During the UN World Data Forum 2017, the UN World Data Forum drum was handed over to representatives of the UAE, who will host the second Forum

The UN World Data Forum 2018 will bring together data and statistics experts from around the world to explore ways to apply data and statistics to measure global progress and inform evidence-based policy decisions on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

This second UN World Data Forum will be hosted by Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority of the United Arab Emirates, with support from the Statistics Division of the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, under the guidance of the UN Statistical Commission and the High-level Group for Partnership, Coordination and Capacity-Building for Statistics for the 2030 Agenda.

The Programme of this year’s Forum is organized around six main thematic areas covering the following topics:

• New approaches to capacity development for better data;
• Innovations and synergies across different data ecosystems;
• Leaving no one behind: generating and leveraging data and statistics to ensure visibility and voice for everyone;
• Understanding the world through data;
• Building trust in data and statistics; and
• Taking stock of how far we have progressed, and taking practical steps towards fulfilling the implementation of the Cape Town Global Action Plan for Sustainable Development Data.

Throughout the Forum, participants will have the opportunity to interact in plenary sessions, break-out spaces, innovation labs, knowledge sharing spaces, exhibits and virtual forums. An opening session will address the topic of harnessing the power of data for sustainable development and a closing session will discuss the theme, ‘Implementation of the Cape Town Global Action Plan for Sustainable Development Data–the way forward.’