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The General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) has earned the Great Place To Work® Certification for 2026, an international certification granted to entities that demonstrate their commitment to fostering a positive workplace culture. The certification is based on employees’ views, perceptions, and experiences related to the workplace and its prevailing culture. GASTAT is among the leading government entities in fostering a workplace that empowers national talent and enhances the employee experience.
This achievement reflects GASTAT’s commitment to enhancing the workplace and improving the employee experience, as well as its ongoing efforts to empower employees and develop capabilities to achieve its strategic targets through integration and transparency.
It is noteworthy that Great Place To Work® is a global authority on measuring workplace culture and leadership behaviors associated with achieving sustainable growth, strengthening employee belonging and retention, and supporting innovation within organizations.
 

وقعت الهيئة العامة للإحصاء مذكرة تفاهم مع جامعة الملك سعود، حيث مثل الجهتين في التوقيع رئيس الهيئة فهد بن عبد الله الدوسري، وسعادة رئيس الجامعة المكلف الأستاذ الدكتور علي بن محمد مسملي.
وتهدف المذكرة إلى تعزيز التعاون البحثي والعلمي في مجالات الإحصاء التطبيقي والنظري، والذكاء الاصطناعي، ودعم المبادرات البحثية والابتكارية والتحليل الإحصائي وتطبيقاته في القطاعات المختلفة، وإتاحة الكوادر الأكاديمية والبحثية للمشاركة في المشاريع والبرامج المشتركة، وتقديم الدعم الاستشاري والتدريبي في المجالات ذات العلاقة، وتشجيع طلاب وخريجي الجامعة على المشاركة في التدريب التعاوني والمشاريع البحثية ذات العلاقة بأعمال الهيئة، والمساهمة في رفع مستوى التوعية الإحصائية بين منسوبي الجامعة وطلابها من خلال برامج توعوية، ودعم تطوير المناهج الدراسية والبرامج التدريبية بما يسهم في مواءمة مخرجات التعليم مع متطلبات سوق العمل.
تأتي هذه المذكرة في إطار سعي الهيئة العامة للإحصاء إلى تعزيز علاقاتها وشراكاتها مع القطاع الأكاديمي، بما يسهم في رفع جودة مؤشراتها الإحصائية وتنمية القدرات الوطنية، وتطوير مشاريعها البحثية والابتكارية في القطاع الإحصائي.
 

The General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) published the Short-Term Business Indicators Statistics publication for May 2026. The Operating Revenues Index recorded an increase of 11.4% in May 2026 compared to May 2025, driven by growth across several economic activities. Mining and quarrying recorded the highest increase at 38.7%, followed by manufacturing activity, which rose by 9.6%, wholesale and retail trade and repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles activities also increased by 3.6%, while construction and financial and insurance activities recorded increases of 2.5% and 12.9%, respectively.
On a monthly basis, the Operating Revenue Index increased by 2.9% in May 2026 compared to April 2026, driven by an increase of 0.6% in manufacturing activity, an increase of 10.2% in mining and quarrying activity, an increase of 1.3% in wholesale and retail trade and repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles activity, an increase of 1.1% in financial and insurance activities, and an increase of 1.9% in information and communication activities. In May 2026, the issued building permits recorded a year-on-year decrease of 33.3%, falling to 5,056 permits, compared to 7,584 permits in May 2025. On a monthly basis, the number of building permits also declined by 25.7% compared to April 2026, which recorded 6,803 building permits.
It is noteworthy that the Short-Term Business Statistics product is one of GASTAT’s economic statistical products, designed to measure the short-term performance of various sectors of the economy through monthly indicators that monitor developments and growth rates across economic activities. The product covers all economic activities of establishments operating in the business sector across Saudi Arabia.
 

The General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) organized a webinar titled "The 6th UN World Data Forum: A platform for implementation and coordination" as part of "Road to Riyadh" events. The event forms part of Saudi Arabia's preparations to host the 6th UN World Data Forum (UNWDF 2026), scheduled to be held in Riyadh in November 2026. The webinar featured the participation of the President of GASTAT, Fahad Aldossari, along with a distinguished group of officials, experts, and specialists in data and statistics from the Kingdom and around the world.
During his remarks, Aldossari emphasized that Saudi Arabia's hosting of the 6th UNWDF reflects the international confidence placed in the Kingdom and demonstrates the significant progress achieved by the national statistical ecosystem in advancing the future of data and statistics at both the regional and global levels. He highlighted GASTAT's efforts over recent months, including organizing conferences, seminars, panel discussions, and workshops aligned with the Forum's. These efforts have contributed to deepening dialogue on the latest developments in the statistical field and maximizing the Forum's expected outcomes.
The webinar brought together Shantanu Mukherjee, Acting director of the UN Statistics Division; Dr. Macdonald G. Obudho Director General of the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics ; Jenna Slotin, Interim CEO of the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data; Vjollca Simoni, Director of European Integration and International Relations at the Albanian Institute of Statistics; Javier Posse, Director of the School of Statistics at the National University of Rosario; Dr. Munther Alansari, Advisor at the Saudi Ministry of Tourism and a global expert in tourism statistics; Timothy Trainor, International Consultant and Former President; and Hamad Allahim, Director of International Participation and Activities at GASTAT. The session was moderated by Ibrahim Alali, Advisor at GASTAT. Participants discussed leading international practices and experiences in data and statistics, as well as mechanisms for strengthening integration and coordination among partners in preparation for the Forum.
The webinar also reviewed the latest developments in preparations for hosting the Forum and highlighted the key topics of the preparatory program. Discussions focused on opportunities to strengthen international partnerships in data and statistics and the importance of coordination among relevant stakeholders to ensure the Forum's success and maximize its impact. In addition, the webinar explored the Forum's key topics, including data innovation, data governance, decision-making, and accelerating progress toward SDGs.
The webinar represents one of the key milestones in the Forum's preparation process, implemented by GASTAT in partnership with the UN Statistics Division. The program aims to enhance readiness, expand international collaboration, and enrich global dialogue on the future of data and statistics in support of sustainable development planning and economic policymaking.