​Brunei Darussalam today commemorated World Statistics Day 2025 with a national-level dialogue at the Ministry of Finance and Economy (MOFE), underscoring the pivotal role of high-quality statistics in supporting national development during the final decade towards Wawasan Brunei 2035. The event was officiated by the Guest of Honour, Yang Mulia Dr Hajah May Fa’ezah binti Haji Ahmad Ariffin, Permanent Secretary (Economy, Trade and Industry), Ministry of Finance and Economy. 

Celebrated globally once every five years, World Statistics Day is a United Nations initiative that promotes the importance of reliable and timely statistics in supporting evidence-based decision-making. The national theme, “Towards Wawasan Brunei 2035 with Quality Statistics,” reflects Brunei Darussalam’s commitment to strengthening its data ecosystem as the nation accelerates socio-economic progress towards its long-term aspirations.

In her keynote address, the Guest of Honour highlighted that quality, timely and reliable statistics are vital in guiding Brunei Darussalam’s progress towards Wawasan Brunei 2035. She underscored three areas for strengthening the national data ecosystem: enhancing administrative data through better coordination, accelerating digitalisation and the adoption of technologies such as artificial intelligence, and building data capabilities across government. These efforts, she noted, are essential to ensure statistics remain credible, relevant and able to support effective policy planning and national development.

Delivering her welcoming remarks, Acting Director General of Economic Planning and Statistics, Heidi Farah Sia Rahman, stated that the dialogue is aligned with the national theme of promoting quality statistics to support Wawasan Brunei 2035. She underlined the importance of raising statistical awareness and recognising the vital role of statisticians and data providers across government agencies in building a robust national data ecosystem. She added that the dialogue also aims to strengthen statistical communication, encouraging officers to go beyond data production and actively engage stakeholders to ensure statistical insights are clearly understood and effectively used in national planning and public awareness.

Also present were Yang Mulia Pengiran Hajah Siti Nirmala binti Pengiran Haji Mohammad, Permanent Secretary (Wawasan), Prime Minister’s Office; Yang Mulia Tuan Mohammad Harris bin Brigadier Jeneral (Retired) Dato Paduka Haji Ibrahim, Deputy Permanent Secretary (Trade and Industry), Ministry of Finance and Economy; along with senior officials from the Brunei Investment Agency, Brunei Darussalam Central Bank (BDCB), Centre for Strategic and Policy Studies (CSPS), and key stakeholders from both the public and private sectors.

The event featured an interactive panel discussion that brought together perspectives from both data producers and data users. Speakers from the Department of Statistics (DOS), Brunei Darussalam Central Bank (BDCB), Centre for Strategic and Policy Studies (CSPS), the Department of Economic Planning and the Department of Consumer Affairs discussed key national statistics such as Gross Domestic Product (GDP), inflation, price monitoring and labour force indicators, as well as the complementary role of administrative data. The discussion highlighted how quality data informs policy decisions that affect the daily lives of citizens and supports national efforts to monitor progress under the Economic Blueprint and Wawasan Brunei 2035. 

Panelists also discussed the importance of capturing emerging economic activities, such as the digital and informal economy; strengthening safeguards for data privacy and confidentiality; accelerating digital transformation within statistical systems; leveraging artificial intelligence and data analytics to enhance policy effectiveness; and improving cross-agency coordination to align national targets and data reporting standards. A key message that emerged from the dialogue was that quality statistics are a shared responsibility requiring collaboration, innovation and public trust.

One panelist noted, “Behind every statistic is a network of agencies, systems and individuals working together”. The dialogue concluded with a strong call to action for all stakeholders and citizens to actively contribute towards building a resilient data ecosystem for the nation’s future.

World Statistics Day 2025 marks a significant milestone in Brunei’s journey as the nation strengthens data governance, advances digital transformation and enhances statistical literacy. With a strong focus on evidence-based policymaking and whole-of-nation collaboration, Brunei stands ready to navigate the final decade towards achieving Wawasan Brunei 2035. 

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Prepared by: 

Department of Economic Planning and Statistics 

Ministry of Finance and Economy 

Brunei Darussalam 

Emaill: info.statistics@jpes.gov.bn 

Reference: JPES/DOS/152 

Date: 28 Rabiulakhir 1447 20 Oktober 2025

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