The Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research (ECSSR) hosted a workshop entitled 'Role of Public Opinion Polls in Supporting Decision-Makers,' organized by the Department of Economic Development, Abu Dhabi. Three premier institutions took part in the workshop namely—The Statistics Center, Abu Dhabi; the Public Opinion Poll Centre of the General Headquarters of Dubai Police and Abu Dhabi Gallup Center. At the workshop, participating institutions presented working papers in the presence of a number of government, semi-government and private sector organizations.

In his statement, H.E. Dr. Jamal Sanad Al-Suwaidi, Director General of the ECSSR, stressed the important role opinion polls play in supporting decision-making and in increasing interaction between citizens and their government. Opinion Polls, Dr. Al-Suwaidi emphasized, provide the government with information about people’s views and provide feedback on various internal or external issues.   
 
 The workshop is exploring latest developments in the methodologies and practices related to public opinion polls. The two major sessions of the workshop will address role of public opinion polls in decision-making with emphasis on the experience of Department of Economic Development, results of opinion polls from the viewpoint of decision makers, factors affecting quality of opinion polls data, opinion polls modern technologies and global experiences in opinion polls.