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Dr. Fahad bin Abdullah Aldossari, President of the General Authority for Statistics, officially received the hosting rights for the 6th UN World Data Forum 2026 on behalf of Saudi Arabia. This announcement came at the conclusion of the 5th edition of the forum, held in Medellín, Colombia, from November 12 to 15, 2024. The forum gathered representatives from 193 UN member states. The High-Level Group for Partnership, Coordination, and Capacity-Building in Statistics welcomed Saudi Arabia’s selection as the host for the next forum in Riyadh, following its success in securing the majority vote within the group. The Kingdom’s outstanding bid and capabilities were commended by the group. This achievement highlights Saudi Arabia’s leadership in statistical work and the significant advancements in its statistical system. It also reflects the impact of the Kingdom’s data in demonstrating its role in supporting the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
On this occasion, Dr. Fahad Aldossari, extended his congratulations, on behalf of himself and GASTAT employees, to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and His Royal Highness Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, Prime Minister. He expressed gratitude for the support and empowerment GASTAT has received in recent years, which has significantly strengthened its local and international presence, enabling it to excel in statistical work and compete on the global stage. Aldossari noted that Saudi Arabia’s successful bid to host the 6th UN World Data Forum in Riyadh in 2026 reflects the Kingdom’s significant advancements across various sectors, including its statistical system. He emphasized that the event presents a valuable opportunity to share technical expertise in statistics and establish strategic partnerships with national statistical offices worldwide.
In his speech, Aldossari expressed his gratitude to the Government of the Republic of Colombia, the United Nations, and the National Department of Statistics (DANE) for hosting and organizing this global event. He also extended his appreciation to all representatives of national statistical offices, the program team, and members of the HLG-PCCB for their dedication and hard work in preparing the program. He reaffirmed Saudi Arabia's commitment, through the General Authority for Statistics, to enhancing the quality and transparency of statistical data across various fields. He highlighted the Kingdom’s exemplary leadership and outstanding performance in the region, underscoring its pivotal role in advancing statistical excellence.

The UN World Data Forum is a major international event attended by over 20,000 participants, including representatives from governments, national statistical offices, international and regional organizations, civil society, academia, and the private sector. The forum serves as a platform to discuss challenges facing the global data and statistics system and to foster collaboration among policymakers and experts from around the world. It reflects the growing level of cooperation across diverse data systems and underscores the critical importance of data and statistics.
It is worth noting that Saudi Arabia, represented by the General Authority for Statistics, will host the 6th UN World Data Forum in 2026 in Riyadh. The High-Level Group for Partnership, Coordination, and Capacity-Building in Statistics for the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda (HLG-PCCB) announced Saudi Arabia’s selection by majority vote, following a review of competing countries’ bids and an assessment of their hosting capabilities. This decision reflects the Kingdom’s prominent global standing and its pivotal role in advancing efforts to provide high-quality data and statistical indicators. It also highlights the exceptional contributions of the General Authority for Statistics to the field of statistical work, reaffirming the Kingdom’s leadership in the global statistical community.

The General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) issued the Hajj Statistics Publication for the year 1446 H / 2025. According to the publication’s results, the number of workers serving pilgrims during the 1446H/2025 Hajj season from both the public and private sectors, including security sectors, reached 420,070 workers, serving a total of 1,673,230 male and female pilgrims. Of these workers, 92% were male, while 8% were female.
Meanwhile, the number of male and female volunteers within the holy sites reached 34,540, who contributed a total of 2,134,398 volunteer hours during the 1446 H / 2025 Hajj season.
The publication also revealed that 314,337 male and female pilgrims benefited from the "Makkah Route Initiative" this year, representing 20.9% of all external pilgrims. These pilgrims arrived from eight countries. The initiative, which began during the 2017 Hajj season, aims to facilitate travel procedures for pilgrims arriving to perform the Hajj rituals.
It is worth noting that on 9 Dhul-Hijjah 1446 H (June 5, 2025), the General Authority for Statistics announced that the total number of pilgrims reached 1,673,230, including 1,506,576 external pilgrims who arrived through various entry points, and 166,654 internal pilgrims comprising both citizens and residents.
GASTAT’s statistical results for this year's Hajj also indicated that the number of male pilgrims was 877,841, while the number of female pilgrims was 795,389 out of the total number of internal and external pilgrims
It should be noted that the General Authority for Statistics relied in issuing the Hajj Statistics Publication on administrative records provided by the Ministry of Interior, which included the number of pilgrims, their detailed characteristics, and the services provided within the temporal and spatial boundaries of the pilgrimage. These data were collected, analyzed, and classified according to the statistical procedures followed over the past five years.
 

