Secretary-General of NPC Dr. Abdulaziz bin Nasser bin Mubarak Al Khalifa and other dignitaries during the Doha Data Forum, yesterday.
Doha, Qatar: The Doha Data Forum has reaffirmed the importance of sustained cross-sector collaboration and called for the accelerated adoption of modern technologies such as AI and advanced analytics. It highlighted that a consolidated national data ecosystem serves as a fundamental pillar for strategic planning within Qatar’s comprehensive development journey.
The forum, held yesterday under the theme ‘Empowering decisions through reliable data’, was organised by the National Planning Council (NPC) represented by the National Statistics Center in the presence of Secretary-General of NPC Dr. Abdulaziz bin Nasser bin Mubarak Al Khalifa and several other dignitaries. It witnessed participation from government entities, private sector, and civil society organisations with leading experts and policymakers.
The event discussed the pivotal role of national data in supporting Qatar’s developmental planning and to review the latest advancements in the national data ecosystem. It emphasised its commitment to data transparency, showcased the key accomplishments in 2025 under the National Data Program, and outlined priorities for 2026.
Delivering the opening speech, Director-General of the National Statistics Center at the NPC, Ahmed Hassan Al-Obaidly said, “This forum comes at a strategically important moment as 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.”
Al-Obaidly further pointed out, “Our ambition for the coming phase extends beyond mere data collection. We aim to maximise 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 outlined the strategic priorities for the National Data Program in 2026, including highly anticipated national initiatives, most notably the National Data Compliance Platform.
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 served as a national platform to highlight the milestones achieved over the past year under the National Data Program.
The 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. It also highlighted capacity-building efforts such as the Qatar Datathon, the Data Summer Camp, and other activities aimed at fostering a robust data culture.
Also speaking during the forum, Tom Isherwood, Senior Partner in the Middle East office of McKinsey & Company discussed the state of data and AI in the GCC with focus on Qatar. He highlighted the global benchmarks, regional trends and the role of trusted, high-quality data in enabling national-level AI. Meanwhile, Mohammed Mohsen, Solution Engineering Manager at Microsoft, shed light on the topic of “Becoming frontier: Unlocking the business value of AI”. He shared key trends in data and AI and how technology is helping entities improve data use, governance and adaption.
The event also saw panel discussions which explored the national and regional state of data and AI. It highlighted how trusted data enables the responsible use of advanced technologies. The 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.
