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The President of GASTAT, Fahad Aldossari, held a bilateral meeting with the director of the UNICEF Office for the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, Lana Khalil Al Wreikat, at GASTAT’s headquarters in Riyadh, to discuss prospects for cooperation in statistical and developmental fields of mutual interest. 
This meeting comes as a part of GASTAT’s commitment to expanding its international partnerships and enhancing cooperation with other regional and international organizations. Such efforts aim to develop the national statistical ecosystem, support development efforts, and reinforce the role of reliable data in achieving sustainable development.
During the meeting, both sides discussed ways to enhance cooperation and exchange expertise in statistical and development fields, contribute to supporting data production, improve its quality, and strengthen its role in supporting public policy and decision-making in line with the latest international practice and standards. It also addressed GASTAT’s strategic transformation and efforts to strengthen its position as a leading statistical institution at the regional and international levels through developing digital infrastructure, expanding data accessibility, building statistical capacity, and enhancing international cooperation. 
In addition, the meeting reviewed Saudi Arabia’s preparations to host the 6th UNWDF 2026 and the role of the regional and international organizations in ensuring the Forum’s success and promoting global dialogue on data for development.
The president of GASTAT also emphasized that the partnership with the UNICEF Office for GCC countries represents an effective model for integration between national and international expertise in developing social statistics and enhancing data quality. He noted that this partnership is an extension of GASTAT’s efforts to support data-driven decision-making in line with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030 and contributes to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
He added that GASTAT is keen to expand its cooperation with regional and international organizations to enhance statistical capacity-building and reinforce Saudi Arabia’s position as a leading regional and global hub for data, particularly in light of its preparation to host the 6th UNWDF in Riyadh in 2026.
It is noteworthy that the UNICEF Office for GCC countries was established in 1987 by merging the country offices in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Kingdom of Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates. This was based on an institutional vision that reflects the unique social and economic development trajectories of the GCC countries.
 

The General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) will organize a panel discussion on Wednesday evening, 11 February 2026, titled “Beyond Numbers - The Social Dimensions of Data”. The panel discussion is part of a series of panel discussions previously held under Road to Riyadh events, launched in preparation for hosting the 6th UNWDF in Riyadh in November.

In addition, it represents a significant milestone in highlighting the growing role of Saudi women in the fields of statistics and innovation, and in strengthening inclusivity within the national statistical ecosystem. The panel discussion will showcase national and international experiences in empowering women and youth in the statistical data sector, highlight leadership initiatives that have supported women’s participation in statistical fields, and discuss global and local strategies for empowering women across various sectors.
It is noteworthy that the panel discussion will bring together a distinguished group of experts, academics, specialists, and officials from leading local and international institutions, centers, and universities. It aims to raise awareness of the human and social dimensions of statistical data and to foster the role of statistics as a tool for identifying societal transformations and supporting more inclusive, responsive decision-making in line with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030.
 

The General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) has announced that it will keep collecting data for the 2026 statistical surveys, which are designed to provide useful information to support decision-makers and policymakers create effective economic and social plans.
The data collection phase includes several methods, such as self-reporting, telephone interviews, and field visits. It targets establishments in both the public and private sectors, as well as households and individuals.
In the same context, GASTAT announced the launch of a self-reporting service for several statistical surveys and reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining the confidentiality of all data collected from targeted groups, which are used exclusively for statistical purposes. It also noted that self-reporting aligns with the objectives of digital transformation and Saudi Vision 2030.
In addition, GASTAT called on all members of society, including establishments, households, and individuals, to fulfill their national responsibility by responding to its call to participate in completing statistical survey data.
GASTAT also provided several communication channels to respond to inquiries, including the unified phone number (199009), the customer support email (info@stats.gov.sa), and its official accounts on social media platforms.
 

GASTAT President Fahad Aldossari received, at GASTAT headquarters, a delegation from the UK Office for National Statistics (ONS), headed by Ms. Lucinda Eggleton and Ms. Alison Bailey, as part of the British side’s annual visit program. During the meeting, both sides discussed aspects of cooperation in the statistical fields.
In the same context, Fahad Aldossari reviewed during the meeting GASTAT’s efforts in digital transformation and the development of statistical methodologies in line with the latest international best practices, as well as its main statistical products, the innovation mechanism in data collection and analysis, and the integration of data sources to support decision-makers efficiently and effectively.
The visit included a tour of the Innovation Lab and the Statistical Surveys Operations Center, during which the delegation was briefed on the latest technical initiatives, the mechanism for monitoring indicators, and the integrated management of statistical operations. Technical sessions were also held during which the joint work plan for 2026 was discussed, and the priorities of cooperation between the two sides were identified.
This visit comes within the framework of activating the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the two sides, reflecting the depth of the strategic partnership, which contributes to enhancing statistical capacities, exchanging expertise, developing statistical work, and supporting the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.