The Creative Economy Data Model (CEDM) was launched in Dubai on November 26, 2025, by the Ministry of Culture, in collaboration with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre (FCSC) of UAE with active participation from the Ministry of Economy and Tourism, and statistical centres across the UAE.
The CEDM was designed by WIPO as a comprehensive tool to assess the creative capacity of countries and evaluate the performance and resilience of their creative economy ecosystems. The model applies a methodology used across multiple countries, enabling consistent, high-quality measurement of the creative ecosystem.
The launch coincided with the Ministry’s specialized training program aimed at updating the national Statistical Framework for the Creative Economy in line with UAE’s ongoing efforts to enhance national statistical capabilities in monitoring data across creative industries, based on a unified global methodology adopted by WIPO in countries worldwide.
During the launch, H.E. Mubarak Al Nakhi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Culture, emphasized that the program marks a major milestone in advancing the UAE’s long-term vision to develop an integrated knowledge and statistical infrastructure for the creative economy.
“The CEDM program represents a major milestone in advancing our long-term national vision to develop an integrated knowledge and statistical infrastructure that supports the creative economy. It accelerates our transition towards an innovation-driven economy powered by strong cultural production,” said His Excellency Mubarak Al Nakhi.
“By partnering with WIPO and the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre, and through the support of federal and local entities, we aim to reinforce the UAE’s leadership in the development of cultural statistics models and empower decision-makers with effective, evidence-based tools and standards.” added His Excellency Mubarak Al Nakhi.
On behalf of WIPO, Mr. Dimiter Gantchev, Acting Director of the Creative Economy Data Program, highlighted the significance of the CEDM for the UAE and for the region.
“WIPO is very pleased to work with the Government of the UAE in implementing the Creative Economy Data Model. This is the first project of this type in the Middle East. It will provide a comprehensive overview of the quality of the ecosystem supporting creative industries and identify analytical data for policymaking, underscoring the importance of intellectual property and culture for the creative industries,” mentioned Mr. Gantchev.
WIPO experts conducted intensive training sessions to enhance national capacity for data collection and analysis. The CEDM program supports the development of indicators that measure performance across the creative economy and strengthens the UAE’s capacity to generate reliable, internationally comparable data.
The updated statistical model will enable more accurate and comprehensive data collection, forming a strong foundation for the consistent monitoring of the creative sector’s national performance. This includes evaluating the sector’s contribution to economic growth, strengthening cultural sustainability, and advancing the UAE’s global competitiveness. The initiative aligns with the National Strategy for the Cultural and Creative Industries (2021), which aims to position the sector among the UAE’s top ten economic industries and increase its contribution to 5% of GDP by 2031.
By adopting WIPO’s updated statistical model, the UAE becomes the first Arab country in the region to implement the CEDM, underscoring its leadership in applying international best practices, fostering creativity and innovation, and strengthening its position as a regional and global cultural and creative hub.