Second Saudi Statistics Forum 2026
About the event
The General Authority for Statistics convenes the second edition of the Saudi Statistics Forum on 9 November 2026 at Sofitel Riyadh Hotel and Convention Centre, under the theme Towards an Integrated Statistical Ecosystem. It runs for a single day, from 09:00 to 17:00 Riyadh time, and is held on the sidelines of the Sixth United Nations World Data Forum 2026, which Riyadh hosts from 9 to 12 November, bringing the local and international statistical community together in the capital that week.
The programme is built around four specialised sessions: the role of statistics in policy making and decision-making; the development of statistical indicators to meet evolving needs; data and technology integration to enhance the quality of official statistics; and developing official statistics in the age of artificial intelligence. An accompanying exhibition runs on the same day with participation from local and international bodies active in the statistical sector. The forum addresses ministers and dignitaries, heads and representatives of international organisations and national statistical offices, local and international experts, decision-makers across the statistical sector, and academics.
Attendance is by prior registration through the forum portal. Registration was announced as open from 30 June 2026 until 1 September 2026. No participation fee has been announced, and the five registration steps include no payment stage. The forum is held in person at a single venue, gathering the sessions and the accompanying exhibition into one day.
Agenda
4- Session One
- The Role of Statistics in Policy Making and Decision-MakingA session on the strategic directions that strengthen the statistical ecosystem and enable it to support decision-making effectively, covering how official statistics respond to policy requirements, the strategic opportunities in emerging technologies, and building transparency through trustworthy statistical indicators.
- Session Two
- Development of Statistical Indicators to Meet the NeedsA session on evolving statistical indicators to keep pace with rapid economic and social change and its effect on public and private sector performance, addressing the shifting needs of data users and the role of institutional communication as a strategic tool for reliability and response rates.
- Session Three
- Data Integration and Technologies to Enhance the Quality of Official StatisticsA session on the role of advanced technologies in sourcing and integrating data across multiple origins in service of national targets and the Sustainable Development Goals, covering the frameworks, methodologies and definitions that ensure statistical consistency, and measuring the maturity of the statistical ecosystem against clear indicators and criteria.
- Session Four
- Developing Official Statistics in the Age of Artificial IntelligenceA session on leveraging artificial intelligence as an enabler that raises the efficiency of statistical operations and its effect on governance, covering the role of advanced technologies in supporting data integration, data governance and how integration feeds public policy, and building technical capacity for the future.