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The General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) will organize, next Tuesday, 23 December, the first quarterly virtual panel discussion as part of Road to Riyadh events. The discussion, titled “Saudi statistical data ... a pivotal role in supporting national development”, aims to highlight GASTAT’s experiences and best practices in fulfilling its mandate, promote knowledge exchange within the statistical community, and explore future development opportunities to strengthen the role of statistics in supporting economic, environmental, and social development. The discussion will also discuss future aspirations for the work of statistical offices and ways to leverage advanced technologies.

In this context, GASTAT has invited professionals and those interested in statistical work to attend the Road to Riyadh events, which will be livestreamed via GASTAT’s official social media platforms and will target both local and international audiences. GASTAT has also made all Road to Riyadh events available through its official electronic portal.

It is worth noting that these events were launched as part of Saudi Arabia’s preparations to host the Sixth United Nations World Data Forum (UNWDF) in 2026, aiming to showcase Saudi Arabia’s statistical advancement and comprehensive digital transformation in the field of statistical data. The events will continue until the convening of the Second Saudi Statistical Forum on 8 November, ahead of UNWDF, scheduled to take place from 9 to 12 November 2026.

The annual inflation rate of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) in Saudi Arabia reached 1.9% in November 2025, compared with November 2024, recording relative stability on a monthly basis at 0.1% compared with October 2025.
Meanwhile, the Wholesale Price Index (WPI) recorded an annual increase of 2.3% in November 2025, compared with the same month in 2024, while the index recorded a monthly decline of 0.3% compared with October 2025.
It is noteworthy that CPI reflects changes in the prices paid by consumers for a fixed basket of 582 items, while WPI reflects movements in the prices of goods at the pre-retail stage for a fixed basket of 343 items.
 

General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) released the Food Security Statistics 2024 results, which showed an increase in self-sufficiency ratios for several plant and animal-based food products compared to 2023. For animal-based food products, the results showed that the self-sufficiency ratio for shrimp reached 149% followed by 131% for dairy products, and 103% for table eggs. The results also indicated that self-sufficiency ratios for vegetables reached high levels, with 105% for eggplant, 102% for okra, 101% for cucumbers, and 100% for zucchini. Meanwhile, dates recorded the highest self-sufficiency ratio among fruits at 121%, followed by figs with a self-sufficiency ratio of 99%
Regarding the increases in self-sufficiency ratios achieved by certain food products in 2024 compared to 2023, self-sufficiency in onions rose by 41.2% followed by tomatoes with 9.2% while fish recorded an increase of 8.2% and poultry self-sufficiency increased by 1.4% In addition, the Food Security Statistics 2024 publication results showed that rice was the highest among plant products in the Saudi Arabia, reaching 52 kg per capita per year, followed by dates at 36 kg per year. For vegetables, per capita share per year from the total available was 20.50 kg for onions, and 19.56 kg for tomatoes. As for animal products, the results indicated that the per capita share of milk was 70.3 liters per year. For poultry meat, the per capita share reached 46.9 kilograms per year, while table eggs averaged 235 eggs per person per year. 
It is noteworthy that these results are based on data from field surveys conducted by GASTAT, in addition to administrative records from the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, the General Food Security Authority (GFSA), and the Agricultural Development Fund. The data were collected and analyzed using precise methodologies and high-quality standards to ensure the reliability of the indicators and to support national policies in the field of food security.
 

Today, the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) organized a panel discussion titled “International Statistical Standards and the Role of GCC Statistical Offices in Development and Implementation” as part of “Road to Riyadh”. The discussion coincided with the Kingdom hosting the 13th meeting of the Permanent Committee for Statistical Work at GASTAT’s headquarters in Riyadh.
The discussion was attended by the President of GASTAT, Fahad Aldossari; CEO of the National Center for Statistics and Information in Oman, Dr. Khalifa Al-Barwani; CEO of the Information and eGovernment Authority in Bahrain, Mohammed Al-Qaed; Director of the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Center in the UAE, Hanan Ahli, and Director of the National Center for Statistics in Qatar, Ahmed Al-Obaidly. The dialogue was moderated by Intisar Wahaibi, Director General of GCC Statistical Centre.
 It is noteworthy that this discussion is part of the “Road to Riyadh” organized by the GASTAT, as part of Saudi Arabia’s preparations to host the 6th UNWDF in Riyadh in November 2026. It aims to promote knowledge exchange, highlight developments in the statistical sector at both regional and international levels, and showcase the Kingdom’s advancements in statistics as it keeps pace with rapidly evolving global trends.