Riyadh, December 24, 2020, SPA -- The General Authority for Statistics participates with national statistical organizations (NSOs) in GCC countries in celebrating the Gulf Statistics Day this year on Thursday, the 24th of December. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia witnessed the beginnings of statistical work and started to produce statistics in the 1930s, where the Kingdom realized the importance of statistics and information as a pillar of development in any country that aims to advance based on solid foundations. About three decades later, The General Statistics Law was issued by a royal decree, so that the statistical work is organized under a legal framework. The Gulf Statistics Day this year under the slogan "Smart data ... the future of official statistics” shows the importance that GCC countries give to smart data, that could facilitate data classification and data exchange, and builds the foundations to produce quality statistics. Hence, this will enhance participation to use statistics and foster institutional innovation. The Statistics Center of the Gulf Cooperation Council was established to be the official source of data, information and statistics in relation to the countries of the Council, and to enhance the statistical work of the national statistical centers and the planning agencies in GCC countries. The establishment of the center was approved by the Ministerial Council of the GCC countries in September 2011, and its main system was approved in December 2012 by the Supreme Council of the GCC, which is composed of the leaders of Member States. The General Authority for Statistics produces many statistical products that are important to making development plans. These products draw on multiple sources, including range from field surveys, administrative data as well as big data. Making statistical information, indices, analytical publications, and statistical indicators and others, provided by the authority and made available to decision makers and the broader public and hence supporting evidence based decision making is the Authority’s main task and objective, through its official website at www.stats.gov.sa for all of its clients, including students, researchers, decision-makers, policy-makers and others interested in statistics. --SPA 14:29 LOCAL TIME 11:29 GMT 0007 www.spa.gov.sa/w1473034