RIYADH: Saudi Arabia, represented by the General Authority of Statistics (GAS), has become a member of the UN Big Data Global Working Group, the Saudi Press Agency said.The new membership of the Kingdom in the group has raised its members to 22 countries, and nine global agencies and regional groupings.Commenting on the Kingdom’s membership in this global organization, the head of the GAS, Fahad bin Sulaiman Altekhaifi, said it comes in recognition of the Kingdom’s active role on the global statistical map.He said the selection of the Kingdom to the organization also reflects the results of the strategic transformation of the statistical sector in the Kingdom to which the leadership renders all support for its role in supporting decisions of national development.He said the Kingdom’s membership in the group will enhance its position in the area of big data at the global level.The participation of the GAS in the group is represented in building capacities and spreading awareness of the importance of big data and joining global forums on data, services, and other applications related to it, he said.In addition to the Kingdom, group has members representing 21 countries and international organizations, and regional groupings such as Euro Stat, the GCC Statistics Center, the International Communication Union (ICU), the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the UN Economic Committee for Europe, and the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific.