SESRIC Organized the Side Event on ‘Harnessing Technological Developments for Modernizing National Statistical Systems in OIC and ESCWA Member Countries’ in the Margins of the 56th Session of the United Nations Statistical Commission
Date: 06 March 2025
Venue: New York, USA

SESRIC, in collaboration with the United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD), the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), and the Turkish Statistical Institute (TURKSTAT), organized a side event titled “Harnessing Technological Developments for Modernizing National Statistical Systems in OIC and ESCWA Member Countries” on 6 March 2025 in the margins of the 56th Session of the United Nations Statistical Commission (UNSC) at the Turkish Mission (Türkevi Centre) in New York.

The side event commenced with remarks from H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK, Director General of SESRIC; H.E. Dr. Erhan ÇETINKAYA, President of TURKSTAT; Mr. Amr NOUR, Principal Adviser at UNSD; and Dr. Wafa ABOUL HOSN, Chief of Economic Statistics at ESCWA. They highlighted the importance of technological advancements in National Statistical Systems (NSSs) and the need for enhanced cooperation among national and international stakeholders.

Moderated by Mr. Onur ÇAĞLAR, Director of the Statistics and Information Department at SESRIC, the panel discussion featured distinguished speakers, including Dr. Wafa ABOUL HOSN, Chief of Economic Statistics at ESCWA; Dr. Mohd Uzir MAHIDIN, Chief Statistician of Malaysia; Ms. Tuğba DEĞIRMENCI, Vice President of TURKSTAT; Dr. Haidar FRAIHAT, Director General of the Department of Statistics of Jordan; and Ms. Faryal AHMED, Coordinator of the Data For Now Initiative at UNSD. The panelists shared insights on leveraging emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and big data analytics to modernize statistical production and enhance data-driven policymaking.

The event also featured an interactive Q&A session, where participants submitted and voted on questions, facilitating an engaging discussion on the challenges and opportunities in modernizing NSSs.

The discussions highlighted the importance of:

  • Capacity-building initiatives
  • Improved data governance
  • Collaborative approaches to harness technological advancements in official statistics

SESRIC reaffirms its efforts to strengthen statistical capacity in OIC countries and facilitate knowledge exchange to advance data-driven policymaking.

For more information on SESRIC’s engagement in the 56th Session of the United Nations Statistical Commission, please visit SESRIC’s website.

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