A GCC voluntary report, which monitors progress towards the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and plans to establish a regional working group on population estimates, was discussed during a high-level meeting in Oman.
Information and eGovernment Authority (iGA) chief executive Mohammed Al Qaed led Bahrain’s delegation at the two-day 12th meeting of the GCC Permanent Committee for Statistical Work, organised by GCC Statistical Centre, which began in Al Jabal Al Akhdar yesterday.
The event gathered senior representatives from the national statistical entities of all GCC member-states.
Also attending was iGA deputy chief executive of statistics and population registry Duaa Mohamed.
“The meeting is part of the GCC’s ongoing efforts to enhance strategic planning in statistics, with the goal of strengthening regional integration, improving statistical co-ordination, unifying visions, and establishing joint priorities for the future,” said a statement yesterday.
Key discussions included a review of the initial draft of the 2026-2030 GCC Statistical Work Strategic Plan and an examination of proposed amendments to the GCC Statistical Centre’s internal regulations.
Participants also discussed working on a GCC voluntary report that tracks SDGs progress, and establishing a regional working group on population estimates.
Mr Al Qaed emphasised that Bahrain’s participation, reflected the kingdom’s support for efforts aimed at building an integrated GCC data system.
He also highlighted the kingdom’s commitment to supporting joint GCC statistical work and efforts to build accurate and comprehensive databases that serve sustainable development in the region.
“Projects related to population estimates and reports that monitors progress towards the SDG are essential tools for decision-making in Bahrain and the GCC,” said Mr Al Qaed.
The Interior Ministry had previously announced that Bahrain’s population reached 1,594,654 by the end of last year and the iGA has projected it to grow to 2.1 million by the year 2032.
“The 2026-2030 GCC Statistical Work Strategic Plan represents a milestone in defining the future of GCC statistical work and enhancing integration between national statistical systems, leading to the establishment of a reliable data system that supports developmental, economic, and social trends in the GCC.”
The official commended the efforts of the GCC Statistical Centre, which continues to contribute, to the advancement of the sector.
He explained that the centre provided 83 technical support activities to member-states between September 2024 and August 2025, totalling approximately 946 working days.
The centre’s diverse areas of technical support covered national accounts, labour-force surveys, household income and expenditure surveys, health statistics, and tourism statistics.
&uuid=(email))