PSA president: Official data, statistics are national wealth

HE the President of the Planning and Statistics Authority (PSA), Dr Saleh bin Mohamed al-Nabit, has asserted that the official data and statistics constitute a national treasure that bears a strategic value, being one of the major components of infrastructure that underpins planning and decision-making at both corporate and national levels.
This came in his inaugural remarks before the First Doha Data Forum for comprehensive data systems and effective decisions, organised by PSA in collaboration with national and international partners.
Held under the auspices of HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al-Thani, the forum aims to encourage the propagation of innovational culture through providing and adopting official statistics and data-based solutions to address national challenges in a variety of sectors. It also aims to bolster inclusiveness, ensure inclusion and participation of all relevant entities, in addition to maximising the value of data and exploring new collection methods to be effectively analysed, interpreted, and disseminated with the purpose of optimising decision-making processes.
The organisation of this forum comes in alignment with the recommendations of the 54th session of UN Statistical Commission convened in New York in March 2023, and in fulfilment of the rapid developments that surrounded the global scene known as accelerated evolutions and transformations, especially after the wide spread of artificial intelligence (AI), HE the president of PSA said.
He added that PSA should support the process of digital transformation in Qatar through equipping the national statistics system with inclusive, accurate and reliable data that primarily meet the needs of a variety of beneficiaries, simultaneously enabling the country to live up to its obligations towards achieving the national development goals, supporting the agenda of the sustainable development goals for 2030, as well as other international obligations.
He pointed out that the official statistics generated from PSA in collaboration with partners represent one of the core pillars of national knowledge, as the foundation upon which evidence-based and credibility-based policies are built and on which objective accountability and international comparisons are based, adding that these statistics are the reliable source of information that helps measure the accomplished progress in Qatar’s development goals.
Stemming from this, the interest in organising this exceptional forum comes as an intellectual forum that brings together an elite of experts and professionals in statistics and data sciences, he said, adding that it represents an opportunity to envisage and think about ways to address emerging challenges and issues based on innovative solutions away from stereotypes and rigidities.
He pointed out that the forum strives to encourage innovation culture and ensure the inclusion of all relevant entities for all to benefit from the data potential and are able to address societal issues, promote the level of data, fostering partnerships and cooperation between various stakeholders, as well as build the capacity for better data management practices.
HE the PSA president highlighted that the agency’s previous experience in preparing development strategies in co-operation with the concerned authorities in demonstrating the effective role that statistical data plays in advancing the development process, especially when determining opportunities that bolster future development and forecasting real developmental necessities.
Data and statistics have enabled us to set measurable national goals, alongside designing efficient developmental programs according to national priorities. This efficiency ensures there is no waste of resources, time, or effort, which aligns with Qatar National Vision 2030, emphasising the preservation of developmental gains for both current and future generations, he added.
He further clarified that the PSA is keen to enhance co-operation and establish constructive partnerships with relevant authorities to bolster the national data system, ensuring its access and sustainable development.
Special attention is also given to capacity building and leveraging best practices based on the recommendations of the UN Statistical Commission and the Cape Town Global Action Plan for Sustainable Development Data (CTGAP) from the 2017 UN World Data Forum.
He added that he looks forward to enriching this forum with fruitful scientific discussions to come up with the ‘Doha Declaration for Comprehensive Data Systems and Effective Decisions’, ensuring a proactive, inclusive perspective that integrates everyone, fostering transformative changes in the statistical system.
For his part, Director of the UN Statistics Division Dr Stefan Schweinfest, in a recorded speech, underscored the power of data in supporting major transformations, marking the organisation of this crucial forum as a pivotal step towards modernising the national official statistical system.
Similarly, the President of the International Association for Official Statistics Dr Dominik Rozkrut stressed in his speech the importance of the Doha Data Forum in supporting digital transformations and data systems.
He pointed out the importance of statistics and data, particularly in the era of digital transformation, artificial intelligence, and machine learning, and their significance in official statistics.
The two-day forum discusses various topics in 10 sessions. Notably, discussions revolve around the value of data and statistics in planning and implementing sustainable development, data, and technology infrastructure, the power of data through analytics and visualisation, data governance, policy frameworks, and open data and sharing.