1. Regional Workshop on National Strategies for the Development of Statistics (NSDS) in the Caribbean Community 27 – 29 July, 2009, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago Regional capacity building initiative to strengthen Pacific Island countries’ national statistical systems – the importance of statistical planning Gerald Haberkorn Manager, Statistics and Demography Programme Secretariat of the Pacific Community Noumea, New Caledonia (www.spc.int/sdp)

2. Structure of Presentation 1.Pacific community: some introductory remarks 2.Background to statistical planning in the Pacific Community 3.Strategic Planning: 2 parallel models 4.Main Lessons learned

3. Pacific Community 9,7 million people (2009) 15 countries, 7 territories, 3 sub-regions: Melanesia (5) Papua New Guinea (6,7 million), Fiji, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, New Caledonia (FR) Micronesia (7) Federated States of Micronesia, Marshall Islands, Palau, Kiribati, Nauru, Guam (US), Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas (US) Polynesia (10) American Samoa (US), Cook Islands, French Polynesia (FR), Niue, Samoa, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, Wallis and Futuna (FR), Pitcairn (57 - UK)

4. MAP LAYER SPC Member countries and territories Marshall Islands Kiribati Tuvalu French Polynesia Tokelau Am Samoa Samoa Wallis et Futuna Pitcairn Islands Cook Islands Niue Fiji Vanuatu New Caledonia Solomon Islands Papua New Guinea Tonga Nauru Palau Guam CNMI Federated States of Micronesia TEXT LAYER

5. One of hundreds

6. Majuro, RMI, 1945

7. Kwajalein and Ebbeye, RMI, 2006 Current

8. Population density, Ebeye, RMI

9. South Tarawa, 2007, Seawall

10. Who are we? Secretariat of the Pacific Community  Oldest inter-governmental organization serving Pacific island countries and territories (1947);  Providing technical advice/training, contributing to national/regional capacity building in 22 member countries (15) and territories (7);  Some 390 professional and program support staff covering a wide array of scientific/technical disciplines, from land and marine resources to health and social resources, including statistical advisory services, technical demography, population and development

11. 2005 RHOPS and 2006-2008 SDP Strategic plan Extensive discussions with development partners Statistical planning at the time: annual work programs at best many activities implemented in response to available funds – not (necessarily) determined by national needs for data/information Project planning/management (synonymous with financial monitoring) Long-term/Strategic Planning (seen as domain of planners) 1. Background to Statistical Planning in the Pacific Community

12. Development of joint programme with AusAID and ABS – two stage process Enhance NSO capacity in project planning and management Assist with capacity strengthening/building in strategic planning Stage 1 (three outputs) Project planning/management training in 3 countries Field testing (in initial stage of activity implementation) final review/evaluation (of training, field operations, initial outputs)  Results in all 3 countries, field operations on schedule in 2/3, under budget, massive response rates (95%), quality data outputs 1. Background to Statistical Planning in the Pacific Community

13. Stage 2: two components Extension of project planning/management training to other countries engaging in major collection activities (censuses, HH surveys) Note: since this project initiative, such training has become an integral component of ALL our census/survey TA activities (alongside dedicated training activities on: sampling; data processing; Data analysis and Report writing; data dissemination) Piloting of strategic statistical planning 1. Background to Statistical Planning in the Pacific Community

14. Stage 2: 2 nd component: country-based Piloting of approach in Marshall Islands 3 tangible training outcomes Work through context of how to develop strategic plan Work through all distinct strategic planning steps Develop draft strategic plan 7 workshop modules 2. Strategic Statistical Planning in the Pacific Community

15. Seven workshop modules 1.Work through context of how to develop a strategic plan 2.Review SWOT Analysis previously undertaken by participants 3.Commence development of Strategic Plan – focus on Vision and Mission statements (break-out into two working groups). 4.Drafting of Strategic Plan’s Vision and Mission statements (plenary) 5.Discuss and set strategic objectives and begin work on first draft (working groups) 6.Finalize first draft of RMI Strategic Statistical Plan (plenary) 7.Review importance of ongoing plan monitoring, evaluation and regular reporting 2. Strategic Statistical Planning in the Pacific Community

16. Workshop Results 1.Draft plan completed at end of workshop 2.Finalized in-country/by e-mail with us over following 2 months ( last minute change of document title: p-4) 3.Translation into Marshallese 4.Debrief to politicians and endorsement 2. Strategic Statistical Planning in the Pacific Community

17. Achievements/lessons learned (+)Excellent workshop dynamic – helped by novelty of topic, course structure (interactive, mix of formal lecture, practical application; intensive half-day sessions) (+)Completion of quite a formidable draft – even more so given it was a first for most participants (-)involvement of participants from wider “statistical community” was disappointing (-)no integration into national development framework (-)Outcome: strategic plan/forward work programme for NSO – not for NSS (… but like Tony emphasized yesterday: we have to start somewhere) 2. Strategic Statistical Planning in the Pacific Community

18. Model 2: sub-regional approach (pragmatic rationale) No NSS in place (yet) in most Pacific island countries and territories => choice: i.developing one from scratch, or ii.in stages, beginning with development of NS0-focused long-term strategy as starting point Opted for (ii) – at subregional level Cultural/political similarities, provision of greater “statistical reference” group (community of interest) at that level than in small national-territorial administrations Greater time efficiency (not necessarily greater cost- effectiveness) 2. Strategic Statistical Planning in the Pacific Community

19. Model 2 (three modifications to national workshop) Seven modules spread over 4 days Formal training in plenary – break-out working groups in 3 groups of 2 countries/territories Three co-trainers/instructors =>As with national workshop, countries required to undertake SWOT analyses at home prior to coming to sub-regional workshop 2. Strategic Statistical Planning in the Pacific Community

20. Workshop Results (bit premature – work in progress) 1.Draft plans completed by all 6 countries/ territories at end of workshop 2.Countries to review draft with their respective offices (Statistics, Planning), and where possible with a wider group of statistical stakeholders at home 3.Send second (amended) draft to ABS-SPC instructors by end of July for review, and commencement of interactive refinement/ editing 4.Final draft expected to be completed by end of September 2. Strategic Statistical Planning in the Pacific Community

21. Achievements/lessons learned ( thus far: p-6/7 ) (+)Excellent workshop dynamic (helped by novelty of topic, interactive course structure, plus mix of formal lecture/practical applications; intensive full-day sessions) (+)Enhanced dynamic given wider “community of interest” (resembling a virtual sub-regional statistical system) (+) Completion of 6 formidable drafts – as with earlier national workshop, this was a first for most participants (-)should have allowed more time (7 intensive half days converted into 3.5 full days = good maths, not very good pedagogy) 2. Strategic Statistical Planning in the Pacific Community

22. Employ two-pronged approach: 1.Two-stage approach for remaining small island states i.sub-regional training/strategic plan development targeting NSOs plus planning agencies, before => ii.possibly pursuing a more statistics-wise approach at a later stage in-country. 2.For the larger countries (PNG, Solomon Islands, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga) pursue a country-based strategy (greater number of players -> good base -> building a national statistical system in these countries). 3. Main lessons learned

23. Looking for greater traction at a CARICOM/Paris21- type initiative (specially to get NSS focus going). Acknowledge importance of the political environment (p-7). Thank you 3. Main lessons learned