H.E. Dr. Saleh bin Mohamed Al-Nabit, Minister of Development Planning and Statistics, and his accompanying delegation are heading for New York to take part in the 45th session of the UN Statistical Commission. High level delegations from the UN member states usually participate in this session which will take place during 4-7 March.   This year’s session gains significant importance because it is held after twenty years from the release of the Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics which were adopted by the UN General Assembly in January 29, 2014. The preamble of the Fundamental Principles stressed the importance of statistics in formulating policies and monitoring the implementation of national and international development strategies.    The preamble also confirmed the high quality official statistics role in the analysis and adoption of informed decisions in support of peace, security, sustainable development as well as knowledge and trade exchange among countries.    The UN General Assembly adoption of this preamble has given the official statistics a new momentum because they are approved by the highest global body representing the entire world countries.    This session’s agenda abounds with numerous subjects to be discussed, most importantly the implementation of the Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics at international level, and the agreement on the application methods.    Numerous working papers will be tackled, including the measurement of social welfare, developmental progress and monitoring the Millennium Development Goals. The statistical reflections of the post-2015 international development plan will be discussed as well.    The big data, among other significant subjects to be dealt with, is a new source of official statistics which have become available due to the technological development and information revolution. The commission will also discuss how to benefit from this new source in the field of official statistics and expertise exchange between counties.    The commission will discuss the implementation of the new system of national accounts, environmental accounting, international trade, measurement of information technology and communications, demographic and cultural statistics, crime and human settlement statistics, tourism statistics, price indexes as well as the World Bank report on the international comparison program.    On the sidelines of the UN Statistical Commission meetings, H.E. the Minister of Development Planning and Statistics will meet representatives of several international organizations, such as the IMF, UN Statistics Division, International Labor Organization, UNESCO and ESCWA with the aim to discuss ways of cooperation, coordination and expertise exchange regarding the development of the official statistics system in the country.