management system. Together, these technologies promise to enhance the quality and usability of government data in public policy development. The forum concluded with an open dialogue that brought together representatives of government agencies and technology solution providers. The discussion aimed to align technical needs with strategic objectives, while encouraging the exchange of experiences and best practices in building and operating national data platforms, including the National Data Index, the National Data Marketplace, and government database platforms.
Qatar Tribune
11-06-2025
- Business
- Qatar Tribune
National Planning Council boosts data trust through Qatar Data Trust Index
Tribune News Network Doha The Qatar Data Trust Index (QDTI) marks a significant milestone in the evolution of the National Data System, boosting trust in data collection, said Maha Rashid Al Matwi, director of Department of National Data Affairs at the National Statistics Centre at the National Planning Council (NPC). The index, the first of its kind at the regional level, serves as a comprehensive metric that integrates data quality with adherence to national data regulations, thereby reinforcing transparency, accountability, and public trust in national data. Matwi said the Qatar Data Trust Index has been carefully designed to measure trust in national data assets through two core components: the Data Quality Score (DQS) and the Data Compliance Score (DCS). The DQS evaluates data across seven key dimensions, including accuracy, completeness, consistency, and timeliness, while the DCS assesses alignment with the National Data Regulations issued in 2024. This dual structure enables entities to conduct a comprehensive self-assessment of both the technical integrity of their data and the governance practices surrounding its management. Matwi added that high-quality data is a vital factor for boosting the efficiency of public policies and government services. She highlighted that the QDTI serves as a strategic enabler of national innovation by ensuring the availability of trusted, decision-ready data, particularly in support of emerging domains such as artificial intelligence and digital transformation, in line with the aspirations of Qatar National Vision 2030 and the Third National Development Strategy. This index is part of the National Data and Statistics Strategy recently launched by the National Planning Council under the patronage of HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and President of the National Planning Council. This strategy is being implemented through 21 initiatives that translate into 128 projects over a three-year period. Among the most prominent initiatives is the National Data Programme, an essential step toward building a centralised data repository and issuing national data regulations. The strategy also features the release of the National Data Management Guidelines, designed to support government and semi-government entities in complying with national data standards, thereby ensuring data reliability and integrity nationwide. Al Matwi underscored that the QDTI is not merely a technical or diagnostic tool, but rather a national framework aimed at reinforcing trust across the entire data ecosystem as it supports data-driven decision-making based on accurate and reliable information and ensures that data management practices are fully aligned with national governance frameworks, contributing to the State's goals of transparency, digital transformation, and innovation. As part of the National Data Programme, the National Planning Council recently held an introductory workshop for its staff on the QDTI to raise institutional awareness about the critical importance of data quality and governance. The workshop showcased key national initiatives, including the Open Data Platform and the 2025 Census — the first census of its kind in Qatar to be conducted entirely using administrative records. It also underscored the imperative of implementing QDTI across the broader national data ecosystem, encompassing government entities, national indicators, open datasets, and data products. Al Matwi concluded by affirming that the Qatar Data Trust Index positions the country at the forefront of regional and global efforts in data governance. By ensuring that national data is trusted, reliable, and aligned with clear quality and compliance standards, the index strengthens public confidence and supports innovation across sectors, including research and entrepreneurship, thereby reinforcing Qatar's long-term national goals.
Jordan Times
22-03-2025
- Business
- Jordan Times
Crown Prince's efforts drive Jordan's IT sector development — JCC
Representative of the Jordan Chamber of Commerce praises HRH Crown Prince efforts and continuous follow-up and support for the ICT sector, which will contribute in the national economy (Petra photo) AMMAN — Representative of the ICT sector at the Jordan Chamber of Commerce (JCC) Haitham Rawajbeh, praised His Royal Highness Crown Prince Hussein bin Abdullah efforts and his continuous follow-up and support for the Kingdom's information technology (IT) sector, as a "key" pillar of the Economic Modernization Vision (EMV). In a statement on Saturday, he said the Crown Prince's interest in the sector provides a "strong" incentive for businesses and confidence to continue achieving "rapid" growth locally and exporting their services to foreign markets, which would contribute to attracting "new" investments and companies to operate in the Kingdom and creating job opportunities. Rawajbeh noted His Highness's remarks on the National Data Programme, affiliated with the National Council for Future Technology, constitute an "important" call to improve data use across various government institutions and develop the institutional culture necessary to manage this data "effectively." Rawajbeh also stated unified databases would enhance "accuracy" of available information and facilitate government procedures, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. This effort would contribute to improving the e-services provided to citizens and facilitating their access to digital government services by improving data quality and organization to contribute to accelerating procedures and saving time and effort, he pointed out. On its goals, Rawajbeh added that this strategy would help create an "integrated" digital environment that enables government sectors to provide "high-quality" services and meet citizens' needs "more efficiently." Noting the importance of developing the digital infrastructure that supports this transformation, he underlined the "vital" role played by the ICT sector in providing "appropriate" technical solutions and developing systems that drive this process. Jordan, he noted, is placing "remarkable" emphasis on the annual growth of the ICT sector, which would provide more job opportunities for youth, support the national economy through the transition to a digital economy, and improve services provided to citizens, which is a top goal of the EMV. Rawajbeh stated the EMV has set "ambitious" goals for the ICT sector, including steps to increase its revenues to JD3.9 billion by 2033, raising employment to 101,000, and surging exports to JD4.5 billion. Rawajbeh said Jordan's 1,000 IT companies across the Kingdom now export many of their software services to numerous Arab and foreign countries, in addition to their specialized competencies and expertise. The sector has "rich and promising" opportunities, given Jordan's infrastructure, resources, "trained and qualified" human resources, and technical expertise that have contributed to the development of the technology system in many Arab countries, according to Rawajbeh. In this context, he said the National Council for Future Technology reflects the "ambitious" royal vision to transform Jordan into a "leading" country in technology and digitization, which would contribute to building a "thriving" digital society and economy and enhance innovation, especially in light of global competitiveness in modern technology fields.