The United Nations has announced the election of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, represented by the General Authority for Statistics, as a member of the High-Level Group for Partnership, Coordination, and Capacity-Building for Statistics for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (HLG-PCCB).
This announcement affirms the Kingdom's ongoing efforts to develop an advanced statistical system based on innovation, quality, and openness, and reflects its commitment to continuing its role in promoting transparency and providing accurate statistics to support development policies in line with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030.
The group is one of the high-level committees operating under the umbrella of the United Nations and plays a pivotal role in leading and coordinating global efforts related to the follow-up and implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It does so through strengthening national statistical capacities, enhancing international partnerships, overseeing preparations for the United Nations World Data Forum (UNWDF), developing global statistical data strategies, and making recommendations to boost financial investments in statistical infrastructure, stimulate innovation, and ensure the sustainability of statistical systems to consistently produce accurate data in the long term.
Saudi Arabia’s membership will contribute to supporting international cooperation, enhancing the exchange of expertise with member countries, and activating new partnerships with international organizations and national statistical offices around the world. It will also further the Kingdom’s efforts to build an advanced statistical ecosystem rooted in innovation, quality, and openness, reaffirming its commitment to transparency and to providing accurate statistics that support development policies aligned with Saudi Vision 2030.
It is worth noting that the 39th meeting of the group was held earlier today, with the participation of Dr. Fahad Aldossari, President of the General Authority for Statistics. During the meeting, he welcomed the Kingdom’s upcoming hosting of the High-Level Group’s meeting, scheduled to be held in Saudi Arabia this November. He also presented the Kingdom’s preparations for hosting the United Nations World Data Forum (UNWDF) in Riyadh, November 2026 and discussed several other topics related to international conferences on sustainable development.

The General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) has released today International Merchandise Trade Statistics publication for April 2025. According to the publication’s findings, the total merchandise exports amounted to SAR 90.3 billion, marking a decline of 10.9% compared to April 2024. Meanwhile, non-oil exports (including re-exports) increased by 24.6%, reaching SAR 28.4 billion compared to April 2024.
Imports also rose in April 2025, reaching SAR 76.1 billion, an increase of 18.3%. As a result, the trade balance surplus decreased to SAR 14.2 billion, reflecting a drop of 61.7% compared to April 2024.
The publication’s results showed an increase in the ratio of non-oil exports (including re-exports) to imports, which stood at 37.2% in April 2025 compared to 35.4% in April 2024. On the other hand, the share of oil exports in total exports declined from 77.5% in April 2024 to 68.6% in April 2025.
According to the publication, chemical industry products were among the top non-oil export commodities, amounting to SAR 6.0 billion and accounting for 26.4% of total non-oil exports. As for imports, the leading commodity group was machinery, electrical equipment, and parts thereof, which recorded SAR 21.1 billion and made up 26.0% of total imports.
The publication also indicated that the People’s Republic of China remained the Kingdom’s top trading partner. Exports to China totaled SAR 11.4 billion, representing 12.6% of total exports in April 2025, while imports from China reached SAR19.0 billion, accounting for 25.0% of total imports.
It is worth noting that international trade statistics rely on administrative records from Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority (for non-oil trade) and the Ministry of Energy (for oil trade). The Kingdom’s imports and exports are classified according to the 2022 Harmonized System (HS) for the Description and Coding of Goods.
 

