News

The President of the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT), Fahad Aldossari, held a bilateral meeting with Mr. Anas Radwan Salim, President of the Syrian Planning and Statistics Commission, on the sidelines of the statistical meetings held in Jeddah from September 26 - 30, 2026. The meetings include the 51st Meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Arab Institute for Training and Research in Statistics; the 44th Meeting of the Permanent Technical Committee for Statistics of the Economic and Social Council of the League of Arab States; and the 15th Session of the Statistical Commission of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), hosted by the Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC).
The meeting included discussions on several topics related to the development of statistical work and fostering cooperation between the two sides in areas of mutual interest.
During the meeting, Aldossari showcased the national vision for statistical transformation and GASTAT’s efforts, which involve diversifying data sources, developing methodologies, upgrading digital infrastructure, and adopting international standards and practices. These efforts contribute to improving the quality of statistical products and expanding their scope to meet the needs of users and beneficiaries, including individuals, organizations, and the private sector.
Furthermore, the meeting is part of GASTAT’s efforts to foster international statistical cooperation and support the development of statistical capacities, contributing to improving the quality of data and indicators and advancing statistical work in support of development objectives.
 

The President of the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT), Fahad Aldossari, held a bilateral meeting with Ms. Abeer Al-Jalahma, Director of the Department of Statistics and Databases at the League of Arab States, on the sidelines of the statistical meetings held in Jeddah from September 26 - 30, 2026. The meetings include the 51st Meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Arab Institute for Training and Research in Statistics; the 44th Meeting of the Permanent Technical Committee for Statistics of the Economic and Social Council of the League of Arab States; and the 15th Session of the Statistical Commission of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), hosted by the Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC).
The two sides discussed opportunities to strengthen cooperation between GASTAT and the League in developing Arab statistical databases, exchanging technical expertise, implementing joint training programs, and exploring new initiatives that support Arab statistical work and keep pace with digital transformation in statistics production.
Furthermore, the meeting is part of GASTAT’s efforts to foster international statistical cooperation and support the development of statistical capacities, contributing to improving the quality of data and statistical indicators and advancing statistical work in support of development objectives and decision-making.
 

The President of the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT), Fahad Aldossari, held a bilateral meeting with Major General Eng. Akram El Gohary, President of Egypt’s Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS), on the sidelines of the statistical meetings held in Jeddah from September 26 - 30, 2026. The meetings include the 51st Meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Arab Institute for Training and Research in Statistics; the 44th Meeting of the Permanent Technical Committee for Statistics of the Economic and Social Council of the League of Arab States; and the 15th Session of the Statistical Commission of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), hosted by the Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC).
The two sides discussed opportunities for cooperation in conducting population and economic censuses and exchanging expertise, in addition to discussing early preparations for the Egypt 2028 Census.
During the meeting, Aldossari showcased the national vision for statistical transformation implemented by GASTAT, which is based on diversifying data sources, developing methodologies, upgrading digital infrastructure, and adopting international standards and practices, contributing to improving the quality of statistical products and expanding their scope to meet the needs of beneficiaries.
Furthermore, the meeting is part of GASTAT’s efforts to foster international statistical cooperation and support the development of statistical capacities, contributing to improving the quality of data and statistics and advancing statistical work in support of development objectives.
 

The President of the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT), Fahad Aldossari, held a bilateral meeting with a delegation from Statistics Indonesia (BPS) on the sidelines of the statistical meetings held in Jeddah from September 26 - 30, 2026. The meetings include the 51st Meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Arab Institute for Training and Research in Statistics; the 44th Meeting of the Permanent Technical Committee for Statistics of the Economic and Social Council of the League of Arab States; and the 15th Session of the Statistical Commission of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), hosted by the Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC).
The Indonesian delegation included Dr. Sonny Harry Budiutomo Harmadi, Vice Chief Statistician; Dr. Nasrul Wajdi, Deputy Chief Statistician for Social; and Mr. Rizki Tri Anggara, Chief Statistician.
During the meeting, the two sides reviewed GASTAT’s efforts in statistical transformation, including diversifying data sources, developing statistical products, and adopting international standards and practices in statistical work.
Furthermore, the meeting is part of GASTAT’s efforts to foster international statistical cooperation and support the development of statistical work, contributing to improved statistical products and the provision of reliable statistical indicators that support development and decision-making.
 

The President of the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT), Fahad Aldossari, held a bilateral meeting with Dr. Diaa Awad Kadhim, President of the Commission of Statistics and GIS of the Republic of Iraq, on the sidelines of the statistical meetings held in Jeddah from September 26 - 30, 2026. The meetings include the 51^st Meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Arab Institute for Training and Research in Statistics; the 44^th Meeting of the Permanent Technical Committee for Statistics of the Economic and Social Council of the League of Arab States; and the 15^th Session of the Statistical Commission of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), hosted by the Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC).

