Ras Al Khaimah Center for Statistics and Studies organized, in collaboration with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (UN ESCWA), a seminar on housing and population censuses in the UAE in view of experiences in similar federal systems. The seminar was attended by senior officials and representatives of local and federal bodies in the UAE. Presenters included experts from UN-ESCWA, RAKCSS, the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority (FCSA), and Ministry of Human Resources & Emiratisation. Executive Director Dr. Ibrahim Akoum stressed the importance of housing and population censuses for economic, social and urban planning since these censuses generate the statistics needed for further policy making and the allocation of resources based on demographic dynamics in the country, including the provision of health and education services, along with the accompanying related infrastructure. The seminar discussed experiences of eight countries and the various methodologies used for population censuses. The ESCWA 2015 Guidelines were discussed in relation to the 2020 census planned in the UAE and the GCC countries.