(GCC Statistical Center) Emphasizes the Importance of Strengthening National Capacities in Reporting on the Sustainable Development Goals
Muscat, August 25 (KUNA) -- The Director General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Statistical Center, Intissar Al-Wahabi, affirmed today, Tuesday, the importance of strengthening national capacities in reporting on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly regarding the international standards adopted for the regular and consistent exchange and dissemination of data.
In a statement, the Center noted that this came during a sub-regional training workshop on the use of Statistical Data and Metadata eXchange (SDMX) in reporting on the SDGs in the Gulf countries. The workshop is organized in partnership with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) and the UN Statistics Division, held in the city of Salalah.
The statement quoted Al-Wahabi emphasizing the importance of enhancing cooperation between GCC member states and international partners to develop the SDG indicators framework and ensure the availability of accurate, reliable, and up-to-date official data. This contributes to measuring developmental progress and supporting evidence-based policy formulation. She further stressed that the multiplicity of data sources and the growing requirements for SDG reporting pose challenges that extend beyond mere data provision to include the ability to organize, update, and exchange data efficiently and in a timely manner.
Al-Wahabi explained that the SDMX standard represents an important tool for organizing and exchanging data and metadata, reducing manual procedures, and improving the efficiency of reporting processes. It also enhances data quality, timeliness, comparability, and interoperability.
She reviewed several positive outcomes achieved by GCC countries in their developmental journey, based on available official data for 2025. These include advanced levels of coverage in several basic services and progress in health, education, electricity, and digital infrastructure indicators. According to available data, internet usage exceeded 95 percent of the population.
Al-Wahabi affirmed that these results reflect the developmental progress achieved by GCC countries, while simultaneously highlighting the need to continue developing data availability, updating, and disaggregation, as well as enhancing comparability, particularly in social, environmental, and economic fields. These include women, skills, renewable energy, youth empowerment, research and development, biodiversity, food security, and water stress.
According to the statement, the workshop targeted representatives of national statistical offices in GCC countries, representatives of the GCC Statistical Center, SDG focal points, as well as statisticians and experts in metadata and information technology involved in reporting and monitoring processes.
The workshop focused on building participants' capacities to align SDG indicator data with global reporting requirements, alongside familiarizing them with the necessary tools and mechanisms to transform and exchange data more efficiently. This enabled participants to apply their acquired skills in their respective institutions and translate them into practical applications.
It is worth noting that the GCC Statistical Center, headquartered in the Sultanate of Oman, was established in 2011 to serve as the official authorized body for data, information, and statistics related to the GCC countries. It also plays a role in enhancing statistical and informational work among national statistical centers and planning authorities within the region. (End) M.J.B. / A.S.
