The National Planning Council (NPC), represented by the National Statistics Center, organized the Doha Data Forum on Tuesday, 27 January. The event saw extensive participation from government entities, the private sector, and civil society organizations, alongside leading experts and policymakers. The forum aimed to discuss the pivotal role of national data in supporting Qatar's developmental planning and to review the latest advancements in the national data ecosystem.
The forum served as a national platform to highlight the milestones achieved over the past year under the National Data Program. Key accomplishments included the launch of national initiatives and platforms, such as the National Data and Statistics Strategy, the Qatar Data Trust Index, the Qatar Insights Platform (QInsight), and the newly revamped Qatar Open Data Portal. Additionally, the forum highlighted capacity-building efforts such as the Qatar Datathon, the Data Summer Camp, and other activities aimed at fostering a robust data culture.
In his keynote address, Mr. Ahmed Hassan Al-Obaidly, Director-General of the National Statistics Center at the NPC, stated: “This forum comes at a strategically important moment, as the State of Qatar enters an advanced implementation phase of the Third National Development Strategy (NDS3). High-quality data and statistics lie at the core of Qatar's efforts to achieve the economic, social, and developmental goals of NDS3, serving as the primary enabler for sound planning."
He added: "Our ambition for the coming phase extends beyond mere data collection. We aim to maximize the strategic value of data by enhancing its quality, expanding the use of administrative records, and adopting advanced analytics and Artificial Intelligence. This shift will enable more accurate policies, flexible planning, and a faster response to changing circumstances."
The Doha Data Forum also outlined the strategic priorities for the National Data Program in 2026, including highly anticipated national initiatives, most notably the National Data Compliance Platform, designed to monitor progress toward national objectives. The forum also reviewed the ongoing development of the Central Data Bank, a core project aimed at providing decision-makers with accessible, high-quality data.
The forum emphasized its commitment to data transparency, showcased the key accomplishments in 2025 under the National Data Program, and outlined priorities for 2026. Specialized panels explored the national and regional state of data and AI, highlighting how trusted data enables the responsible use of advanced technologies. These sessions focused on data governance, operational challenges, and mechanisms to enhance coordination across government entities to build a more integrated and efficient national data ecosystem.
In its closing remarks, the Doha Data Forum reaffirmed the importance of sustained cross-sector collaboration and called for the accelerated adoption of modern technologies, particularly AI and advanced analytics, highlighting that a consolidated national data ecosystem serves as a fundamental pillar for strategic planning within Qatar's comprehensive development journey.