Under the patronage His Excellency Faisal bin Fadhel Al-Ibrahim, Minister of Economy and Planning and Chairman of GASTAT’s Board of Directors, The General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) is launching the First Saudi Statistics Forum this coming Sunday, April 27, 2025, in Riyadh, under the theme “Statistics for Sustainable Opportunities”. The event will run for two days, concluding on April 28.
The forum will gather high-level participants, including ministers, leaders and representatives of international organizations, experts from statistical offices, and both local and international specialists. More than 300 attendees with a strong interest in statistical development are expected to participate.
The agenda will explore several key topics across five sessions. Discussions will begin with the role of statistics in policy development and decision-making. Subsequent sessions will cover global methodologies and practices in statistics, as well as the latest innovations and developments in statistical techniques. Attention will also be given to how the private sector contributes to producing and supporting statistical data. The forum will conclude with a session focused on strengthening collaboration between statistical institutions and data users.
As the first national platform of its kind, the Saudi Statistics Forum aims to spotlight the growing importance of data in supporting the Kingdom’s sustainable development journey, aligning with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030. It also seeks to raise public awareness of the impact and value of reliable statistics in everyday life.
GASTAT has called on statisticians, data professionals, and stakeholders to take part in this significant event and benefit from the insights shared by experts from across the globe. For registration and more details, visit:
https://ssf.eventy.sa/?event_id=dhcimVphLIB1d4J3r9yJnA

The General Authority for Statistics is organizing the First Saudi Forum for Statistics under the theme "Statistics for Sustainable Opportunities" on April 27-28, 2025, in Riyadh. The Forum will be attended by high-ranking officials, including princes, ministers, heads and representatives of international organizations, statistical offices from various countries, as well as local and international experts, with more than 300 participants interested in statistical work. The forum will highlight several key topics across five sessions, discussing the role of statistics in policy development and decision-making, international statistical methodologies and practices, innovation and development in statistical methods, the role of the private sector in supporting and producing statistical data, and the integration between statistical institutions and data beneficiaries. As the first forum of its kind in Saudi Arabia, it aims to discuss important statistical topics, highlight the positive impact of the statistics sector in supporting the Kingdom’s journey of growth and sustainable development, measure the level of progress in the indicators of Saudi Vision 2030, and reinforce the importance of data and statistics in raising public awareness. The General Authority for Statistics invites all interested individuals to register and learn more about the forum through the official website: 
https://ssf.eventy.sa/?event_id=dhcimVphLIB1d4J3r9yJnA

On its first day, the Saudi Statistics Forum — held under the patronage of His Excellency the Minister of Economy and Planning and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the General Authority for Statistics — witnessed the attendance of a number of Their Highnesses and Excellencies, ministers, heads and representatives of international organizations and statistical offices, local and international experts, and decision-makers in the statistical sector, along with more than 300 individuals interested in statistical work.

The first panel discussion at the forum, titled “The Role of Statistics in Policy Development and Decision-making,” featured the participation of His Excellency the Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources, Mr. Bandar bin Ibrahim AlKhorayef, and His Excellency the President of the General Authority for Statistics, Dr. Fahad bin Abdullah Al-Dossari.

The session discussed the impact of collaboration and integration between national statistical offices and governmental and private entities in decision-making and enhancing developmental outcomes. It also addressed the importance of statistical indicators in measuring the success of policies and aligning them with national targets, in addition to highlighting the critical role of statistical data as a fundamental pillar in shaping public policies, making decisions, and setting national priorities.

The second panel discussion was dedicated to the topic of "International Statistical Methodologies and Practices". It featured the participation of the President of the General Authority for Statistics, along with several heads of statistical offices, representatives of international organizations, and several local and international experts. The participants discussed the importance of globally recognized statistical standards and classifications, the unification of methodologies to ensure comparability between countries, and the role of modern technologies in advancing statistical methodologies. They also addressed the challenges facing statistical practices and emphasized the importance of ensuring reliability and transparency in official statistics.

It is worth noting that the Saudi Statistics Forum will continue its specialized sessions focusing on the statistical sector, covering a range of topics such as innovation and development in statistical methods, the role of the private sector in supporting and producing statistical data, and the integration between statistical institutions and data users. These efforts are part of the forum’s broader goal to develop a comprehensive national statistical system that supports decision-making and contributes to achieving sustainable development goals.

