PSA announces policy of publishing official statistics

The Planning and Statistics Authority (PSA) announced Sunday the issuance of the policy of publishing official statistics in the form of a document that includes the determinants, controls and basic concepts for communicating official statistics through various means of publication, which ensures in an appropriate manner that the needs of all segments of users are met. The policy of publishing official statistics in the State of Qatar is based on a number of guiding principles, which are Amiri Decision No. 70 of 2018 regarding the establishment of the Planning and Statistics Authority, Law No. 2 of 2011 regarding official statistics, and the Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics that were approved by UN General Assembly on Jan. 29, 2014. HE President of Planning and Statistics Authority Dr. Saleh bin Mohammad Al Nabit said that the policy of publishing official statistics mainly revolves around meeting the needs of users of such statistics in the State of Qatar, especially decision makers, researchers, investors, workers in public affairs and others. His Excellency stressed the Authority's constant endeavor in the field of publishing official statistics to keep abreast of technological developments at the international level in order to benefit from them to easily deliver the products of the device to all users. Therefore, the document 'Policy for the Publishing of Official Statistics' is characterized as being subject to updating according to the developments in the statistical publication process. The official statistics publication policy defines the basics of data publication and contains explanations on a number of concepts, such as the open data policy adopted by the State of Qatar in 2014, the publication of individual data for the results of household and economic establishments surveys, and metadata for variables, indicators and classifications used throughout the statistical process. The publication policy guarantees the quality of the statistical products published by the Planning and Statistics Authority, starting with ensuring the accuracy and reliability of the data, adhering to the dates of its publication, being able to access it quickly and easily, and providing comparability, in addition to managing metadata related to the structure and design of statistical operations from the preparation stage to the stage of data collection, classification and publication. The policy of publishing official statistics also includes an explanation of the electronic publication of data on the official website of the Planning and Statistics Authority (www.psa.gov.qa) and the application of 'Qatar Statistics', as well as the publication of data using social media. The Policy for the Publication of Official Statistics will be available in printed form at the Planning and Statistics Authority's library, and in electronic form on its official website.