Egypt's Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics, led by Major General Engineer Akram Ahmed El-Gohary, concluded its active participation in a series of high-level regional statistical meetings in Saudi Arabia. The meetings took place in Jeddah from September 27 to 30, 2026, and included the 51st meeting of the Arab Institute for Training and Statistical Research, the 44th meeting of the Permanent Technical Committee for Statistics of the League of Arab States, and the 15th session of the Statistical Committee of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.
The meetings saw widespread and official participation from heads and representatives of Arab and Islamic statistical agencies and international institutions. Key topics discussed included tracking sustainable development indicators for 2030, updating statistical legislation, digital transformation, and the use of artificial intelligence and geospatial data. The meetings also covered preparations for the next population census cycle (2028-2030), reviewing country experiences, and Egypt's preparations for the 2028 general census of population, housing, and establishments.
On the sidelines of the meetings, an Egyptian delegation led by Major General Engineer Akram Ahmed El-Gohary held a bilateral meeting with Dr. Fahad bin Abdullah Al-Dosari, President of the Saudi General Authority for Statistics. The meeting aimed to discuss ways to enhance cooperation and achieve statistical convergence between the two countries. The Saudi side expressed its readiness to provide full support to the Egyptian agency in implementing Egypt's upcoming census.
Dr. Fahad Al-Dosari praised Egypt's pivotal role and support for Saudi Arabia on various levels, highlighting the significance of Egypt's presence in regional and international forums. He also looked forward to the Egyptian delegation's participation in the sixth United Nations Data Forum, scheduled to take place in Riyadh in November. Major General Engineer Akram Ahmed El-Gohary thanked Dr. Al-Dosari for the warm hospitality and welcome, emphasizing Egypt's keenness to exchange expertise to support statistical work, particularly in census projects.
The Egyptian team had previously reviewed Saudi Arabia's advanced experience in administrative records, which significantly influenced Egypt's plan to conduct its next census in 2028 using the "hybrid" system, combining fieldwork and administrative records. The Saudi side offered to provide support and assistance to the Egyptian agency in implementing the census. The two parties agreed to form a joint technical team to coordinate future cooperation and determine its paths.
The meetings' organizational and logistical efforts by Saudi Arabia and the General Authority for Statistics were exceptional, resulting in a successful series of regional and international meetings. The events were attended by various Arab and Islamic countries, reflecting Saudi Arabia's stature and the esteem of its guests. The Egyptian agency's participation was marked by active engagement and a strong presence throughout the meetings.
The conclusion of the meetings saw an agreement between the two countries to review and follow up on the outcomes of their joint technical team during their next meeting in November. This aims to enhance the unification of statistical concepts and standards, serving common developmental issues between the two countries. The cooperation between Egypt and Saudi Arabia in the field of statistics is expected to strengthen, fostering a more integrated and collaborative approach to data collection and analysis.
Key points
- Egypt's Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics participated in high-level regional statistical meetings in Saudi Arabia from September 27 to 30, 2026.
- The meetings covered key topics such as sustainable development indicators, statistical legislation, and digital transformation.
- Egypt and Saudi Arabia agreed to form a joint technical team to coordinate future cooperation in statistics.