In the presence of His Excellency the Minister of Economy and Planning, Mr. Faisal bin Fadel Alibrahim; His Excellency the Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources, Mr. Bandar bin Ibrahim Al-Khorayef and Mr. Abdulaziz bin Nasser bin Mubarak Al Khalifa, Secretary-General of the National Planning Council, the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the National Statistics Center of Qatar. The signing took place on the sidelines of the first Saudi Statistics Forum.
The agreement aims to elevate the level of cooperation between the two parties, enhance coordination, and integrate efforts in their respective fields. Furthermore, it seeks to establish a general framework for joint activities and tasks, develop institutional capabilities, and foster integration to serve common objectives.
The agreement was signed by His Excellency Dr. Fahad bin Abdullah Aldossari, President of the General Authority for Statistics, and His Excellency Mr. Ahmed bin Hassan Al-Obaidli, Director-General of the National Statistics Center of Qatar. The memorandum outlines several key areas of cooperation, including the exchange of technical expertise and knowledge aligned with each party’s area of specialization in mutually relevant fields. It also covers the development and sharing of programs aimed at promoting statistical awareness, strategies for public engagement, and the joint organization of conferences, seminars, and workshops. Additionally, it encourages the exchange of visits between experts and specialists engaged in statistical activities.

In this context, Dr. Fahad Aldossari emphasized that GASTAT’s statistical efforts play a vital role in advancing the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030 by developing and monitoring statistical indicators. Pointing out that cooperation with the National Statistics Centre of Qatar contributes to measuring progress towards achieving the objectives of national visions and sustainable development through joint work in raising the level of performance concerning the exchange of statistical data, meeting the requirements of both parties and identifying statistical developments and future trends in developing statistical products. This collaboration aims to support the national economy and sustainable development, enhance knowledge, and build societal awareness towards the various sectors and activities of the state.

It is worth noting that the General Authority for Statistics is the entity responsible for statistics in the Kingdom and the sole official reference for implementing and technically supervising and organizing statistical work. GASTAT's tasks are diverse and include collecting statistical data and information from public and private entities and individuals, as well as analyzing and studying this data.

The General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) announced the implementation of a comprehensive update to Saudi Arabia’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), in line with the Kingdom’s efforts to enhance economic transparency, improve the quality and statistical data reliability, and accurately measure national economic indicators that support development goals and align with international best practices.
GASTAT explained that the updated results showed a 14.1% increase in GDP estimates for 2023, equivalent to an additional SAR 566 billion compared to previously published results, bringing the updated GDP total to SAR 4.5 trillion. The comprehensive update also revealed a higher relative contribution of the non-oil economy, reaching 53.2%, an increase of 5.7 percentage points from earlier estimates, driven largely by the increased economic activity of small and medium-sized enterprises.
The update further indicated significant growth in several economic sectors, including a 61% increase in construction activity, a 29.8% rise in wholesale and retail trade, restaurants, and hotels, and a 25.6% increase in transportation, storage, and communications, in addition to growth across various other sectors.
This update is part of GASTAT’s ongoing efforts to provide more comprehensive, up-to-date, accurate, and high-quality statistical data that serves decision-makers, policymakers, investors, researchers, and stakeholders at the local, regional, and international levels. Over the past period, GASTAT has implemented several enhancements to national accounts statistics, most notably the adoption of the chain-linked methodology. This globally recognized approach is used to estimate real GDP growth rates based on the weights and prices of the year preceding the measurement year, in accordance with the recommendations of the System of National Accounts (SNA) manual.
At the beginning of 2024, GASTAT launched the comprehensive GDP update project through a series of statistical surveys aimed at collecting detailed and wide-ranging data for the year 2023. Key surveys included the comprehensive economic survey, the household income and expenditure survey, and the comprehensive agricultural survey, in addition to an expanded use of administrative data sources. These inputs were used to develop more detailed supply and use tables and to produce accurate GDP estimates using the production, income, and expenditure approaches. The update also provided detailed data covering 134 economic activities, compared to 85 in the previous classification.
GASTAT affirmed that this update aligns with globally recognized statistical practices, helping to deliver a more accurate and up-to-date representation of the national economy. It captures significant structural shifts, enhances the precision of economic indicators, and boosts the credibility and international alignment of national data. GASTAT also emphasized that without regular updates, the data may fail to reflect the ongoing transformation of Saudi Arabia’s economic structure, particularly in light of the rapid expansion of the non-oil sector since the launch of Saudi Vision 2030. The revised GDP data is now accessible through GASTAT’s official e-portal.

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.
 

