SESRIC, in its capacity as the Secretariat of the OIC Statistical Commission (OIC-StatCom), and the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will jointly organise a panel discussion entitled “Fostering Partnerships within Statistical Ecosystems” on 30 September 2026 in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, on the margins of the 15th Session of the OIC-StatCom.
The panel discussion contributes to the Road to Riyadh process leading to the 6th United Nations World Data Forum, to be held in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, on 9–12 November 2026. It is aligned with the thematic area of the Forum, “Effective partnerships for better data and a more equitable data ecosystem”, and will be conducted in English with simultaneous interpretation into Arabic.
The need for comprehensive, high-quality and timely data to monitor the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) requires strong partnerships, as National Statistical Offices (NSOs) cannot address all data gaps alone. The panel discussion will accordingly examine practical strategies for strengthening cross-sector collaboration and for connecting statistical institutions with international organizations, the private sector, academia and civil society, with a view to overcoming data-sharing barriers and advancing innovative governance models, including the linking of research with official statistical production in areas such as artificial intelligence, data innovation and data governance.
The deliberations will be structured around the following topics:
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Advancing public-private partnerships to strengthen statistical data
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Increasing international cooperation in data sharing
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Strengthening cross-border partnerships to tackle global challenges
The panel discussion aims to promote stronger partnerships among national, regional and international statistical institutions, to identify the main technical, legal and operational barriers to data sharing while safeguarding privacy, security and ethical use, and to explore the institutional, legal and technical enablers required for trusted data sharing and interoperability, including governance frameworks, confidentiality safeguards, standards and data stewardship arrangements.
The deliberations are expected to result in practical proposals for improving data quality and accessibility, stronger coordination in addressing shared global challenges, and clear next steps for future cooperation and joint initiatives. These outcomes will also complement the follow-up actions under the OIC-StatCom Programme of Action 2026–2030, adopted by the 14th Session of the OIC-StatCom, in particular its provisions on institutional coordination, data governance and partnerships within national statistical systems.
The panel discussion will bring together heads and senior officials of the NSOs of OIC Member Countries, representatives of regional and international statistical organizations, policy makers engaged in data governance and international cooperation, development partners and multilateral organizations, representatives of the OIC General Secretariat and relevant OIC institutions, as well as representatives of academia and the private sector involved in data innovation.
For more information on the previous sessions of the OIC Statistical Commission (OIC-StatCom), including their resolutions and related documents, please visit the following link: https://www.oicstatcom.org/
