Open Data Policy

In alignment with the Open Data Guidelines of the UAE Smart Government and the UAE’s Smart Data Strategy, and in line with the principles of transparency, accountability, and performance evaluation of government entities, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is committed to publishing its open data to enable relevant stakeholders, such as researchers, media professionals, service users, and interested parties to access and utilize such data in a manner that meets their needs and requirements. This is done in accordance with the terms set out in this policy, and users are required to clearly cite the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ website as the source of information when sharing the data.

Concept of Open Data

Open data is a core pillar that enables the public to access government information. Through its Open Data Policy, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs provides individuals and institutions with the freedom to use, reuse, publish, and benefit from this data in ways that promote transparency, strengthen community engagement, and support informed decision-making based on accurate and up-to-date information.

Glossary of Terms
Term	Definition
Open Government Data	Data published by government entities for public access, enabling free use, reuse, and redistribution in accordance with applicable legal and licensing requirements.
Data	A structured or unstructured collection of facts, figures, concepts, instructions, information, observations, or measurements, represented in numerical, textual, visual, or other formats that allow interpretation, exchange, or processing by individuals or automated systems.
Metadata	Structured information that describes, explains, identifies, or otherwise supports the discovery, use, and effective management of data resources.

Objectives

To provide the public with comprehensive, accurate, and easily accessible information.
To empower the community by making relevant data available to support informed and evidence-based decision-making.
To adhere to local and international standards and best practices for open data, ensuring accessibility, machine readability, and reusability.
To facilitate integration between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ open data and other government data sources, thereby enhancing coordination and consistency across public information resources.
To promote data-driven innovation by providing high-quality, up-to-date datasets to the public and researchers, thereby contributing to the development of new services and solutions that benefit the community, the Ministry, and its service users.

Terms of Use

The data published and made available through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Open Data Portal constitutes part of the State’s public property and assets and is subject to the following general conditions:

Open data is available for use, reuse, and redistribution by individuals, legal entities, or government entities, in accordance with applicable legal licensing requirements.
Users must not distort the data, its source, nor use the data in any manner that may mislead others.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall not be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, consequential, or special damages arising from the use, or inability to use, the open data.
Users must clearly acknowledge the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as the original source of the data, in order to preserve the Ministry’s ownership rights and ensure its credibility as an official source.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall bear no legal responsibility for damages incurred by users or thirds parties as a result of breaches of confidentiality of information transmitted through the Open Data page on the Ministry’s website, nor shall it provide any compensation in this regard.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs disclaims all warranties, whether express or implied, relating to the information published through the Open Data page.

Ministry Commitments to its audience

Providing open data related to the Ministry’s services and activities that is relevant, useful and of interest to website visitors.
Making data available over appropriate timeframes to support meaningful analysis and informed use.
Publishing data, to the greatest extent possible, in its original raw format.
Enabling access to open data without barriers or mandatory registration requirements.
Providing open data in real time, where feasible, and in formats suitable for technical and analytical use.
Publishing data in editable and downloadable file formats, while fully adhering to privacy and security requirements.
Enabling the public to submit feedback on the open data published on the website, in accordance with the Digital Participation Policy.
Providing clear and accurate information on available file sizes, formats, and publication dates for all available datasets.
Ensuring that the Ministry’s website clearly displays the file type, file size, and estimated download time before initiating any download

Target audience obligations when reusing Open Data from the Ministry’s Website

Refraining from using the data for political purposes, to support unlawful or criminal activities, or in any manner that may harm the reputation, standing, or the country’s interests, or that is otherwise contrary to UAE laws or the values of Emirati society.

Legal Liability for Misuse of Data

Users may be subject to legal accountability in the event of misuse of the data made available on the website, in accordance with the applicable laws and regulations of the United Arab Emirates.

External Website Links

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ website may contain links to external websites that are not under the Ministry’s supervision or control. Some of those websites may also include links redirecting users back to the Ministry’s website. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall not be liable for the content of such external websites, nor for any damages or losses arising from their use.

Disclaimer

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs provides open data on an “as is” basis, without any warranties, whether express or implied, and shall not bear any responsibility for damages arising from improper or unauthorized use of the data. Users bear full responsibility for ensuring that the data is used correctly and in compliance with the Ministry’s Open Data Policy.
Users bear full responsibility for all actions undertaken while browsing the website or using any external links available therein. The Ministry shall not be liable for any damages resulting from difficulties accessing or using the website, including technical malfunctions or circumstances beyond its control.

Conclusion

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs firmly believes in the importance of open data as a strategic enabler for transparency and community engagement. By providing accurate and up-to-date information, the Ministry supports informed participation, advances the UAE’s digital transformation agenda, and fosters an environment that promotes innovation, collaboration, and effective communication, in line with the State’s aspirations for global leadership.

Open Data Publication Plan

To view the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Open Data Publication Plan, please refer to: https://www.mofa.gov.ae/en/open-data-publications