GASTAT and UNICEF Sign MoU on Child Survey Cooperation

The General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) signed a memorandum of understanding in Riyadh on December 10, 2024, to deepen cooperation on Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS), Saudi Press Agency reported. The agreement, formalized at GASTAT’s headquarters in the Saudi capital, establishes a structured framework for the exchange of statistical expertise, the facilitation of expert visits, and the joint organization of conferences, seminars, and workshops. It marks a further step in the Kingdom’s drive to strengthen the quality, comparability, and international reach of its official data.

The MoU was signed by Fahad bin Abdullah Al-Dossari, President of the General Authority for Statistics, and Eltayeb Adam, UNICEF Area Representative for the Gulf, in the presence of officials from both organizations. MICS is one of the world’s largest sources of statistically sound and internationally comparable data on the situation of children and women, covering health, education, nutrition, protection, and household wellbeing. By aligning with UNICEF’s methodology, GASTAT gains access to globally benchmarked tools that complement its existing census, survey, and administrative data programs. Could this partnership become a model for how national statistical offices in the region engage with United Nations agencies?

Context and Background

The General Authority for Statistics is the official statistical authority of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, responsible for producing national statistics, conducting censuses, and publishing indicators that inform government planning and private-sector decision-making. In recent years, GASTAT has undergone a broad modernization program, adopting digital data collection, expanding household and establishment surveys, and aligning its outputs with international standards. The authority’s work underpins evidence-based policymaking across ministries and is central to measuring progress under Saudi Vision 2030. How does a national statistical office’s credibility shape the confidence of investors, researchers, and international partners?

UNICEF’s Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys program was launched in the mid-1990s to help countries fill critical data gaps on children and women. Since then, MICS has been implemented in more than 100 countries and has become a principal data source for monitoring the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly those relating to child health, education, gender equality, and protection from violence and exploitation. The program provides technical assistance, standardized questionnaires, sampling guidance, and training, allowing participating countries to generate data that can be compared across borders and over time. What makes internationally comparable household data so valuable for a country pursuing ambitious social and economic transformation?

The new MoU builds on a broader pattern of cooperation between Saudi institutions and United Nations agencies. GASTAT has previously worked with international bodies on statistical capacity, methodology, and data quality, while UNICEF has long engaged with Gulf states on child protection, health, and education initiatives. The agreement signed in Riyadh formalizes and expands this relationship, creating a clear channel for technical exchange and joint activities. For observers of Saudi Arabia’s statistical development, the partnership signals continuity rather than a departure: it reinforces a strategy of integrating national data systems with global best practice.

Key Details of the Agreement

Under the terms of the MoU, GASTAT and UNICEF will exchange expertise and information regarding MICS, facilitate visits by experts and specialists in relevant fields, and jointly organize conferences, seminars, and workshops. These activities are designed to build institutional capacity on both sides and to ensure that survey design, data collection, and analysis meet rigorous international standards. The agreement also contemplates the sharing of statistical data and methodological knowledge, which can improve the timeliness and reliability of indicators used by policymakers and researchers. What practical benefits flow to citizens when a country’s statistical system is strengthened in this way?

President Al-Dossari emphasized that GASTAT’s statistical work reflects Saudi Arabia’s regional leadership in building and measuring statistical indicators. He noted that collaboration with UNICEF supports efforts related to these surveys and contributes to achieving national objectives and sustainable development goals, and he highlighted the importance of joint efforts to enhance the exchange of statistical data. His remarks place the agreement within a wider national effort to make data a foundation for planning, accountability, and service delivery. In a region where data capacity varies widely, Saudi Arabia’s investment in statistical infrastructure stands out as a strategic priority.

UNICEF Area Representative for the Gulf Eltayeb Adam signed on behalf of the organization, underscoring UNICEF’s commitment to supporting Gulf states in generating high-quality evidence on children and families. The presence of senior officials from both institutions at the signing reflects the seriousness with which the partnership is regarded. The MoU is not a one-off event but a framework that can be renewed and expanded as needs evolve, including through new survey rounds and joint analytical products. How might such frameworks evolve as data demands grow in the coming decade?

