Riyadh - Sharikat Mubasher: Saudi Arabia announced another achievement that solidifies its leading position among world nations as the Kingdom, represented by the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT), won the bid to host the sixth edition of the United Nations World Data Forum in 2026.

The High-level Group for Partnership, Coordination, and Capacity-Building for Statistics for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (HLG-PCCB) made this decision after the Kingdom secured the majority of votes following a review of the proposals from countries competing to host the forum, GASTAT revealed in a statement.

The Kingdom’s proposal suggested the main topic for the forum titled “Using the Latest Technologies and Methodologies to Enhance Global Statistical Systems and Enable Sustainable Development”.

GASTAT will host the UN World Data Forum 2026 in Riyadh with projections to welcome 22,000 participants from 193 member states of the United Nations.

The forum targets showcasing innovative data initiatives and developments in the statistical sector, facilitating data exchange between official statistical agencies, and exploring cutting-edge technologies to enhance statistical systems.

Fahad Aldossari, President of GASTAT, affirmed that hosting this leading event reflects the Kingdom’s prominent status among nations and underscores its dedication to enhancing the statistical sector.

“Winning the bid to host the United Nations World Data Forum 2026 crowns the prominent efforts in the statistical field. It also reflects the significant expansions in statistical work witnessed over recent years, driven by initiatives and projects led by the General Authority for Statistics,” Aldossari added.

The United Nations World Data Forum 2026 will involve the participation of international organizations, statistical offices of the UN member states, as well as data scientists and those interested in statistics.