The General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) hosted the 15th session of the Statistical Commission of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC-StatCom) in Jeddah on September 29–30, 2026, with heads and representatives of member states’ statistical agencies and regional and international organizations.

The agenda included modernizing population and housing statistics with digital systems, implementing the System of National Accounts (SNA) 2025 and monitoring Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) indicators. Members also shared experience in using modern technologies and artificial intelligence (AI) in official statistics and reviewed work since the last session.

Opening the session on behalf of the Kingdom, GASTAT President Fahad Al-Dossari said hosting it reflects Saudi Arabia’s commitment to advancing statistical work, keeping up with new trends and meeting rising demand for data, and stressed the role of modern technology in producing reliable data for sound decision-making.

GASTAT also briefed participants on the Kingdom’s preparations to host the sixth UN World Data Forum in Riyadh in November 2026 and on the “Road to Riyadh” workshops and panels held to build engagement and share expertise ahead of the forum.