Under the patronage of His Excellency the Minister of Economy and Planning, Chairman of the Board of Directors of GASTAT, Faisal bin Fadhil Alibrahim, the Saudi Statistical Forum was launched, organized by GASTAT in the capital, Riyadh, with the participation of a number of HE ministers, heads and representatives of international organizations and statistical offices, as well as local and international experts and decision-makers in the statistical sector. The forum was attended by more than 300 individuals interested in statistical work and will continue over two days, 27–28 April 2025.
His Excellency Minister Faisal Alibrahim delivered a speech in which he emphasized that the forum was inspired by the  insightful guidance of HRH the Crown Prince in developing and advancing the Kingdom’s data system, to serve as an example in measuring performance levels and identifying the impact of legislation through data and statistical indicators. He confirmed that the Kingdom has made great strides in enhancing the quality and accuracy of indicators, including economic, social, and environmental statistics. Statistics and data today have become a reliable reference for decision-makers.
His Excellency added that we will continue  in the coming phase to develop data platforms, strengthen the digital transformation journey, and benefit from artificial intelligence and modern technologies in developing statistical processes and data analysis, in a way that enhances efficiency, increases the accuracy of indicators, facilitates access to information, and contributes to accelerating the pace of development and maximizing the positive impact locally and globally in statistical work.”
For his part, Dr. Fahad bin Abdullah Aldossari, President of GASTAT, expressed his thanks and appreciation to His Excellency the Minister of Economy and Planning for his sponsorship of the forum, valuing at the same time the presence of HE the ministers, specialists, and experts from inside and outside the Kingdom, which adds qualitative momentum to the forum and reinforces its role as a national platform concerned with the development of statistical work and the support of public policies and knowledge-based decision-making.
Dr. Aldossari clarified that the forum organized by GASTAT stems from its belief in the importance of meeting, integration, and exchange of expertise to build a knowledge-based future founded on reliable data and statistics. He pointed out that GASTAT constantly works to develop its statistical system in a way that enhances the capacities of entities and supports decision-makers in planning and policy-making to achieve national objectives.
The forum's agenda includes five panel sessions. On the first day of the forum, two panel sessions will be held. The first session "The Role of Statistics in Policy Development and Decision Making" will be attended by His Excellency the Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources, Bandar bin Ibrahim AlKhorayef, and Dr. Fahad bin Abdullah Aldossari , President of GASTAT. The session will  highlight the importance of statistical data as a fundamental pillar in the formulation of public policies, decision-making, defining national priorities. It will also emphasize the role of data providers in improving data quality and accuracy, as well as the importance of statistical indicators in measuring the success of policies and their alignment with national objectives, and the impact of cooperation and integration between national statistical offices and governmental and private entities in decision-making and enhancing developmental impact.
The second session "International Statistical Methodologies and Practices" will include the participation of several heads of statistical offices, representatives of international organizations, and local and international experts. The speakers will discuss the importance of globally approved statistical standards and classifications and the unification of methodologies to ensure comparability between countries, the role of modern technologies in developing statistical methodologies, in addition to discussing challenges in statistical practices and ensuring reliability and transparency in official statistics.
Speakers on the second day of the forum will participate in three panel sessions, namely:
Modern Methods of Innovation and Statistical Development,
The Role of the Private Sector in Producing Statistical Data,
Enhancing the Relationship Between Agencies and Data Beneficiaries
The third and fourth sessions will address the importance of remote sensing technologies and satellite imagery in geographic and agricultural statistics, and the use of advanced statistical methods in data analysis and their impact on decision-making, as well as the challenges facing the private sector in data production, and opportunities to enhance the partnership between the public and private sectors to develop sustainable and accurate data sources that support economic and developmental decision-making.
The forum will dedicate the final session to discussing the mechanism for facilitating access to data and statistical indicators in multiple formats that allow data users to access and interact with the data in ways that meet their needs, and to develop the level of relationship and communication with users through the provision of secure and diverse digital platforms for presenting data supported by charts, tables, and illustrative visuals. In addition, it will highlight the importance of providing high-quality data that contributes to supporting the private sector and its future directions.
On the first day, GASTAT signed a number of agreements with several statistical offices and centers in the United Arab Emirates, the State of Qatar, the Republic of Estonia, and the Republic of Finland, aiming to exchange expertise to develop statistical work.
It is worth mentioning that the Saudi Statistical Forum is the first of its kind and aims to discuss important topics at the statistical level and highlight the positive impact of the statistical sector in supporting the course of renaissance and sustainable development in the Kingdom, and in reinforcing the importance of data and statistics in raising awareness among members of society.

