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The General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) organizes a panel discussion titled “Data Innovation to Advance Official Statistics” on Monday, May 11, as part of “Road to Riyadh” series of events, which comes in preparation for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s hosting of the 6th UNWDF 2026 in Riyadh next November. The Forum will bring together a broad international participation of experts, decision-makers, and specialists in the fields of data, statistics, and sustainable development.
The session aims to share knowledge and exchange expertise on best practices for developing the capabilities of Arab statistical offices by showcasing successful experiences and pioneering initiatives in the fields of statistical innovation, institutional development of statistical entities, enhancing the efficiency of national talent, and enabling the use of modern data in public policy design and in supporting economic and social development plans at the regional level.
This session is part of ongoing efforts to strengthen the role of innovation in developing statistical ecosystems and improving the efficiency and quality of official data production by adopting the latest practices and modern methodologies and leveraging advanced technologies in data collection, analysis, and dissemination. This contributes to supporting decision-making, enhancing the reliability of national indicators, and increasing the readiness of statistical offices to keep pace with rapid digital transformations.
The “Road to Riyadh” series of events reflects Saudi Arabia’s commitment to its leading role in supporting the future of data and statistics at the international level through integrated activities that include panel discussions, specialized conferences, and focused workshops highlighting key global transformations in data ecosystems. It also promotes exchange of expertise and the building of international partnerships, in line with Saudi Arabia’s advanced position in statistics and digital transformation. These events further serve as an important preparatory platform to showcase national efforts and enhance organizational and technical readiness for hosting the global Forum next November.
It is noteworthy that the 6th UNWDF 2026 is one of the most prominent international platforms focused on data and sustainable development. It brings together a distinguished group of representatives from governments, international organizations, the private sector, academic institutions, and civil society to discuss the future of data and its role in supporting public policies, measuring Sustainable Development Goal indicators, and fostering global innovation. Riyadh’s hosting of this event reflects international confidence in Saudi Arabia’s standing, organizational capabilities, and growing leadership in the fields of data and statistics.
 

The General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) organized a specialized workshop titled “The National Framework for Statistical Training,” bringing together several experts, statisticians, and data producers and users. The workshop comes as part of GASTAT’s ongoing efforts to develop national capabilities and enhance the efficiency of the workforce in the statistical sector in Saudi Arabia.
The workshop reviewed the objectives of the National Framework for Statistical Training and its role in establishing an integrated professional system that contributes to developing the knowledge, skills, and professional behaviors of those working in the statistical field, in line with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030. It also aims to enhance the quality of statistical outputs and strengthen institutional performance efficiency. The workshop also featured specialized working sessions that addressed the proposed professional domains, in addition to discussing the structure of training programs and specialized tracks in the areas of data production, statistical analysis, data governance, and statistical dissemination. The sessions also discussed aligning these tracks with the actual needs of the statistical sector and its role in producing reliable statistical indicators.

In this context, the President of GASTAT, Fahad Aldossari, stated that this workshop represents a qualitative milestone in the development of the national framework for statistical training. He emphasized that investing in statistical capacity building is a strategic necessity to ensure the quality and reliability of statistical outputs. In addition, Aldossari highlighted the Saudi Statisticians Program, which has contributed to a tangible improvement in the efficiency of national cadres, thereby supporting the readiness of the statistical sector to keep pace with rapid developments in data production and its use in decision-making. He further emphasized the importance of equipping interested individuals, practitioners, and graduates with the minimum required statistical skills and competencies, particularly in light of the growing importance of data and indicators in supporting national objectives.
The National Framework for Statistical Training represents a strategic pillar for enhancing the quality and efficiency of specialized statistical training in the Kingdom, in light of the accelerating production of statistical data and its use in supporting decision-making. It also serves as an integrated national framework that defines the knowledge, skills, and professional behaviors required of statistical practitioners, ensuring the readiness of national talent to meet future requirements. It further contributes to the development of training programs based on the actual needs of the labor market and aligned with international best practices in statistical training, thereby enhancing professionalism in the sector and enabling training entities to measure program impact. 
It is noteworthy that the workshop comes as part of GASTAT's commitment to its national role in continuously building and developing the capabilities of statisticians and practitioners in line with international standards and the latest global training practices, thereby enhancing the efficiency of statistical performance and strengthening Saudi Arabia’s competitiveness at both the regional and international levels.

The General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) released the results of the Health and Safety at Workplace Statistics Publication for 2025. According to the results, the risk awareness index among workers aged 18 years and above reached 76.7%. The rate of occupational injuries among workers aged 15 years and above recorded 245 non-fatal injuries and 1.3 fatal injuries per 100,000 workers, excluding road traffic accidents.
The results showed that 51.8% of workers reported the availability of preventive measures implemented by their workplace, while 46.6% indicated the availability of at least one initiative aimed at facilitating daily work tasks. In addition, 34.5% of workers reported the availability of at least one resource provided by the work entity that supports their personal health.
The publication also indicated that Prolonged standing (for at least 4 hours per day) is the most common risk in the workplace, accounting for 25.3%, followed by Fatigue or working beyond one’s capacity at 16.7%. Regarding work-related health problems during the past twelve months, the results showed that work-related stress ranked first at 6%, followed by eye and vision problems at 3%.
It is worth noting that the Health and Safety at Workplace Statistics estimates are based on self-completion data collected from participants through household field visits under the National Health Survey 2025. Meanwhile, the occupational injury rate was calculated based on administrative records data from the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health.
 

The General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) released the International Trade in Goods Publication for February 2026, which showed a 15.1% increase in non-oil exports, including re-exports, compared to February 2025. Non-oil national exports, excluding re-exports, also increased by 6.3%, while re-exported goods recorded a significant increase of 28.5%. This growth was driven by a 59.9% rise in exports of machinery, electrical equipment and parts, which accounted for 53.9% of total re-exports.
The results also showed a 4.7% increase in total goods exports and a 0.6% rise in oil exports, while their share of total exports declined from 71.5% to 68.7% over the same period. On the imports side, they recorded a 6.6% increase, which contributed to a 1.0% decline in the merchandise trade balance surplus compared to the same month of the previous year.
According to the publication’s results, China ranked as Saudi Arabia’s top trading partner in goods in February 2026, accounting for 13.7% of total exports and 29.8% of total imports. Followed by the United Arab Emirates, with 12.1% of exports and 8.0% of imports, while Japan ranked next with 9.3% of total exports. Saudi Arabia’s exports to its top 10 trading partners accounted for 67.7% of total exports, while imports from the top 10 partners represented 71.2% of total imports.
It is noteworthy that International Trade in Goods Statistics are based on administrative records obtained from the relevant authorities, including the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority for non-oil data and the Ministry of Energy for oil data. These records undergo statistical processing and validation to ensure data quality and accuracy prior to publication.