His Excellency Ambassador Dr. Ali bin Ibrahim Al-Maliki, Assistant Secretary-General and head of the Economic Affairs Sector, inaugurated the Regional Meeting of the Expert Group on "Strengthening Civil Registration and Vital Statistics Systems in the Arab Region." The meeting, held in Cairo from 7 to 9 October, is organised by the Department of Statistics and Data Management, in coordination with the Legal Affairs Department and the Social Studies and Field Surveys Unit, and in cooperation with the Regional Office of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) for Arab States and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA).
The meeting aims to enhance regional cooperation and exchange of expertise in the development of civil registration and vital statistics systems, as well as to discuss the means to improve data quality and promote digital transformation in this vital field, thereby contributing to the achievement of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.
The meeting brings together 85 participants representing the ministries of interior, justice, and health, and national statistical offices from 19 Arab countries: Jordan, Bahrain, Tunisia, Algeria, Djibouti, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, Libya, Lebanon, Egypt, Morocco, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, Iraq, and Palestine. Representatives from a number of international and regional organisations are also participating, including the UNFPA Regional Office for Arab States, ESCWA, the World Health Organisation, UNICEF, Eurostat, the Economic Commission for Africa, the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, the Gulf Cooperation Council Statistical Centre, the International Organization for Migration, UN Women, in addition to a number of experts and researchers.
In his remarks, His Excellency Ambassador Dr. Ali bin Ibrahim Al-Maliki said that civil registration and vital statistics systems have become the cornerstone for formulating public policies and monitoring sustainable development indicators. He noted that developing these systems is no longer a choice but an urgent developmental necessity to provide accurate data that support decision-making and the design of effective economic and social policies.
Dr. Al-Maliki explained that the meeting aims to exchange international expertise and best practices in the field of registration and statistics, strengthen regional and international partnerships, and explore modern technological solutions that ensure data quality and accessibility, with a view to establishing a regional initiative to enhance civil registration and vital statistics systems in the Arab region.
He also expressed appreciation for the support provided by international development partners, affirming that such cooperation reflects a shared commitment to building Arab institutional and technical capacities capable of keeping pace with global transformations in the fields of statistics and data.
He concluded his statement by stressing that the insights and recommendations emerging from this meeting will contribute to strengthening a comprehensive Arab database that supports human rights and sustainable development in the region.
The meeting reviews progress made in implementing the Arab Strategic Framework (2021–2025) for the Development of Civil Registration and Vital Statistics Systems and discuss future challenges and opportunities to strengthen these systems and advance the Sustainable Development Goals.
Participants address key topics, including improving the registration of births and deaths and their causes, documenting marriage and divorce, civil registration for displaced persons and refugees, strengthening legal identity, and promoting digitisation and technological transformation in statistical systems.
The sessions also feature international and regional experiences from Africa and Asia, as well as contributions from United Nations organisations, the European Union, the GCC Statistical Centre, and a number of Arab countries.
The meeting will conclude with the adoption of a set of recommendations and a regional action plan to be submitted to the specialised ministerial councils, with the aim of unifying efforts and strengthening statistical integration across the Arab region.