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.
 

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, held a series of bilateral meetings with several heads and directors of international organizations and statistical centers during the Saudi Statistics Forum. The forum was hosted in Riyadh from April 27-28, 2025.
These meetings involved discussions on areas of bilateral cooperation, exploring opportunities for integration and the exchange of expertise in developing statistical work, and examining ways to expand partnerships with leading statistical entities at both regional and international levels. The aim was to enhance data quality and contribute to the development of statistical products and indicators that support decision-making.
The meetings included discussions with: Dr. Johannes Jutting, Executive Head of PARIS21; Dr. Ola Awad, President of PCBS; Dr. Steve Macfeely, OECD Chief Statistician; Professor Xuming He, President of ISI; Mr. Mohamed Bin Ahmed Al Obaidly, Director-General of the National Statistics Center of Qatar; Intisar Abdullah Al Wahaibi, Director General of the GCC Statistical Centre;   Dr. Diaa Awad Kazem, President of the Statistics and Geospatial Information Authority in Iraq; Dr. Khalifa Al-Barwani, Chief Executive Officer at National Centre for Statistics and Information in Oman; Ms. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK, Director General of SESRIC; Mr. Rafeal Diaz, Senior Statistician at ILO; and Dr. Ziad Abdullah, Director General of the Arab Institute for Training and Statistical Research.

During the meetings, Dr. Fahad Aldossari emphasized GASTAT's commitment to strengthening its international and regional partnerships to develop methodologies, enhance the efficiency of statistical systems, expand the scope of open data, and keep pace with global technological advancements in the field of statistics and analysis.

The Saudi Statistics Forum is a significant national platform for activating statistical cooperation, promoting capacity building, and transferring knowledge. It was held with the participation of prominent statistical leaders, decision-makers, and local and international experts, and was attended by over 300 participants from various entities related to statistical work.
 

The annual inflation rate in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia reached 2.0% in January 2025 compared to the previous year. The inflation rate in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is considered one of the lowest inflation rates among the G20 countries.

It is worth mentioning that the Consumer Price Index (CPI) reflects changes in prices paid by consumers for a fixed basket of goods and services consisting of 490 items. This basket was selected based on the results of a household expenditure and income survey conducted in 2018. Prices are collected through field visits to sales points, and statistics of CPI in the Kingdom are published on a monthly basis.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, represented by the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT), participated in the 56th session of the United Nations Statistical Commission meeting held over four days in New York City, USA. This meeting included heads of official statistical agencies and their representatives from across the world . GASTAT’s involvement was in response to an invitation from the United Nations, aiming to highlight Saudi Arabia's preparations for hosting the sixth UN World Data Forum in Riyadh from November 9 to 12, 2026. The participation also focused on engaging in both internal and international discussions to align the forum's date with other events on the statistical and international calendar.
GASTAT’s delegation was led by Vice President Mr. Mohammed bin Abdullah Alrasheed. He commended the committee's high-level working group for its report on partnership, coordination, and capacity building in statistics to monitor the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda and its strategic leadership in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. He also highlighted the role of GASTAT in strengthening business and trade statistics over the last three years.
On the sidelines of the meeting, GASTAT took part in the high-level group meeting and the side meeting of the UN Statistical Commission. During these meetings, GASTAT reaffirmed its commitment to the report of the Committee of Experts on Environmental-Economic Accounting and expressed support for the overall program of the commission's working groups and technical committees. Additionally, GASTAT welcomed participation in key initiatives, including topics related to the circular economy, biodiversity, sustainable tourism, and climate change.
It's noteworthy that the United Nations Preparatory Committee meeting is recognized as the most prominent statistical organizational framework worldwide. This committee is responsible for establishing international statistical standards and promoting the use of reliable data. It also develops statistical policies and addresses issues related to methodologies and data collection. Furthermore, it tracks the progress made in the indicators of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). The United Nations Statistical Commission convenes its meetings annually in late February and early March in New York City, USA.

