All-Union Central Bureau of Statistics

The All-Union Central Bureau of Statistics (Arabic: الجهاز المركزي لإحصاء عموم الإتِّحاد al-jihāz al-markizī li-iḥṣā’ ‘umūm al-ittiḥād), colloquially known as Central Statistics (مركز الإحصاء markiz al-iḥṣā’), is the official statistical agency of the Arab Union. It is a state institution that publishes a vast range of statistics, information and other data, providing an essential service to the governmental, non-governmental, public, and commercial/private sectors as well as research institutions and universities. The bureau's existence is mandated by the Constitution of the Arab Union, and as such it operates as an independent agency of the Arab Union federal government; it is, nonetheless, funded by and technically reports to the Ministry of Trade.

The bureau has its own headquarters in the federal capital of Sophron, and also maintains major offices in Jerusalem, Cairo and Baghdad, and smaller field offices in virtually every major city in the union, including all capitals of republics and territories. The bureau also has a department attached to the Ministry of Defence, which is responsible for contributing to national statistics by sampling and gathering relevant information about the community of active servicemembers.

Central Statistics has been working closely with the National Health Authority (NHA) and other Ministry of Health directorates since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in the timely dissemination and availability of a wide range of preliminary and interpretational data on the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases and related epidemiological information. Central Statistics's COVID-19 web portal, setup in February 2020, has facilitated quick access to a variety of information and tools for both healthcare professionals and the public. The bureau's internationally-renowned statistical expertise – proven methodology, innovative survey design, data analytics and stewardship – coupled with timely, high quality data has been a critical component of the government's efforts in charting a path to recovery, and has concurrently created new areas of collaboration and bolstered a more efficient, whole-of-government approach to health statistics and their relevant application.