The meeting was held as part of the two sides’ commitment to fostering statistical cooperation and exchanging technical expertise, contributing to the development of the statistical ecosystems in both countries.

The two sides discussed opportunities for cooperation in implementing joint projects in emerging statistical fields, in addition to emphasizing the invitation extended to Iraq to participate in the UN World Data Forum 2026 (UNWDF) in Riyadh.

During the meeting, Aldossari showcased GASTAT’s efforts in statistical transformation, which are based on diversifying data sources, developing methodologies, upgrading digital infrastructure, and adopting international standards and practices. These efforts contribute to improving the quality of statistical products and expanding their scope to meet the needs of users and beneficiaries, including individuals, organizations, and the private sector.

Furthermore, the meeting is part of GASTAT’s efforts to foster statistical cooperation and partnerships, supporting the development of statistical systems and enhancing data quality to contribute to development policies and decision-making.

The President of the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) held a bilateral meeting with Ms. Zehra Zümrüt Selçuk, Director General of the Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC), on the sidelines of the statistical meetings held in Jeddah from September 26 - 30, 2026. The meetings include the 51st Meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Arab Institute for Training and Research in Statistics; the 44th Meeting of the Permanent Technical Committee for Statistics of the Economic and Social Council of the League of Arab States; and the 15th Session of the Statistical Commission of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), hosted by the Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC).
The two sides discussed opportunities for cooperation in statistical artificial intelligence, digital transformation, and the development of statistical systems, in addition to fostering cooperation in training and capacity building, and reaffirming the invitation extended to SESRIC to participate in the UN World Data Forum 2026 (UNWDF) in Riyadh.
Furthermore, the meeting is part of GASTAT’s efforts to foster international statistical cooperation, contributing to improving the quality of data and statistical indicators and enhancing the efficiency of statistical work in support of development and decision-making.
 

GASTAT hosted the 15th Session of the of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Statistical Committee (OIC-StatCom) in Jeddah on September 29–30, 2026, with the participation of heads and representatives of statistical offices from member states, as well as regional and international organizations.
The session addressed a number of topics related to advancing statistical work across member states, most notably the modernization of population and housing statistics through digital systems, the implementation of the 2025 System of National Accounts, and the monitoring of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) indicators. The session also reviewed member states’ experiences in leveraging emerging technologies and artificial intelligence in official statistics, as well as activities carried out since the previous session.
During the opening session, Fahad Aldossari, the President of GASTAT, delivered the Kingdom’s statement, emphasizing that Saudi Arabia’s hosting of the 15th Session of the of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Statistical Committee (OIC-StatCom) reflects its strong commitment to advancing statistical work and strengthening its role in keeping pace with evolving developments and meeting the growing demand for data.
He also highlighted the importance of leveraging modern technologies to enhance official statistics, thereby contributing to the provision of reliable data that supports decision-making.
On the sidelines of the session, a panel discussion titled “Fostering Partnerships within Statistical Ecosystems” as part of the sub-theme of the 6th UN World Data Forum. The session explored ways to strengthen public-private partnerships to support the development of statistical data, international cooperation in data sharing, and the role of international partnerships in addressing global challenges.
During the session, GASTAT also highlighted the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s preparations to host the 6th UN World Data Forum, scheduled to take place in Riyadh in November 2026. GASTAT also highlighted the efforts undertaken as part of the “Road to Riyadh” activities, including workshops and panel discussions aimed at fostering participation and exchanging knowledge and expertise in preparation for the Forum.

It is worth noting that, since the adoption of the Istanbul Declaration in 2010, OIC member states have held annual meetings under the umbrella of the OIC Statistical Committee. SESRIC, as the Secretariat of the Committee, continues to support initiatives aimed at strengthening the exchange of experiences, good practices, and technical knowledge among statistical offices across member states.
 

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, represented by the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT), is chairing the 44th meeting of the Permanent Technical Committee for Statistics of the Economic and Social Council of the League of Arab States, hosted in Jeddah on Monday, September 28, 2026, with the participation of heads and representatives of statistical offices of the member states, as well as relevant Arab and regional organizations.
The meeting, chaired by Fahad Aldossari, President of GASTAT, discussed several priority areas for Arab statistical work, including developing and updating official statistics, Sustainable Development Goal indicators, and exchanging statistical experiences and expertise among Arab countries. It also explored ways to strengthen coordination and cooperation among relevant statistical authorities, offices, and organizations.
Furthermore, this meeting comes in light of rapid developments in data sources, methodologies, and technologies used to produce statistics, requiring greater integration among statistical offices and the development of capabilities to support the quality of statistics across Arab countries.
The meeting also comes as part of GASTAT’s preparations to host the 6th UN World Data Forum in Riyadh in November 2026, as GASTAT works to strengthen its organizational readiness and enrich the Forum’s themes by addressing the latest developments in statistical work through panel discussions, workshops, conferences, and international meetings.