Executive Council Resolution No. (50) of 2024

Concerning the

Unified Population Register of the Emirate of Dubai[1]
ـــــــــــــــــــــــــــــ.

We, Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Chairman of the Executive Council,

After perusal of:

Federal Law by Decree No. (45) of 2021 Concerning the Protection of Personal Data;

Law No. (11) of 2014 Establishing the Dubai Electronic Security Centre;

Law No. (26) of 2015 Regulating Data Dissemination and Exchange in the Emirate of Dubai;

Law No. (5) of 2021 Concerning the Dubai International Financial Centre;

Law No. (22) of 2023 Concerning the Dubai Digital Authority;

Law No. (24) of 2023 Establishing the Dubai Data and Statistics Establishment;

Law No. (26) of 2023 Concerning the Executive Council of the Emirate of Dubai;

Resolution No. (2) of 2017 Approving the Policies Document on Classification, Dissemination, Exchange, and Protection of Data in the Emirate of Dubai; and

The legislation establishing and regulating free zones in the Emirate of Dubai,

Do hereby issue this Resolution.

Definitions

Article (1)

The following words and expressions, wherever mentioned in this Resolution, will have the meaning indicated opposite each of them unless the context implies otherwise:

UAE:

The United Arab Emirates.

Emirate:

The Emirate of Dubai.

Government:

The Government of Dubai.

Executive Council:

The Executive Council of the Emirate of Dubai.

DDA:

The Dubai Digital Authority.

DESC:

The Dubai Electronic Security Centre.

DDSE:

The Dubai Data and Statistics Establishment.

Government Entity:

Any of the Federal Government Entities or Local Government Entities.

Federal Government Entity:

Any of the ministries, public agencies and corporations, or similar entities affiliated to the Federal Government.

Local Government Entity:

Any of the Government departments; public agencies or corporations; Government councils; public authorities, including the authorities supervising special development zones and free zones, such as the Dubai International Financial Centre; or other public entities affiliated to the Government.

Private Entity:

Any for-profit or non-profit non-government legal entity, including sole proprietorships.

Data Provider:

Any of the Government Entities, Private Entities, or other entities determined by the DDA.

Register:

The Unified Population Register of the Emirate of Dubai established pursuant to this Resolution, containing real-time Data on all characteristics of Dubai Population.

Dubai Population:

The Individuals Present and the Individuals Registered.

Individuals Present:

These include:

1.    the UAE nationals and the non-UAE nationals who habitually reside within the geographical boundaries of the Emirate at any given time; and

2.    the UAE nationals and the non-UAE nationals who enter the Emirate for work, visitation, or any other purpose.

Individuals Registered:

These include:

1.    the UAE nationals who hold family books (Khulasat Qaid) and passports issued by the Emirate;

2.    the UAE nationals who hold passports issued by the Emirate or who have been issued with initial approvals from the Ruler to be granted the UAE nationality;

3.    the non-UAE nationals who hold valid residence permits issued by the Emirate, whether they habitually reside in the Emirate or in any other emirate;

4.    the non-UAE nationals who reside outside of the UAE and who are temporarily present in the Emirate; and

5.    the UAE nationals who hold family books (Khulasat Qaid) issued by any other emirate but who reside in the Emirate.

Dubai Data Manual:

A document which is approved by the DDSE and which includes a set of rules, standards, forms, and procedures regulating the dissemination, exchange, and protection of Dubai Data.

Data:

A collection of structured or unstructured inputs, facts, concepts, instructions, observations, or measurements, in the form of numbers, alphabets, symbols, images, or any other form, that are collected, produced, or processed by Data Providers. This includes information.

Dubai Data:

The Data which is in the possession of Data Providers and is related to the Emirate.

Digital Platform:

A digital system adopted by the DDSE, which comprises integrated hardware, software, networks, and storage systems, as well as a connectivity and communication website. Through this system, the Dubai Data and the Data of the Register are disseminated, exchanged, and presented.

Scope of Application

Article (2)

This Resolution applies to:

1.    all Data Providers in the Emirate; and

2.    the Dubai Population Data which is in the possession of Data Providers, based on its specific classifications.

Objectives of the Register

Article (3)

The Register is aimed at:

1.    serving as a unified register for Dubai Population, containing accurate, comprehensive, and updated Data;

2.    compile and classify the Data that is relevant to the Register, and provide such Data in real time;

3.    contribute to the development of Government plans, strategies, and policies based on accurate Data and information;

4.    facilitate the regular and real-time provision of the Emirate's population census results;

5.    support the implementation of the Digital Transformation policies of the Emirate;

6.    contribute to the effective and efficient development and delivery of Government services and programmes; and

7.    develop Dubai Population future projection models with the aim of supporting development plans and devising economic and social policies.

Creation and Management of the Register

Article (4)

a.    A register known as the "Unified Population Register of the Emirate of Dubai" will be created on the Digital Platform. The DDSE will manage and control the Register in accordance with its functions under the legislation in force in the Emirate and this Resolution.

b.    The Register will be the only official source in the Emirate for the Dubai Population Data.

