In cooperation with the Communication and Information Technology Commission and the General Sport Authority GaStat starts to visit more than 57,000 households next Thursday The General Authority of Statistics (GaStat) will start next Thursday, 19 Shawwal 1438H (13 June 2017), to visit more than 57,000 households in all regions of the Kingdom in coopereation with the Communication and Information Technology Commission and the General Sport Authority to conduct 3 household surveys: the survey of ICT’s access and use for households and individuals, sports survey for households, and the labour force survey for the third quarter. GaStat calls upon all citizens and residents to cooperate with the statisticians working in the field in 13 regions of the Kingdom including their cities and provinces. The work of than 450 field researcher will continue until 25 Dhu al-Qa’dah 1438 H (17 august 2017). GaStat official spokesman, Mr. Taiseer Almofarrej, explained that the household sport survey is one of the requirements of the Saudi Vision 2030 in cooperation with the General Sport Authority. It aims to provide recent indicators about the extent of playing sports for households. Through its results, stakeholders will learn about the reasons for playing sports or not and they will get updated statistics about the relationship of households with sports. It will also provide a comprehensive picture on the size of community participation in sports and physical activity. In addition, it will provide data on the ratio of sports practitioners within the household who practice sports on a regular basis, at least once a week. It also provides data on the percentage of sports practitioners in public facilities, clubs or sports centres, and the number of times a person is engaged in sports during the week, and the reasons why a person may not exercise. Mr. Almofarrej added that this survey coincides with the Labour Force Survey for the third quarter of this year which aims to provide detailed data about national labour force, measure the rates of employment and unemployment, provide data on employed and unemployed individuals, identifying the average monthly wages of the workers, provide data on the average weekly actual working hours by occupation, and economic activity of workers, and data on formal and informal workers. The results will be published in the Labour Market Bulletin, which was recently launched by GaStat. Regarding the survey of ICT’s access and use for individuals and households, GaStat’s official spokesman said that in cooperation with the Communication and Information Technology Commission aims at providing updated data and indicators on the extent of household and individual’s access to information and communication technologies. It includes: the availability of communication and information technology devices, the extent of using mail services by households and household access to ICTs. The survey will also provide individual data including: the extent to which information technologies are used for individuals, age groups, educational and occupational status, difficulties, places of use and reasons for not using ICTs. On the other hand, Mr. Taiseer Almofarrej confirmed that the GaStat has been keen to involve all relevant parties from data producers and users in developing its statistical products from creation to publishing through integrated partnership. A training program was recently held for the supervisors of these surveys, in which the Communications and Information Technology Commission and the General Sport Authority has participated. GaStat has confirmed that all information will be treated as an information basis which is reliable and can be used by development decision-makers in all relevant government entities that will serve the interest of citizens and residents. Gastat also has mentioned that al statistical researchers carry official badges and they are officially authorized to collect data to be kept confidential in accordance with the general statistics system issued by the Council of Ministers. GaStat also made available on its official website www.stats.gov.sa the opportunity for students and interested individuals to view field search forms on which the data will be collected. All households and establishments may inquire through the toll free number 8001240440 about this work or other coming work.

Administrative-based Census and Centralized Data System Included Cabinet Okays Statistical Cooperation with Netherlands and Korea As part of its continuous support for statistical sector in Saudi Arabia, the Cabinet has approved in its sessions held on Ramadan 3rd and 17th respectively, the mandate to the Minister of Economy and Planning or his nominee for holding discussions with the Dutch and Korean sides on statistical development, and to sign memorandums of understanding (MoU) with them in this regard. His Excellency President of the General Authority for Statistics (GAStat) Dr. Fahad Sulaiman Altekhaifi hailed the decision stressing:  “The statistics sector in Saudi Arabia receives ongoing support from our leaders at all levels; establishing the importance of statistics in development. These agreements aim to develop our statistical endeavors based on the world’s best practices in the field. Also, our discussions with the Dutch side will address developing modern mechanisms to implement register-based census in compliance with the internationally recognized standards, including a defined statistical approach to run censuses, document data, and to store them in statistical archives. Also, this includes developing the necessary technical tools to create a comprehensive system from census databases, and leverage them in statistical surveys and studies, those implemented by GAStat, public or private agencies. The bilateral cooperation between KSA and Netherlands enhances sharing statistical awareness programs to ensure community participation and to share success stories, to boost the exchange of expertise between both countries, and to take part in statistics-related training courses, conferences, forums, seminars and workshops." As far as cooperation with Korea is concerned, GAStat President noted: “It features the development of technical mechanisms to collect and publish statistics in accordance with the internationally recognized standards, to identify basics needed to create a comprehensive system using various statistical databases and to share expertise as to the requirements to build a centralized data center, which will automatically be connected to all public agencies. Also, this is meant to secure the tools needed to activate these centers, and to develop public policies and mechanisms to provide statistics-based technical and advisory services to both public and private entities. It should be noted that GAStat has undertaken a series of preparatory steps with several local and international organizations towards finalizing the preparations for the (1440H – 2020) census, which will be the first register-based census using administrative records (civil registration number, national ID number, resident ID number), as well as the national home address. Unlike earlier censuses, this census features a comprehensive electronic connectivity with a number of stakeholders, including the National Information Center, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Housing, the Saudi Post, as well as various sectors in concern with the citizen, resident and housing data.

