ArabStat Initiative

Arab Economic Database

The Arab Monetary Fund, in cooperation with the International Monetary Fund, organized a high-level technical meeting in Abu Dhabi on 14–15 January 2013 to discuss the launch of ArabStat. Senior officials from statistical agencies and departments in fifteen Arab countries participated in the meeting.

Participants discussed the challenges of developing economic and financial statistics in Arab countries and ways to establish a regional cooperation framework, drawing on the experience of other regional groupings. They emphasized the importance of establishing an Arab statistical body, initiative, or framework under the name ArabStat to advance statistical systems and capacities and strengthen statistical cooperation among Arab countries. They also highlighted the importance of technical cooperation between the International Monetary Fund and the Arab Monetary Fund in this area.

Participants called for the initiative to be launched under the umbrella of the Arab Monetary Fund, in cooperation with the International Monetary Fund and regional and international institutions and organizations.

An understanding was reached on the initiative’s objectives, the tools and means required to achieve them, and the terms of reference for its Technical Committee. The Committee comprises heads of statistical agencies and centers in Arab countries, or their representatives, alongside representatives of Arab ministries of finance and central banks. The Arab Monetary Fund was designated to serve as the Committee’s Secretariat and the initiative’s executive body.