The General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) issued today the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) report and National Accounts Indicators for 2024 and the fourth quarter of 2024. According to the results of the publication, the real GDP achieved a growth rate of 1.3% in 2024 compared to the previous year. Non-Oil Activities and Government Activities grew by 4.3% and 2.6%, respectively, while Oil Activities saw a decline of 4.5%.
In terms of quarterly estimates, the real GDP achieved a growth of 4.5% in the fourth quarter of 2024 compared to the same quarter of the previous year. This growth is attributed to the increase across all economic activities, with Non-Oil Activities growing by 4.7%, Oil Activities growing by 3.4%, and Government Activities growing by 2.2% year-on-year.
In the same context, the results of the report stated that during the fourth quarter of 2024, seasonally adjusted real GDP grew by 0.5% compared to the third quarter of 2024.
It is worth noting that most economic activities achieved positive growth rates in 2024, in line with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030, which aims to achieve a prosperous economy. This reflects the success of the Vision's programs, legislative reforms, and the progress made in major projects and national strategies.

 The General Authority for Statistics released the results of the Industrial Production Index (IPI) for January 2025.  According to the results of the publication, IPI recorded an increase of 1.3 % during January 2025 compared to the same month of 2024. The increase is driven by a rise in the activities of  manufacturing activity and water supply, sewage, and waste management and remediation activities.
The publication results showed a decrease in the sub-index for mining and quarrying activity by 0.4% on an annual basis, and an increase in the sub-index for manufacturing activity by 4 %. The sub-index for electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply activity recorded a decrease of 1.7 %, while the sub-index for water supply, sewage, and waste management and remediation activities recorded an increase of 12.8 %.

According to the main economic activities, the results indicated an increase in the index of oil activities in January 2025 by 0.4 %, while the index of non-oil activities recorded an increase of 3.6 % compared to the same month of the previous year.

It is noteworthy that the GASTAT issues IPI on a monthly basis, which is an economic indicator that reflects the relative changes in the volume of industrial production quantities based on data from the industrial production survey, which is implemented on a sample of industrial establishments operating in the targeted industrial activities. These are represented by the activities of mining and quarrying, manufacturing activity, electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supplies, in addition to the water supply, sewage, and waste management
 and remediation activities.

The General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) hosted a delegation from the Sultanate of Oman at its headquarters in Riyadh. The delegation included representatives from the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism, the Ministry of Labor, the National Center for Statistics and Information, and the National Center for Records and Data. The visit aimed to explore GASTAT's expertise in its areas of specialization. Both parties emphasized the importance of exchanging expertise, strengthening complementary roles among governmental institutions and sectors, and sharing knowledge to achieve the objectives of joint Gulf cooperation.
The visit provided an opportunity for the delegation to meet with experts and learn about GASTAT’s role in tourism sector statistics, mechanisms of collaboration with relevant stakeholders in the tourism ecosystem, and methods of data collection, analysis, and dissemination to support policymakers, decision-makers, and those interested in tourism activities in both countries. Additionally, the delegation explored the modern technologies used in the field of statistics and discussed ways to localize these technologies within the relevant agencies in both countries.

The ninth meeting of the GCC Permanent Committee for Statistical Affairs was held today in Jeddah, chaired by Dr. Fahad bin Abdullah Aldossari, the President of the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) in Saudi Arabia. The meeting aimed to strengthen joint efforts among GCC member states in the field of statistics.

On the sidelines of the meeting, a joint workshop was organized to enhance performance in terms of the availability and exchange of statistical data among member states and to advance the implementation of the strategic statistical plan.

During the meeting, the committee members discussed several topics aimed at promoting cooperation among GCC countries to advance the statistical sector. They emphasized the importance of collaborative efforts to achieve strategic support and coordination in statistical activities. The agenda included a review of the progress in implementing recommendations from the previous meeting, continued study of statistical indicators to measure the implementation of Supreme Council decisions, and the importance of fostering knowledge development for staff in statistical agencies. The discussion also focused on enhancing skills, sharing expertise, activating joint cooperation mechanisms, and addressing global developments and common challenges facing statistical work across the GCC countries.