The Department of Government Support in Abu Dhabi has launched an open data platform to enable public and private sectors to exchange and share open data with users, start-ups, and academic institutions to improve public services, support decision-making, and strengthen the Abu Dhabi economy.

The launch of Abu Dhabi Open Data has come in conjunction with the recent visit of Sheikh Khalid bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Member of the Executive Council and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Office, to the Department of Government Support in Abu Dhabi, where he was briefed on the Department’s strategy, its plans for the next five years, and the recent updates on the ‘Abu Dhabi Open Data’ platform.

‘Abu Dhabi Open Data’ platform aims to create a digital ecosystem that provides quick and safe access to reliable data sources, in addition to proactive services that enrich the customer experience. Offering more than 550 open source datasets across 10 vital sectors in 6 different formats, the open-data platform was launched with the participation of the Abu Dhabi Digital Authority (ADAA) in partnership with 23 government entities.

Additionally, the ‘Abu Dhabi Open Data’ platform strengthens cooperation between the public and private sectors and opens up new horizons which make it easier for government entities to share data while securing huge investment opportunities for private sector companies, thus ensuring continuity of success and appropriate decision-making.

Twenty-three government entities are participating in the first phase of ‘Abu Dhabi Open Data’, playing an active role in the open-data sharing process, which is considered an essential foundation for achieving the objectives of the Abu Dhabi’s digital transformation strategy.

The platform covers 10 vital sectors, including agriculture, environment, health, transportation, society, economy, tourism, education, energy, and technology.

Among the objectives of the platform is to strengthen the Abu Dhabi economy, support the growth of key sectors in line with the Abu Dhabi Vision, and the Ghadan 21 accelerator programme. The platform also aims to improve the competitiveness of Abu Dhabi in international indices of open data, increase levels of transparency by providing reliable and updated data at the appropriate time, and improve cooperation between all government entities, helping them to make informed decisions, in addition to facilitating better information sharing between government entities to improve public services in the interests of citizens, residents, and investors.

Ali Rashid Al Ketbi, Chairman of the Department of Government Support, said he was very pleased with the launch of the ‘Abu Dhabi Open Data’ platform, which contributes to consolidating the position of Abu Dhabi as a leading city in open-data sharing by building and developing the emirate’s digital infrastructure.

Al Ketbi praised the cooperation between government entities in Abu Dhabi to launch the platform, which is designed to strengthen partnerships between the public and private sectors and open up new horizons.

He pointed out that providing access to data for government entities, companies, and individuals will create social and economic benefits and help them make better decisions based on the accurate and rich information provided by the platform.

Major General Maktoum Ali Al Sharifi, Director-General of Abu Dhabi Police, said: “The Abu Dhabi Police’s participation in the launch of the ‘Abu Dhabi Open Data’ platform was driven by our belief in the importance of open data as a national asset and an important strategic resource. Our participation is also in line with a philosophy that relies on understanding the needs of society and meeting global competitiveness requirements.” – TradeArabia News Service