On Friday morning (September 26th), Marcio Pochmann, president of IBGE, presented the 8th edition of the National Conference of Data Producers and Users (CONFEST/CONFEGE), which will be held on December 3-5, in Salvador, Bahia. The launch press conference took place at the headquarters of the Federation of Industries of the State of Bahia (FIEB), one of the event's supporting entities, and was attended by authorities and representatives of supporting organizations. It was also streamed live on IBGE Digital. To watch the press conference, click here.

It will be the first time that CONFEST/CONFEGE, which had a first edition in 1968, will take place outside of Rio de Janeiro. In his opening remarks, the IBGE President celebrated the "convergence of several institutions" that will make it possible to hold the Conference in Salvador, with a special mention to FIEB.

As host of the event, Carlos Henrique Passos, president of FIEB, expressed his pride in having the IBGE and the other institutions present at the public conference. He mentioned the various transformations currently taking place and Passos emphasized the importance of data production for decision-making in both public and private sectors. 

Similarly, the president of the Union of Municipalities of Bahia (UPB), Wilson Cardoso, praised the work carried out by the IBGE regarding "data production that supports the decisions made by municipal managers" and celebrated the choice of Bahia to hold CONFEST/CONFEGE.

Two state secretaries, Claúdio Peixoto, of Planning, and Rodrigo Pimentel, of Administration, attended the conference on behalf of the state of Bahia. "Data production is an issue on the national agenda because it is a very valuable asset that provides transparency and robustness, not only creating inputs for short-, medium, and long-term planning, but also for the evaluation of public policies," Peixoto emphasized.

Pimentel recalled the creation of programs in Bahia that use information technology, and highlighted the importance of integrating data from different sources, such as the IBGE.

Planning data production for the next five years 

In his presentation about CONFEST/CONFEGE, its objectives, and importance, President Marcio Pochmann emphasized that the Conference "will address the planning of statistical and geoscientific data production in Brazil between 2026 and 2030."

He also highlighted how digital transformation in the country in recent years has led to an increase in the "datafication" process in decision-making and brought with it an urgent discussion about sovereignty, since 78% of the data produced in Brazil is being processed outside the country.

Speaking about the quality of several official databases in the country, Pochmann referred to the challenge and relevance of information integration, in a process led by the IBGE (Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics), through the National System of Geosciences, Statistics, and Data (SINGED), with the objective of creating predictive public policies.

"It's a new horizon. Now we need to look ahead to anticipate actions," concluded the president.

Importance of regionalization and the participation of all areas of expertise

In December, CONFEST/CONFEGE will be held at SENAI/CIMATEC. The former Bahian senator, Walter Pinheiro, director of Institutional and Governmental Relations at the institution, exemplified the importance of IBGE data by mentioning its use in the creation of the 27 Territories of Identity into which Bahia was divided, which allowed for a much more effective regionalization of public policies, actions by various levels of government, and the private sector.

He also took the opportunity to make a special request: the creation of a branch of Casa Brasil IBGE in Bahia. "I want to be part of the this long-standing come true, when the Institute will be able to interact even more with a wide range of sectors," stated Pinheiro.

IBGE President Marcio Pochmann thanked the former senator for the request and said that holding CONFEST/CONFEGE in Bahia is a decision in line with a view of further decentering and regionalization of the Institute's activities. "We want to open the Conference so that all areas of expertise can participate and contribute to data planning in Brazil in an integrated and coordinated manner, because that is what an institution like the IBGE is for."

André Urpia, IBGE Superintendent in Bahia, stated that it will be an honor for the SES/BA to host an event of this importance. "We are also pleased to see that so many stakeholders in the state of Bahia were mobilized by this idea presented by the IBGE.

It will be a great opportunity to encourage users and researchers to start or continue working, getting involved, and engaging with IBGE's geoscientific research and production. Perhaps also by showcasing their existing work, actively thus contributing to the discussions, and benefiting from the event," stated Urpia.

Free registration for CONFEST/CONFEGE is scheduled for October 8th. It wil be available from the page https://eventos.ibge.gov.br/conferencia-soberania-nacional-2024/apresentacao, which will be soon updated with information about the event.

More on CONFEST/CONFEGE

The National Conference of Data Producers and Users (CONFEST/CONFEGE) is the biggest national event on statistics and geosciences and one of the most important in the world. Its objective is to expand the IBGE's dialogue with society, bringing together producers and users of data and statistics, as well as to evaluate the processes of production, dissemination, and use of statistical and geographic information, aiming to review and improve the General Plan for Statistical and Geographic Information (PGIEG).

Its success depends on the participation of a wide range of stakeholders formed by various agencies that produce and use information within the Federal Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches, along with state and municipal statistical and geographic information institutes, and other segments of organized civil society interested in the topic.

Event:

National Conference of Data Producers and Users  (CONFEST/CONFEGE)
Date: December 3-5, 2025
Venue: Senai Cimatec – Avenida Orlando Gomes, 1845, Piatã – Salvador (BA)
Registration: schedule for October 8

Conference website: https://eventos.ibge.gov.br/conferencia-soberania-nacional-2024/apresentacao