International and Regional Impact

The agreement carries significance beyond Saudi Arabia’s borders. MICS data are used by United Nations agencies, development banks, academic institutions, and national governments to track progress on health, education, and child wellbeing. When a major regional economy like Saudi Arabia strengthens its MICS-related capacity, it contributes to a more complete global picture of social development and helps improve the evidence base for international comparisons. The partnership also positions the Kingdom as a source of methodological expertise that can be shared with other countries in the region. Could Saudi Arabia’s experience encourage neighboring states to invest more heavily in their own statistical systems?

For international audiences, the MoU reinforces the image of Saudi Arabia as an active, constructive participant in multilateral cooperation. The Kingdom has increasingly hosted international organizations, signed technical agreements, and contributed to global initiatives in health, education, and humanitarian response. Statistical cooperation may appear technical, but it is a form of soft power: it builds trust, facilitates dialogue, and creates durable channels for collaboration. In a world where data quality is a marker of governance capacity, partnerships of this kind enhance a country’s standing among investors, researchers, and development partners. What does it say about a nation’s ambitions when it invests in the invisible infrastructure of measurement?

Economic and Strategic Significance

Reliable statistics are an economic asset. Governments use them to allocate budgets, design social programs, and evaluate outcomes; businesses use them to assess markets, labor supply, and consumer trends; international institutions use them to guide lending and technical assistance. By strengthening MICS capabilities, GASTAT improves the granularity of data available on households, children, and women, complementing macroeconomic indicators such as gross domestic product, employment, and trade. This layered evidence base supports more precise policymaking and can reduce the risk of misallocating resources. Why should financial markets and corporate planners pay attention to the quality of a country’s social statistics?

The agreement also aligns with Saudi Arabia’s broader strategy of digital transformation and data governance. GASTAT has invested in electronic data collection, secure data management, and open data platforms, while Vision 2030 emphasizes transparency, performance measurement, and evidence-based decision-making across the public sector. Partnering with UNICEF gives GASTAT access to proven survey instruments and peer review, which can accelerate improvements in data quality and comparability. Over time, better data can inform targeted interventions in health, education, and social protection, contributing to human capital development and long-term productivity growth. How does human capital, measured and monitored effectively, become a driver of economic diversification?

Vision 2030 Alignment

The MoU aligns directly with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030, which places citizens’ wellbeing, human capital development, and government effectiveness at the center of national transformation. Vision 2030 programs in health, education, social protection, and quality of life depend on accurate, timely data to set targets, track progress, and adjust policies. By collaborating with UNICEF on Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys, GASTAT strengthens the measurement architecture that underpins these programs and supports the Kingdom’s reporting on the Sustainable Development Goals. The partnership also reflects the Vision’s emphasis on international engagement and knowledge exchange as tools for national advancement. In practical terms, better survey data can help identify gaps, direct resources to where they are most needed, and demonstrate results to citizens and global partners alike.

For ksa.com readers, the signing of this MoU is a reminder that Saudi Arabia’s modernization agenda extends to the less visible but essential work of measurement and evaluation. Statistical authorities rarely attract headlines, yet their output shapes decisions that affect millions of lives. The agreement between GASTAT and UNICEF is a measured, forward-looking step that strengthens the Kingdom’s capacity to understand its own society and to contribute to global knowledge. As Saudi Arabia continues its transformation, partnerships of this kind will help ensure that progress is not only ambitious but also verifiable, inclusive, and sustainable. What better foundation for the next phase of national development than data that reflects the reality of every household?

20 Questions

Q1. What did GASTAT and UNICEF sign in Riyadh?

A1. They signed a memorandum of understanding to strengthen collaboration on Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys. The agreement was signed at GASTAT’s headquarters in Riyadh on December 10, 2024, according to the Saudi Press Agency.

Q2. Who signed the MoU on behalf of GASTAT?

A2. Fahad bin Abdullah Al-Dossari, President of the General Authority for Statistics, signed on behalf of GASTAT. He emphasized the authority’s regional leadership in building and measuring statistical indicators.

