Amman, July 9 (Petra) — Director General of the Department of
Statistics Haidar Fraihat, in cooperation with the European Union
(EU), chaired the closing conference of the Euro-Mediterranean
Statistical Cooperation Program for the Mediterranean region (MEDSTAT
V), held in Vienna, Austria, from July 7-9.

The conference brought together heads of national statistical offices
and key national coordinators from the EU’s Southern Neighbourhood
countries, along with representatives from Eurostat and regional and
international partners.

The event reviewed the progress achieved in statistical work at the
national and regional levels since the launch of the program’s fifth
phase, which focuses on strengthening statistical systems.
Discussions covered methodologies and practices aimed at improving
the quality of statistical data, standardizing approaches, and
facilitating international comparisons.

Fraihat participated in discussions on opportunities to incorporate
artificial intelligence technologies into statistical production
processes to improve data accuracy. The discussions also addressed
enhancing the readiness of national statistical systems in Southern
Mediterranean countries to adopt modern digital technologies and
expanding the use of administrative records as key sources for data
collection instead of relying solely on traditional and costly
surveys.

The conference provided an opportunity for exchanging expertise and
developing cooperation between European experts and representatives
of participating statistical institutions. On the sidelines of the
event, Fraihat held meetings with Eurostat officials and heads of
statistical offices to discuss statistical cooperation and exchange
experiences.

During the second day of the conference, which brought together
directors general of national statistical offices, national contact
points from partner countries, and Jean-Pierre Poncelet, Director for
Standards, Dissemination and Cooperation at Eurostat, participants
discussed the Mediterranean Charter, its objectives, and its action
plan. Fraihat highlighted the role of official statistics in
supporting the implementation of its initiatives and monitoring
progress.

Participants discussed ways to enhance cooperation and increase
access to data needed to follow up on these initiatives, contributing
to improved data quality and coverage and supporting evidence-based
decision-making.

The meeting also addressed opportunities to benefit from modern
technologies, artificial intelligence, and new data sources to
improve data availability and enhance comparability among partner
countries, supporting the development of official statistics.

The conference concluded with presentations on future cooperation
initiatives with Southern Mediterranean countries, including the
European Statistics Code of Practice and the Euro-Mediterranean
Statistical Cooperation Strategy for 2028-2034. Participants stressed
the importance of continuing cooperation and coordinating efforts to
develop a more integrated and sustainable statistical system in the
region.

//Petra// WH