Saudi Arabia Ranks 25th Globally, First in Gulf, in Statistical Performance Index

The ranking of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, represented by the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT), jumped 25 places in the Statistical Performance Index (SPI) issued by the World Bank. (SPA)
The ranking of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, represented by the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT), jumped 25 places in the Statistical Performance Index (SPI) issued by the World Bank. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia Ranks 25th Globally, First in Gulf, in Statistical Performance Index

The ranking of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, represented by the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT), jumped 25 places in the Statistical Performance Index (SPI) issued by the World Bank. (SPA)
The ranking of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, represented by the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT), jumped 25 places in the Statistical Performance Index (SPI) issued by the World Bank. (SPA)

The ranking of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, represented by the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT), jumped 25 places in the Statistical Performance Index (SPI) issued by the World Bank.

It ranked first in the Gulf and advanced four places in the same index among the G20 countries, coming in 15th place after being ranked 19th in 2019.

The World Bank recently announced the results of the assessment of the maturity and performance of statistical systems, which included 186 countries. The assessment focuses on five main dimensions distributed over more than 52 indices, covering data sources, statistical products and services, and infrastructure.

The Kingdom achieved 100% in the data use dimension and scored 80.8% in the assessment, a significant increase from the previous score of 63.4% in 2019. It was the highest progress among the G20 countries, with a progress rate of 17.4%.

GASTAT President Dr. Fahad Aldossari said the support received by GASTAT from the wise leadership contributed to achieving strategic transformations in the statistical production and technical infrastructure fields.

He added that this greatly impacted the statistical role played by GASTAT and contributed to building and calculating high-quality indices and statistical data that are lauded by international organizations specialized in the statistical field.

This achievement also reflects the confidence of the leadership in GASTAT's national role in providing statistical data, building and measuring national statistical indices that support sustainable development plans, developing the Saudi economy, and improving the quality of life in the Kingdom.



EU Begins Easing Syria Energy, Transport and Banking Sanctions

Syrian children play in the heavily damaged Baba Amr neighborhood following the return of their families to the central Syrian city of Homs on February 10, 2025. (Photo by LOUAI BESHARA / AFP)
Syrian children play in the heavily damaged Baba Amr neighborhood following the return of their families to the central Syrian city of Homs on February 10, 2025. (Photo by LOUAI BESHARA / AFP)
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EU Begins Easing Syria Energy, Transport and Banking Sanctions

Syrian children play in the heavily damaged Baba Amr neighborhood following the return of their families to the central Syrian city of Homs on February 10, 2025. (Photo by LOUAI BESHARA / AFP)
Syrian children play in the heavily damaged Baba Amr neighborhood following the return of their families to the central Syrian city of Homs on February 10, 2025. (Photo by LOUAI BESHARA / AFP)

The European Union on Monday began easing energy and transport sanctions and banking restrictions against Syria, aiming to help breathe life into the conflict-torn country’s economy if its new leaders work toward a peaceful future.
The EU started to impose asset freezes and travel bans on Syrian officials, banks, agencies and other organizations in 2011, in response to then-President Bashar Assad’s crackdown on protesters, which festered into a civil war.
But after Assad was toppled in a lightning opposition offensive in December, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), now in control of Syria, set up an interim administration, saying that a new government would be formed through an inclusive process by March.
Eager to encourage the new leadership, the EU said it was suspending measures targeting oil, gas and electricity as well as transport, and notably the aviation sector. The possibility to fund and provide certain economic resources to five banks will be reinstated.
Restrictions on the export of luxury goods to Syria for personal use will also be eased, The Associated Press reported.
The decision to lift the sanctions was taken by EU foreign ministers and was made as part of efforts “to support an inclusive political transition in Syria, and its swift economic recovery, reconstruction, and stabilization,” a statement said.
The EU said that it would monitor developments in Syria to see whether other economic sanctions could be lifted, but it has also kept open the possibility of slapping the sanctions back on should the new leaders take the country in the wrong direction.
In January, former HTS leader Ahmad al-Sharaa was named Syria’s interim president after a meeting of most of the country’s former opposition factions. The groups agreed to dissolve the country’s constitution, the former national army, security service and official political parties.
International pressure has mounted for al-Sharaa to follow through on promises of an inclusive political transition. UN special envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen has said the formation of a “new inclusive government” by March 1 could help determine whether Western sanctions are lifted.