Al Qaed expressed pride in Bahrain hosting the 16th ESCWA Statistical Committee session for the first time, noting it as a valuable opportunity to learn about the latest statistics developments and exchange experiences. He praised the strong relations and cooperation between Bahrain and various UN associations, appreciating ESCWA's efforts in providing support and capacity-building, especially in official statistics, and its coordination with Arab countries.
iGA CE showcased Bahrain’s efforts through the iGA in implementing the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by adopting initiatives and updating indicators on the Bahrain SDGs 2030 website, sdgs.gov.bh in collaboration with relevant entities. He discussed the development of Bahrain's Open Data Portal, data.gov.bh with enhanced user experience and more transparent access to data for specialists and the public. He highlighted the issuance of quarterly, monthly, and annual reports on the Kingdom's economic performance, covering foreign trade, the consumer price index, national accounts, and surveys of sectors such as tourism, health, and labour.
The meeting covered recent developments in statistics best practices, and tools with a focus on maintaining the significant progress achieved by the Kingdom. It also explored enhancing cooperation with ESCWA, particularly in implementing digital initiatives and projects that promote innovation in government operations and improve national systems and services.
Al Qaed also highlighted during the meeting the recently published UN E-Government Survey 2024 by UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), which ranked Bahrain 18th globally, a significant leap of 36 positions, placing the Kingdom among the top countries in the E-Government Development Index (EGDI). The report also ranked Bahrain as 32nd in the Human Capital Index globally, advancing by 33 positions, highlighting the efforts made by the iGA and other relevant entities to improve this index.
At the end of the meeting, Al Qaed expressed his best wishes to ESCWA, hoping for continued cooperation in organizing and hosting further statistics industry events.
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