Doha — Official data and statistics are a national treasure with strategic value, serving as a foundational component for planning and decision-making at corporate and national levels, said Dr. Saleh bin Mohammad Al Nabit, President of Qatar’s Planning and Statistics Authority (PSA).
He made these remarks at the inaugural First Doha Data Forum for comprehensive data systems and effective decisions, organized by the PSA in partnership with national and international entities. Sponsored by Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani, the forum’s goal is to foster a culture of innovation by providing and adopting official statistics and data-driven solutions to tackle national challenges across various sectors.
Additionally, it seeks to promote inclusivity, engage all relevant stakeholders, and enhance the value of data by exploring innovative collection methods for effective analysis, interpretation, and dissemination to refine decision-making processes.
This forum aligns with the recommendations from the 54th session of the United Nations Statistical Commission held in New York in March 2023. It also addresses the rapid global changes known as accelerated evolutions, especially in the wake of the widespread adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI), said the PSA President.
He emphasized that the PSA should champion digital transformation in Qatar by equipping the national statistics system with comprehensive, accurate, and reliable data. This data should cater to diverse beneficiaries and enable Qatar to fulfill its commitments towards achieving national development goals, supporting the 2030 sustainable development agenda, and other international obligations.
Data and statistics empower us to define tangible national objectives and craft effective developmental programs aligned with national priorities.
Dr. Saleh bin Mohammad Al Nabit, President of Qatar’s Planning and Statistics Authority
Dr. Saleh said the official statistics, produced by the PSA in partnership with collaborators, stand as foundational pillars of national knowledge. They form the bedrock for evidence-driven, credible policies, objective accountability, and international benchmarks. He stressed that these statistics offer a trustworthy information source, tracking progress in Qatar’s developmental objectives.
He explained that the motivation behind organizing this unique forum was to create an intellectual platform, gathering a select group of experts in statistics and data sciences. This forum, he said, offers a chance to envision innovative solutions to emerging challenges, moving beyond traditional approaches.
Dr. Saleh noted the forum’s commitment to fostering an innovative culture, ensuring the involvement of all pertinent entities. The goal is for everyone to harness the potential of data, address societal challenges, elevate data standards, cultivate partnerships, and enhance data management capabilities.
Reflecting on the agency’s past collaborations in devising development strategies, Dr. Saleh underscored the pivotal role statistical data plays in propelling the developmental journey. This is especially true when pinpointing opportunities that amplify future growth and predicting genuine developmental needs.
“Data and statistics empower us to define tangible national objectives and craft effective developmental programs aligned with national priorities,” Dr. Saleh said. Such precision prevents resource, time, or effort wastage and resonates with Qatar’s National Vision 2030, which prioritizes safeguarding developmental achievements for present and future generations.
Dr. Saleh emphasized the PSA’s commitment to strengthening collaborations and forging productive partnerships with pertinent authorities. This is to enhance the national data system, ensuring its accessibility and sustainable growth. There’s a focused effort on capacity building and adopting best practices, drawing from the United Nations Statistical Commission’s guidelines and the 2017 Cape Town Global Action Plan for Sustainable Development Data (CTGAP).
He expressed his anticipation for the forum to be enriched with insightful scientific dialogues, leading to the formulation of the ‘Doha Declaration for Comprehensive Data Systems and Effective Decisions’. This declaration aims for a forward-thinking, inclusive approach that brings everyone on board, catalyzing transformative shifts in the statistical framework.
Dr. Stefan Schweinfest, Director of the United Nations Statistics Division, highlighted the transformative power of data in a pre-recorded message. He marked the forum’s inception as a crucial stride in modernizing the national official statistical system.
Echoing similar sentiments, Dr. Dominik Rozkrut, President of the International Association for Official Statistics, underscored the Doha Data Forum’s role in championing digital transitions and data systems. He spotlighted the significance of statistics and data, especially in today’s digital age marked by artificial intelligence, machine learning, and their pivotal role in official statistics.
Spanning two days, the forum delves into a myriad of subjects across 10 sessions. Key discussions center on the importance of data and statistics in sustainable development planning and execution, data and tech infrastructure, data analytics and visualization prowess, data governance, policy structures, and the ethos of open data and sharing.
The concluding day’s itinerary encompasses topics like data knowledge and capacity building, data-driven social justice and inclusion, leveraging tech innovations and data science for official statistics, and data’s role in sustainable development. The forum culminates with the discussion and ratification of the ‘Doha Declaration for Comprehensive Data Systems and Effective Decisions.’