In Collaboration with 19 Government Entities to Develop the Statistical Sector GaStat Discusses the General Statistics system draft Within the framework of activating the statistical sector in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the General Authority for Statistics (GaStat) held a workshop on Wednesday, 28 Sha’ban 1438H corresponding to 24 May 2017 with 19 government entities and specialized consultation bodies. The workshop was held to discuss the draft of the general statistics system in preparation for its submission to GaStat’s board of directors then for the concerned entities for approval. H.E. Dr. Fahad Altekhaifi, GaStat President, expressed his gratitude to the workshop participants and asserted that developing the statistical sector is a joint responsibility between relevant entities. He also added that the aim of this workshop is to ensure that the proposed system draft meets all requirements which maximizes its benefit. Furthermore, he explained that the proposed system draft is comprehensive and keeps up with the latest developments in statistical systems in order to activate statistical work and deepen its impact on planning and enhancing statistical awareness. It also regulates the relationship between GaStat, as a supervisor and organizer of the statistical sector in Saudi Arabia, and all constituents of the statistical sector which includes beside GaStat; statistical administrative units in all government entities, private sector and academic sector. GaStat’s President also confirmed that the current system provides a solid structure for statistical work with the amendments that have been made over the past years. The regulation which was issued by the Council of Ministers Decision No. 11 issued in Muharram 13th, 1437H enhanced and completed the process of developing statistical work. The regulation included a number of subjects that covered a group of regulatory provisions and the most important of these subjects: emphasizing that the Authority has a public juridical personality, and a financial and administrative independence, it is the entity in charge of statistical affairs, the only official reference to implement statistical work, and it’s the only technical supervisor and regulator of statistical work, it is managed by a board of directors which by the regulation has the powers and authority on the statistical sector and its components in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The regulation gave the Authority the task of establishing a permanent coordinating committee. It also gave it the responsibility of establishing a central system for information which is connecting electronically with all concerned entities. In addition to implementing statistical work, the regulation also assigned other tasks to the Authority which include: applying recognised international standards which include statistical work methodology, survey design and implementation, conducting research and studies, analyse data and information, all information and data documentation work, collecting statistical data and information that covers all aspects of life in Saudi Arabia from its different sources and classify it and section it, either from surveys and censuses or from administrative records in public entities and private establishments, analyse this data and extract its indicators, prepare evidences and national statistical classifications according to international standards, using it and developing whenever needed, prepare statistical bulletins and reports of surveys and research and publish it. The regulation also gave the Authority the right to provide statistical services, conduct surveys, prepare statistical research and studies, provide data from its databases to establishments and business sector in a commercial manner and shall benefit from its financial revenues in financing statistical and information services provided. In addition, it is responsible of transmitting knowledge and provide recommendations to public entities to develop all information system and statistical work methodology to achieve a comprehensive, accurate and unified statistical system and to develop public awareness of the importance of statistics, and to monitor and follow up all published data on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with the competent regional and international bodies and coordination with the concerned entities. This regulation reflects the leadership's keenness to develop the main infrastructure of all development decisions considering that the statistical products and services given by GaStat is a solid base to support all national development decisions and support policymakers with information that is considered as the compass of development work, which makes this regulation an added value at the development level  on one hand and the activation of the national strategy for statistical development on the other.

Based on ministry of justice registry data GaStat launches real estate index indicator On Monday 27th of  Rajab 1438 H corresponding to 24th of  April 2017, GaStat launched the Saudi real estate index indicator. This indicator is based on available registry data of the ministry of justice which are about real estate transactions . GaStat described this indicator as an essential tool that supports entities which make economic and statistical decisions  associated with real estate price movements and future expectations during different periods of time. The indicator includes three main sectors composed of many real estate classes: residential sector ( piece of land, building, villa, apartment, and house) , commercial sector (piece of land, building, shop, and commercial center), and agricultural sector ( agricultural lands).  Real estate price index indicator showed a decrease in the Saudi real estate prices during the first quarter of 2017. The indicator registered a decrease of (2.3%) compared to the previous quarter (fourth quarter of 2016). Whereas it registered a decrease of (9.9%) during the first quarter of 2017 compared to the same quarter of last year. The report attributed the decrease in the first quarter of 2017 (compared to the previous quarter) to the decrease in all composing sectors: commercial sector (1.8%), residential sector (2.6%), and agricultural sector (0.3%).  On the other hand,  the decrease in the first quarter of 2017 (compared to the same quarter of 2016) is attributed  to the decrease in all composing sectors: commercial sector (11.7%), residential sector (9.5%), and agricultural sector (1.3%).  GaStat indicated in a workshop ,held in " Restatex " exhibition in Riyadh city, that : as an official  reference of statistics and an organizer of the statistical sector in Saudi Arabia, one of Gastat tasks is following up the price movement of real estate composing units and recording the values of their transactions all over Saudi Arabia. In addition to monitoring their changes from time to time through the new statistical product " real estate price index" which relies on the data provided by ministry of justice. This represents the integration and cooperation between the different government entities which aim at moving sustainable development forward.  GaStat also stated that the new statistical product aims at founding distinct real estate statistical indicators that measure the Saudi real estate market performance and fill the gap of data in this sector. It is considered an essential tool that supports entities which make economic decisions in this field. This product's data benefit those who are interested in the economic and statistical analysis of real estate prices and the future expectations during different periods of time. GaStat has issued a complete bulletin about this index and its details.