MUSCAT: The Permanent Committee for Statistical Work of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) held its 12th meeting on Thursday, Sept 4, in Al Jabal Al Akhdhar, Al Dakhiliyah Governorate. In attendance were representatives from the national statistical agencies of all GCC member states.
Hosted by the GCC Statistical Center, the meeting focused on strengthening regional collaboration in statistical work and supporting data-driven policymaking. Delegates reviewed the preliminary draft of the Strategic Plan for Joint Statistical Work 2026–2030, which establishes a comprehensive framework for advancing the GCC’s statistical system, promoting data integration, and leveraging statistics to inform sustainable development initiatives.
The committee emphasised the strategic plan’s role as a guiding framework for the next phase of GCC statistical cooperation. Discussions also addressed a proposal to prepare the inaugural voluntary GCC report to monitor progress toward the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030.
The session further reviewed initiatives led by the GCC Statistical Center in areas including e-commerce, the digital economy, and tourism, culture, and heritage statistics. Delegates highlighted the importance of supporting national statistical agencies to provide updated and accurate data to feed the GCC tourism and cultural statistics platform.
Additionally, participants discussed the establishment of a GCC Environmental Performance Index, incorporating both primary and secondary indicators collected by member states to ensure data consistency. The committee also approved forming a regional working group on population estimates and projections to develop population models reflecting the diverse social and economic dynamics across the GCC.
Concluding the meeting, attendees commended the GCC Statistical Center for its continued efforts in advancing statistical work, citing its technical programmes, training workshops, publications, analytical reports, and active engagement at both regional and international levels, which have reinforced the GCC’s reputation as a trusted reference for reliable statistical data. — ONA
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