GCC-Stat Participates in Big Data Conference in China
Central to their objective of implementing the latest data analysis and statistical modelling techniques across the GCC, H.E. Sabir bin Said Al Harbi, Director General of the Statistical Centre for the Cooperation Council for the Arab Countries of the Gulf (GCC-Stat), headed a delegation to the International Conference on Big Data for Official Statistics in the Chinese capital, Beijing.
The conference was organised by the United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD) and the National Bureau of Statistics of China on October 28 – 30, 2014. It aimed to contribute to a better understanding of the issues surrounding Big Data and provide a platform for experts in the field to come together in such a global event to exchange experiences and to give an overview of the ongoing initiatives of Big Data for official statistics. Key topics and discussions highlighted practical implementation while addressing methodological concerns related to Big Data.
At present, several countries who have started using various Big Data sources have encountered a number of challenges. Mobile phone data, Traffic loop data and Satellite imagery have all been successfully used. Whereas national circumstances can be fairly unique, the objective of the conference is intended to standardise the use of such Big Data sources across countries and continents.
This type of data provides decision makers with live evidence and statistics regarding pricing, workforce, economic production, social development and demographic characteristics. The use of big data provides reliable and more accurate statistics compared to the traditional data which provides an opportunity to upgrade the shared capabilities of different countries to support communities through understanding the data that is produced digitally. The participation by GCC-Stat comes within the framework of the centre to assess the relevance and opportunities of Big Data to the statistical development plans in the GCC region and to gain a better understanding of latest international developments in the field.