Functions of the DDSE

Article (5)

For the purpose of achieving the objectives of the Register, the DDSE will, in coordination with Government Entities, have the duties and powers to:

1.    determine the Government Entities and Private Entities that are required to provide Data for the Register;

2.    determine, based on its needs, the mandatory and optional Data to be ingested into the Register; and monitor and verify compliance by Data Providers therewith when updating the Register;

3.    develop Data quality, description, and classification standards for all Data categories within the Register, taking into account the demographic classification of these categories; have these standards approved and implemented; monitor and verify compliance by Data Providers with these standards; and submit the relevant reports, in accordance with the relevant legislation in force;

4.    develop and approve a plan for providing access to and updating the Register, and follow up on the implementation of that plan in accordance with the standards adopted by the DDSE in this respect;

5.    design and develop a model for the Register and link it to other Primary Registers maintained in the Emirate;

6.    prepare a manual for using the Register, and make this manual available to Government Entities and Private Entities;

7.    propose and develop scenarios for Dubai Population Data, which is of high value to Data Providers, and determine the use cases for Data;

8.    conduct and propose specialised academic research and studies based on the Data available on the Register, and constantly monitor any changes thereto, with a view to highlighting all phenomena of common interest to Data Providers in the Emirate for developing the plans, programmes, and policies required for improving services and the quality of life for the community of the Emirate;

9.    coordinate with the DESC on all matters related to the security and protection of Data and electronic systems, and on linking these systems to the Digital Platform; implement general frameworks for Data handling, processing, and storage; and ensure Data protection through the security measures required for preventing any Data breaches, damage, or change;

10.  manage the process of granting access privileges to the Register; determine and classify the confidentiality levels of the Data entered into, or retrieved from, the Register; and determine the relevant key performance indicators and the use cases for the Data of the Register; regularly review such privileges; and approve access permissions and policies for the Register;

11.  take the necessary action to maintain the confidentiality and privacy of Personal Data on the Register;

12.  ensure that the Digital Platform meets the Data security standards adopted in the Emirate, and the electronic accessibility standards for Data and information to serve people of determination;

13.  submit periodic reports to the Executive Council on compliance by Data Providers with the provisions of this Resolution, on the performance percentages, and on the relevant recommendations of the DDSE; and

14.  exercise any other duties or powers within the scope of jurisdiction of the DDSE, that are necessary for achievement of the objectives of the Register, as assigned to it by the Chairman of the Executive Council.

Functions of the DESC

Article (6)

For the purposes of this Resolution, the DESC will, in its capacity as the Government Entity responsible for the security and protection of Government Information, telecommunication networks, and electronic systems:

1.    coordinate with the DDSE to link the Digital Platform to the DESC;

2.    audit the system through which the Register is created to ensure that it meets all the security standards adopted by the DESC in this respect;

3.    coordinate with the DDSE on all matters related to the security and protection of Data and electronic systems to which this Resolution applies; and

4.    exercise any other duties or powers within the scope of jurisdiction of the DESC that are necessary for the achievement of the objectives of the Register, as assigned to it by the Chairman of the Executive Council.

Obligations of Data Providers

Article (7)

For the purposes of this Resolution, a Data Provider must:

1.    provide a description of the Data that must be ingested into the Register, in accordance with the Dubai Data Manual;

2.    apply the adopted quality standards to the Data that must be ingested into the Register, develop a Data quality improvement plan, and obtain the DDSE’s approval of the plan;

3.    ingest the required mandatory or optional Data into the Register in the manner determined by the DDSE, and update this Data in accordance with the timetable prescribed by the DDSE.

4.     regularly and continuously coordinate with the DDSE and provide advance notification of any amendments or alterations to the Data models related to the Register or to Data flow.

5.    maintain compatibility between electronic systems and available tools to ensure the real-time availability of accurate Data in the Register; and keep updated Data that aligns with the records held by Data Providers;

6.    mandate the completion of the fields related to individuals’ addresses for residence and work, and ensure they are regularly updated;

7.    comply with the Data access and safe use policies;

8.    report immediately any security breach or incidents related to the Data entered by Data Provider into the Register; and

9.    comply with any other obligations that are prescribed by the DDSE and are relevant to the Register and the achievement of its objectives.

Personal Data Protection

Article (8)

The provisions of this Resolution apply without prejudice to the rules and scope of legal protection of Personal Data of Dubai Population prescribed by the above-mentioned Law No. (26) of 2015 and other legislation in force in the Emirate.

Issuing Implementing Resolutions

Article (9)

The Director General of the DDA will issue the resolutions required for the implementation of this Resolution.

Repeals

Article (10)

Any provision in any other resolution is hereby repealed to the extent that it contradicts the provisions of this Resolution.

Commencement and Publication

Article (11)

This Resolution comes into force on the day on which it is issued, and will be published in the Official Gazette.

Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum

Crown Prince of Dubai

Chairman of the Executive Council

Issued in Dubai on 28 August 2024

Corresponding to 23 Safar 1446 A.H.



©2024 The Supreme Legislation Committee in the Emirate of Dubai

[1]Every effort has been made to produce an accurate and complete English version of this legislation. However, for the purpose of its interpretation and application, reference must be made to the original Arabic text. In case of conflict, the Arabic text will prevail.