iGA Chief Executive participates in 12th meeting of GCC Permanent Committee for Statistical Work
Muscat, Sept. 4 (BNA): Mohammed Ali Al Qaed, Information and eGovernment Authority (iGA), Chief Executive led the Bahraini delegation at the 12th meeting of the GCC Permanent Committee for Statistical Work, organised by GCC Statistical Center, held on September 4 – 5 in Oman.
The meeting is part of the GCC's ongoing efforts to enhance strategic planning in statistics, with the goal of strengthening regional integration, improving statistical coordination, unifying visions, and establishing joint priorities for the future. Key discussions included a review of the initial draft of the 2026–2030 GCC Statistical Work Strategic Plan and an examination of proposed amendments to the GCC Statistical Center's internal regulations.
Participants focused on preparations for the GCC voluntary report, which monitors progress toward the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), along with plans for establishing a regional working group on population estimates. The draft budget for 2026 was reviewed to ensure the sustainability of future activities.
Al Qaed emphasised that Bahrain’s participation reflects the Kingdom’s support for efforts aimed at building an integrated GCC data system. It also highlights its commitment to supporting joint GCC statistical work and efforts to build accurate and comprehensive databases that serve sustainable development in the region.
He said that projects related to population estimates and reports that monitors progress towards the SDG are essential tools for decision-making in the Kingdom of Bahrain and the GCC. The 2026–2030 GCC Statistical Work Strategic Plan represents a milestone in defining the future of GCC statistical work and enhancing integration between national statistical systems, leading to the establishment of a reliable data system that supports developmental, economic, and social trends in the GCC.
Al Qaed praised the projects implemented by the national GCC statistical entities lately, which align with the visions and aspirations of the leaderships of the GCC countries, and are in line with the strategic plan.
He commended the efforts of the GCC Statistical Center, which continues to contribute, to the advancement of the sector. He said that the center provided a total of 83 technical support activities to member states between September 2024 and August 2025, totaling approximately 946 working days. Al Qaed noted that the center's diverse areas of technical support covered national accounts, labor-force surveys, household income and expenditure surveys, health statistics, and tourism statistics.
Al Qaed noted that the center's committees and working groups held approximately 22 meetings during the same period, with the participation of 472 representatives from member states. These meetings resulted in 192 recommendations aimed at strengthening and developing joint statistical work across the GCC.
