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.

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

The General Authority for Statistics released the results of the Industrial Production Index (IPI) for February 2025. According to the report, IPI decreased by 0.2% compared to the same month of the previous year (February 2024), primarily due to a decline in mining and quarrying activities.
The report showed a 0.7% year-on-year decrease in the sub-index for mining and quarrying activities. In contrast, the sub-index for manufacturing activities rose by 0.2%. The sub-index for electricity, gas, steam, and air conditioning supply recorded an increase of 1.1%, while the sub-index for water supply, sewage, waste management, and treatment activities recorded a significant rise of 13.1%.
According to the main economic activities, the results indicated that the IPI for oil-related activities decreased by 1.6% in February 2025, while the index for non-oil activities rose by 3.2%.
It is worth noting that the General Authority for Statistics publishes IPI monthly. This economic indicator reflects the relative changes in the volume of industrial production, based on data from the Industrial Production Survey, which is conducted on a sample of industrial establishments operating in the targeted industrial activities, including mining and quarrying, manufacturing, electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply, and water supply, sewage, waste management, and treatment activities.