The Regional Data and Community Development Forum convened at Sharjah's Jawaher Reception and Convention Centre to confront one of the most pressing challenges in modern statistics: maintaining accurate data collection in conflict zones where infrastructure has collapsed and governing authorities are absent.
A dedicated panel session — "Strategies for Data Provision in Conflict and Humanitarian Crisis in the Arab World" — brought together leading regional experts to examine this critical issue in the context of the UN's 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.
Expert Panel on Conflict Zone Data
The discussion featured Ismail Lubad, a statistics specialist at UN ESCWA; Marwn Khawaja, chief of the Demographic and Social Statistics Section at UN ESCWA; and Magued Osman, CEO of Baseera and former Egyptian Minister of Communications and Information Technology. Ahmed Hussain, Senior Statistics Advisor at Qatar's Ministry of Development Planning and Statistics, moderated the session.
Lubad stressed that accurate statistical data is foundational to sound policy, particularly for nations facing socio-economic disruption from ongoing hostilities. He tied this directly to the UN's 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, noting that development planning for conflict-affected nations depends entirely on reliable data.
The Challenge: Where Authorities Don't Exist
Lubad drew attention to the stark realities on the ground: "Where there are no stable authorities, the collection of such data turns into an incredibly challenging process," he said, citing Gaza and Syria as examples where sustained conflict has undermined both infrastructure stability and data integrity.
Coordinating statistical techniques in such environments is formidable, he noted, affecting not only development planning but also crisis response capabilities — making the absence of accurate data a humanitarian problem as much as a statistical one.
AI, Satellites, and Cloud Systems as Solutions
Osman outlined a technology-forward path forward, proposing that artificial intelligence, satellite imaging, and cloud infrastructure can overcome the barriers that make conventional data collection impractical in unstable regions.
He also advocated for deeper international cooperation, arguing that peaceful nations have a responsibility to share data access, technical expertise, and infrastructure with conflict-affected countries — particularly during peace-building phases when the need for accurate data is most acute.
Forum Background
The Regional Data & Community Development Forum was organised by Sharjah's Department of Statistics and Community Development in partnership with UN ESCWA and the Gulf Cooperation Council Statistical Centre. The inaugural edition brought together more than 100 experts across 24 workshops, making it one of the region's most significant gatherings focused on data-driven sustainable development.
