SESRIC participated in the 12th Meeting of the Technical Committee of the Arab Statistics (ArabStat) Initiative, organised by the Arab Monetary Fund (AMF) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on 19-20 November 2025.
The Meeting was attended by representatives of the National Statistical Offices (NSOs), financial authorities of the Fund’s member countries, and other relevant international organisations. The agenda items of the 12th Meeting of the ArabStat covered the following;
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Understanding and Addressing Data Gaps in Arab Countries: Challenges and Opportunities
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Enhancing Statistical Capacities: Building Human and Institutional Strength for Reliable Data
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Leveraging Innovations and Technology to Bridge Data Gaps
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Strategic Priorities and Recommendations for Bridging Data Gaps in Arab Countries
During the session on “Enhancing Statistical Capacities: Building Human and Institutional Strength for Reliable Data”, Mr. Seyid Tahir MAHMUD, Senior Statistics Officer, delivered a presentation on behalf of SESRIC titled “StatCaB Programme: Facilitating Statistical Cooperation for Capacity Development.” The presentation highlighted the Centre’s statistical outreach activities, including the training courses, workshops and webinars, and underlined the existing and prospective collaborations with the member countries and regional and international organisations in the conduct of statistical programmes and activities related to the global statistical agenda discussed throughout the Meeting.
The OIC Statistical Commission (OIC-StatCom) was also highlighted as a high-level platform among the NSOs of OIC member countries, fostering cooperation with regional and international organisations on various statistical domains. Reference was made to the OIC-StatCom Strategic Vision 2030 and its Programme of Action for 2026-2030, adopted during the 14th Session of the OIC-StatCom, which provides a guiding framework for coordinated statistical efforts across the OIC region.
The Committee identified actionable recommendations for bridging data gaps in AMF member countries. Building on insights from an interactive survey conducted during the session, discussions will continue with member countries and international institutions to gather feedback and further promote collaborative approaches to addressing the most critical data challenges in the Arab region.
The meeting provided a platform for SESRIC to hold bilateral discussions with the OIC member countries participating in the event, as well as with the international organisations such as AFM, AITRS, and FAO regarding potential joint efforts in statistical capacity building activities.
The Arabstat Initiative, launched in early 2013, aims to assist the 22 member countries of the AMF to improve their national statistical systems through strengthening statistical capacities and promoting the implementation of internationally agreed standards, concepts, methods and frameworks for statistical activities. It also aims to enhance the dissemination of statistical information on AMF member countries.
For more information, please visit: https://www.amf.org.ae/en/node/1243
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