Doha, Under the patronage of HE Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani, the activities of the First Doha Data Forum for comprehensive data systems and effective decisions will begin on Sunday.
In a statement today, the Planning and Statistics Authority (PSA) stated that the forum, which is organized by the Authority, with national, regional and international partnership and in the presence of representatives of ministries, government agencies, universities, research centers, United Nations organizations, and Arab and Islamic organizations, will continue until October 30.
The forum aims to achieve a number of objectives, the most important of which are encouraging and disseminating a culture of innovation through developing and applying solutions based on official data and statistics to confront national challenges in various sectors, following up on the recommendations of the United Nations Statistical Commission and relevant announcements, as well as enhancing inclusiveness and ensuring the inclusion and participation of all stakeholders such as government agencies, the private sector, civil society organizations, academia, and the public at large, so that they benefit from the potential of data and are able to use it to address societal issues.
The forum seeks to upgrade the level of data and explore new ways of collecting, analyzing, interpreting and disseminating data effectively in order to improve decision-making processes, and thus enhance policy formulation and sustainable development initiatives, in addition to strengthening partnerships and facilitating cooperation between various stakeholders to encourage the exchange of data and knowledge and build capabilities for best data management practices.
HE President of the PSA Dr. Saleh bin Mohammed Al Nabit will open the forum with a speech in which he will emphasize the importance of data in the daily lives and its use in formulating evidence-based policies as well as the partnerships between the PSA and various ministries, government agencies and the private sector in order to ensure the flow of high quality data.
His Excellency will also underscore cooperation with UN organizations in the field of capacity building, the modernization of the national statistical system, and taking into account the recommendations of the UN Statistical Commission, in addition to highlighting the Doha Declaration that will be adopted by the participants, including its future aspirations, such as considering the Doha Data Forum a platform for dialogue and knowledge exchange and cooperation between stakeholders in data systems.
President of the International Association for Official Statistics Dr Dominik Rozkrut will also deliver a speech in which he refers to the stage of digital transformation, artificial intelligence and machine science and their importance and uses in official statistics, while Director of the United Nations Statistics Division Stefan Schweinfest will address the forum’s participants through a recorded speech in which he will praise the efforts the PSA in organizing this important forum and its achievement in the modernization of the national official statistics system. The PSA will also organize a number of events and meetings on the sidelines of the forum.
An elite group of experts in official statistics, data science and information technology from the State of Qatar, and from specialized UN organizations such as the UN Statistics Division, UNICEF, UNESCO, the International Labor Organization, the UN Development Program, the World Health Organization, and the UN Population Fund, ESCWA and the British Statistics Office will participate in this forum.
A number of universities will also take part in the forum such as Qatar University, the Qatar Computing Research Institute of Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Northwestern University in Qatar, and Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University in Saudi Arabia, in addition to the International Association for Official Statistics.
Source: Qatar News Agency