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The General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Statistics Estonia in the Republic of Estonia during the Saudi Statistics Forum, which was held in Riyadh from April 27 to 28, 2025, as part of efforts to strengthen international cooperation in the field of statistical work.
The MoU aims to enhance cooperation between the two parties, strengthen the coordination and integration of efforts in statistical fields, develop institutional capacities, and establish a general framework for joint activities and tasks that serve the strategic objectives of both parties.
The agreement was signed by Dr. Fahad bin Abdullah Aldossari, President of GASTAT, and Mr. Urmet Lee, Director of Statistics Estonia.
The MoU includes cooperation in the exchange of expertise, technical and knowledge support, as well as the exchange of programs related to raising statistical awareness and public communication strategies. It also covers the organization of conferences, seminars, and workshops, as well as the exchange of visits between experts and specialists in fields related to statistical work.
It is noteworthy that the Saudi Statistics Forum is the first of its kind. It aims to discuss important topics in the statistical field and highlight the positive impact of the statistics sector in supporting the progress of development and sustainable growth in the Kingdom, as well as reinforce the importance of data and statistics in raising awareness among members of society.
 

GASTAT’s President, Dr. Fahad Aldossari, and Managing Director of FCSC, Ms. Hanan Mansour AHLI, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two entities in the presence of H.E. Faisal F. Alibrahim, Minister of Economy and Planning and Chairman of GASTAT's Board of Directors; H.E. Bandar bin Ibrahim Al-Khorayef, Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources; and H.E. Sheikh Nahyan bin Saif Al Nahyan, UAE Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The MoU was signed during the Saudi Statistics Forum held in Riyadh. This initiative aims to strengthen bilateral cooperation between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates in statistical fields. It seeks to coordinate and integrate efforts in areas of statistical work, develop institutional capacities, and exchange technical and knowledge-based expertise. It also aims to share programs related to raising statistical awareness and public communication strategies and organize conferences, seminars, and workshops.

GASTAT's President, Dr. Fahad Aldossari, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Professor Markus Sovala, Director General of Statistics Finland of the Republic of Finland, in the presence of His Excellency the Minister of Economy and Planning, Chairman of GASTAT’s Board of Directors, Mr. Faisal Alibrahim, and His Excellency the Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources, Mr. Bandar Alkhorayef, during the Saudi Statistics Forum organized by GASTAT in the capital Riyadh, on April 27-28, 2025

MoU aims to enhance cooperation between the two parties, improve coordination and integration of efforts in statistical work, establish a general framework for joint activities and tasks, and develop institutional capacities to serve the strategic objectives of both parties. It includes several areas of cooperation, notably: exchanging technical and knowledge-based support and expertise according to the specialization of each party, exchanging programs focused on promoting statistical awareness, developing communication strategies with the public, and organizing conferences, seminars, and workshops.

The Saudi Statistics Forum is the first of its kind and aims to discuss important statistical topics, highlight the positive impact of the statistics sector in supporting the Kingdom's path of progress and sustainable development, and reinforce the importance of data and statistics in raising awareness among members of society.

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.