Ankara: The Kingdom of Bahrain, represented by the Information and eGovernment Authority (iGA), participated in the 14th Session of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Statistical Commission (StatCom), which took place in Ankara from October 1 to 3. The event, organised by the Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC), saw the presence of Duaa Sultan, iGA Deputy Chief Executive for Statistics and Population Registry.
According to Bahrain News Agency, the session brought together senior officials from member states’ statistical agencies, representatives of international organisations, including the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), as well as experts and practitioners in statistics and digital transformation. Discussions focused on the OIC Statistical Action Plan 2026-2030, which outlines the strategic framework for advancing joint statistical work in the coming years.
Participants reviewed their efforts in monitoring indicators related to Sustainable Development Goal 4, which aims to ensure quality education. They addressed challenges and opportunities and explored ways to leverage digital transformation and advanced technologies to enhance statistical agencies’ performance. The commission highlighted the importance of national statistical agencies in supporting development and decision-making, emphasizing innovation and digital transformation’s role in improving statistical quality and efficiency.
The session also examined the recommendations of the 13th meeting held in October 2024 and approved the programme for 2026-2030. Several technical topics were discussed, underscoring the importance of cooperation and capacity building among Islamic countries.
Deputy Chief Executive Duaa Sultan stated that Bahrain’s participation illustrates the Kingdom’s commitment to supporting specialised international forums and contributing to the future of statistics regionally and globally. She noted that the meeting would enhance integration among member states in statistical work, particularly in statistics and digital transformation, in response to rapid global technological progress.
Under the OIC’s umbrella, the annual StatCom meeting provides a platform for exchanging best practices and technical expertise in official statistics and building partnerships with relevant international organisations. Since the last StatCom session in October 2024, the Secretariat has conducted 34 statistical activities, including training courses, international meetings, workshops, and a webinar, with around 1,300 participants. Bahrain, represented by the iGA and other relevant entities, actively participated in most of these events.