Q3. Who represented UNICEF at the signing?

A3. Eltayeb Adam, UNICEF Area Representative for the Gulf, signed on behalf of the organization. His participation underscored UNICEF’s commitment to supporting Gulf states in generating high-quality evidence on children and families.

Q4. What are Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys?

A4. MICS is one of the world’s largest sources of internationally comparable data on children and women. It covers health, education, nutrition, protection, and household wellbeing, and supports monitoring of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Q5. What activities does the MoU cover?

A5. The agreement covers exchanging expertise and information on MICS, facilitating visits by experts and specialists, and jointly organizing conferences, seminars, and workshops. It also promotes the exchange of statistical data between the two organizations.

Q6. Why is this agreement important for Saudi Arabia?

A6. It strengthens the Kingdom’s statistical capacity and supports evidence-based policymaking. The partnership contributes to national objectives and sustainable development goals, reinforcing Saudi Arabia’s regional leadership in statistical measurement.

Q7. How does the MoU support Vision 2030?

A7. Vision 2030 relies on accurate data to design, monitor, and evaluate programs in health, education, and social protection. The MoU enhances the measurement architecture underpinning these efforts and supports reporting on sustainable development goals.

Q8. What is the role of GASTAT in Saudi Arabia?

A8. GASTAT is the official statistical authority of the Kingdom, responsible for censuses, national statistics, and indicators. Its outputs inform government planning, private-sector decisions, and international reporting.

Q9. What is UNICEF’s role in the partnership?

A9. UNICEF provides technical assistance, standardized survey tools, sampling guidance, and training for MICS. It supports countries in generating reliable, comparable data on children and women.

Q10. How many countries have implemented MICS?

A10. MICS has been implemented in more than 100 countries since the mid-1990s. It has become a principal data source for monitoring progress on child health, education, gender equality, and protection.

Q11. What did President Al-Dossari say about the collaboration?

A11. He said GASTAT’s statistical work reflects Saudi Arabia’s regional leadership in building and measuring indicators. He noted the collaboration supports national objectives and sustainable development goals and stressed the importance of exchanging statistical data.

Q12. How does the MoU benefit international audiences?

A12. It contributes to a more complete global picture of social development and improves the evidence base for international comparisons. It also positions Saudi Arabia as a source of methodological expertise in the region.

Q13. Will the agreement involve joint conferences and workshops?

A13. Yes. The MoU provides for the joint organization of conferences, seminars, and workshops, as well as expert visits and the exchange of information and expertise on MICS.

Q14. How does the partnership relate to the Sustainable Development Goals?

A14. MICS data are used to monitor several Sustainable Development Goals, particularly those on child health, education, gender equality, and protection. The MoU strengthens Saudi Arabia’s capacity to report on these goals.

Q15. What makes statistical data economically significant?

A15. Governments use data to allocate budgets and design programs; businesses use it to assess markets and labor trends. Better data reduces the risk of misallocating resources and supports more precise policymaking.

Q16. Does the MoU create any new institutions?

A16. No. The MoU establishes a framework for cooperation between GASTAT and UNICEF. It does not create new institutions but formalizes and expands collaboration through defined activities.

Q17. How does this fit with Saudi Arabia’s digital transformation?

A17. GASTAT has invested in electronic data collection, secure data management, and open data platforms. Partnering with UNICEF adds proven survey instruments and peer review, accelerating improvements in data quality.

Q18. What areas of data does MICS cover?

A18. MICS covers child health, nutrition, education, water and sanitation, protection from violence and exploitation, and women’s wellbeing. It provides household-level data that complement macroeconomic indicators.

Q19. Why is regional leadership in statistics significant?

A19. It positions Saudi Arabia as a source of expertise and a partner for other countries seeking to improve their data systems. It also enhances the Kingdom’s standing in international statistical and development forums.

Q20. What is the expected outcome of the partnership?

A20. The partnership is expected to improve the quality, comparability, and availability of data on children and women in Saudi Arabia. It will also strengthen cooperation, capacity building, and knowledge exchange between GASTAT and UNICEF.

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