GASTAT’s President, Dr. Fahad Aldossari, held a meeting with John List, Professor of Economics at the University of Chicago and his accompanying delegation during their recent visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
During the meeting, Dr. Fahad Aldossari reviewed key transformations of the statistical sector in the Kingdom in recent years. He highlighted the significant expansion in the statistical work and the qualitative initiatives led by GASTAT to enhance the production of statistical indicators, develop the infrastructure and governance of the statistical sector, and integrate multiple data sources while improving exchange mechanisms according to the highest international standards. The two parties also discussed areas of cooperation aimed at linking research and innovation in the statistical field to several areas within the Kingdom.
 This collaboration seeks to contribute to raising the level of awareness and disseminating research that enhances global scientific content in relevant disciplines, through an integrated framework between GASTAT and the University of Chicago.
 It is worth noting that this meeting aligns with GASTAT's strategic direction towards expanding its scientific and research partnerships with leading international academic institutions. This aims to enhance its capacity to produce high-quality statistics and support the integration between its statistical products and scientific research, ultimately contributing to the achievement of sustainable development goals and strengthening the Kingdom's statistical standing at both regional and international levels.
 

GASTAT’s President, Dr. Fahad Aldossari, received the Chief Statistician of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, Dr. Jose Rosero, at GASTAT’s headquarters in Riyadh. They held a bilateral meeting to discuss several topics of mutual interest.

During the meeting, they reviewed GASTAT’s key projects and highlighted its strategic transformation journey, which includes the improvement of various statistical product methodologies, the enhancement of the digital infrastructure within GASTAT, and the improvement of information technology efficiency supporting statistical work.

Dr. Jose Rosero expressed his gratitude for the warm welcome, stating FAO's interest in enhancing cooperation with GASTAT, considering the increasing importance of data regularly requested by the organization from international statistical offices and agencies.
 

GASTAT’s President, Dr. Fahad Aldossari, met with the United Nations Independent Expert on the enjoyment of all human rights by older persons, Dr. Claudia Mahler. During the meeting, they reviewed the efforts made by GASTAT to support the elderly through the production of updated statistical data and indicators specifically for this group.

Dr. Fahad Aldossari provided an overview of the statistical transformation project launched in 2023, which aims to ensure comprehensive coverage of all statistical indicators in the Kingdom, including data and indicators related to the elderly. He also emphasized that after collecting, analyzing, and processing field and register-based data, it is essential to align this data in cooperation with relevant government entities to achieve accurate results that continuously enhance service quality.

It is worth mentioning that this meeting is part of GASTAT's efforts to enhance international cooperation and exchange experiences with international organizations, aiming to raise the Kingdom's ranking in international indicators and develop statistical work according to the best global practices.
 

Saudi Arabia made significant progress in the 2024 Open Data Inventory report issued by Open Data Watch, rising to 41st place globally out of 197 countries. This marks an advancement of 28 positions compared to the year 2022 assessment. Also, Saudi Arabia advanced from 15th to 9th place among G20 countries in this year’s report reflecting the Kingdom’s commitment to enhancing transparency and data openness. The ODIN report is based on two main elements: the Data Coverage Score, which measures the comprehensiveness and diversity of published official data, and the Data Openness Score, which measures the ease of access and usability of data.

Open Data Watch, through its official report, praised the significant progress made by the Kingdom, considering this advancement the result of ongoing efforts and notable initiatives worthy of recognition. The Kingdom’s data coverage score increased by 16 points, and the data openness score rose by 15 points, achieving a growth of 143% in the overall score since 2017. underscoring its commitment to adopting global best practices in the field of open data.

This national achievement is the result of the efforts of the General Authority for Statistics, which leads the national statistical ecosystem by developing statistical products, launching strategic indicators that support Saudi Vision 2030, expanding the provision of open data, and facilitating access through official digital platforms.

In line with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030, GASTAT has strengthened its strategy to develop IT infrastructure, enabling government entities, the private sector, and researchers to use data to support strategic planning and decision-making. GASTAT’s efforts have also contributed to fostering a culture of transparency and open data, raising community awareness of the importance of data as a key driver of sustainable development and innovation.

This progress in the open data inventory report reflects the Kingdom’s growing status as a regional and global hub for providing official data and statistical indicators, reinforcing its role in building a sustainable, knowledge-based economy, enhancing transparency, attracting investment, and keeping pace with the rapid digital transformations taking place worldwide.