1. 1 First Steering Committee Meeting on SADC Project Durban, 14 July 2006 Experiences with United Nations Development Accounts Statistics Projects Lessons from UNSD Executed Projects Grace Bediako United Nations Statistics Division

2. 2 Outline Historical context Historical context Rationale and specific experiences of the projects Rationale and specific experiences of the projects Indicators of success Indicators of success Lessons learnt Lessons learnt Implications for the SADC Project Implications for the SADC Project

3. 3 Historical Context (1) How did development accounts projects start? Began with the CARICOM project (1999-2001) Began with the CARICOM project (1999-2001) Was followed by: Was followed by: Association of South-Eastern Asian Nations (ASEAN) (2000-2003) Association of South-Eastern Asian Nations (ASEAN) (2000-2003) Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (UN ESCWA) (2002-2004) Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (UN ESCWA) (2002-2004) Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) (2004-2006) Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) (2004-2006) SADC project, now starting, is the fifth project that UNSD is executing (2006-2009) SADC project, now starting, is the fifth project that UNSD is executing (2006-2009)

4. 4 Historical Context (2) Projects fall within the UNSD Technical assistance programme but does not define the beginning of UNSD technical assistance Projects fall within the UNSD Technical assistance programme but does not define the beginning of UNSD technical assistance UNSD has a component of its regular budget for technical assistance activities, such as workshops, expert group meetings, technical advisory missions, study tours; etc. UNSD has a component of its regular budget for technical assistance activities, such as workshops, expert group meetings, technical advisory missions, study tours; etc. By taking the project approach, the assistance has become more holistic and allows for more systematic and results oriented interventions By taking the project approach, the assistance has become more holistic and allows for more systematic and results oriented interventions All with positive and enduring outcomes All with positive and enduring outcomes

5. 5 Rationale for these projects As a technical assistance activity, projects are designed to introduce practical dimensions to the regular programme of UNSD, which primarily involves: As a technical assistance activity, projects are designed to introduce practical dimensions to the regular programme of UNSD, which primarily involves: Developing methodological materials, including standards in concepts, definitions, and classifications, Developing methodological materials, including standards in concepts, definitions, and classifications, Compilation and dissemination of statistics Compilation and dissemination of statistics Review of national practices in various aspects of statistics production Review of national practices in various aspects of statistics production By these projects UNSD works with countries through regional groups to bridge capacity gaps By these projects UNSD works with countries through regional groups to bridge capacity gaps

6. 6 Rationale for projects (2) Provide financial resources, which serves as a catalyst to strengthen the regional institution, in its statistical coordination role and promotion of statistical development. Provide financial resources, which serves as a catalyst to strengthen the regional institution, in its statistical coordination role and promotion of statistical development. Strategies involve: Strategies involve: Taking advantage of differences in levels of statistical development and capacities to promote south-south cooperation internally, and with other regional groupings Taking advantage of differences in levels of statistical development and capacities to promote south-south cooperation internally, and with other regional groupings Building on the cohesion among countries in the economic communities, Building on the cohesion among countries in the economic communities, Bridging critical resource gap at the regional level/economic community, for a selection of activities Bridging critical resource gap at the regional level/economic community, for a selection of activities

7. 7 Specific Project experiences (1) CARICOM Strengthening Capacity in the Compilation of Statistics and Indicators for Conference Follow-up in the CARICOM Region (1999-2001) Strengthening Capacity in the Compilation of Statistics and Indicators for Conference Follow-up in the CARICOM Region (1999-2001) Fifteen countries Fifteen countries

8. 8 Main objectives To strengthen co-operation among national statistical systems To strengthen co-operation among national statistical systems To develop a critical mass of statisticians in the CARICOM region To develop a critical mass of statisticians in the CARICOM region To improve the ability of national institutions to produce and disseminate relevant statistics on environment, social and gender concerns routinely To improve the ability of national institutions to produce and disseminate relevant statistics on environment, social and gender concerns routinely To strengthen regional capability to produce analytical reports on the state of the environment, social and gender concerns. To strengthen regional capability to produce analytical reports on the state of the environment, social and gender concerns.

9. 9 Priority areas (CARICOM) Statistical co-ordination Statistical co-ordination Communication between statistics producing institutions Communication between statistics producing institutions Social and gender statistics Social and gender statistics Environment statistics Environment statistics Information technology: infrastructure and computer skills Information technology: infrastructure and computer skills

10. 10 Successes (CARICOM) Two regional reports on Two regional reports on Social and gender Social and gender Environment Environment Social, gender and environment statistics placed on the agenda of Standing Committee of Caribbean Statisticians (SCCS) Social, gender and environment statistics placed on the agenda of Standing Committee of Caribbean Statisticians (SCCS) An advisory committee (sub-committee of SCCS) established to guide the development of on social, gender and environment An advisory committee (sub-committee of SCCS) established to guide the development of on social, gender and environment Project activities integrated into regular programme of the CARICOM Secretariat Project activities integrated into regular programme of the CARICOM Secretariat

11. 11 Specific Project experiences (2) ASEAN Strengthening Regional Capacities for Statistical Development in South East Asia (2000-2003) Strengthening Regional Capacities for Statistical Development in South East Asia (2000-2003) Ten countries Ten countries

12. 12 Main objectives (ASEAN) Strengthening national statistical systems in the ten ASEAN countries Strengthening national statistical systems in the ten ASEAN countries Strengthening the intra-regional co-operation among the ten statistical systems and, reinforce existing south/south networks Strengthening the intra-regional co-operation among the ten statistical systems and, reinforce existing south/south networks Strengthening the statistical capacity of the ASEAN Secretariat, to draw on national data systems and to produce analytical reports on major economic and social issues Strengthening the statistical capacity of the ASEAN Secretariat, to draw on national data systems and to produce analytical reports on major economic and social issues Improve data exchange and dissemination in the region, through technology upgrades Improve data exchange and dissemination in the region, through technology upgrades

13. 13 Priority areas (ASEAN) National and satellite accounting through the implementation of relevant provisions of the 1993 System of National Accounts National and satellite accounting through the implementation of relevant provisions of the 1993 System of National Accounts Harmonization of development indicators for the ASEAN countries Harmonization of development indicators for the ASEAN countries Statistical organization and management Statistical organization and management Information technology for statistics Information technology for statistics

14. 14 Successes (ASEAN) Production of the publication “ASEAN IN FIGURES” Production of the publication “ASEAN IN FIGURES” Development of software on input- output compilation Development of software on input- output compilation Compilation of good practices in organization and management of statistical systems Compilation of good practices in organization and management of statistical systems Establishment of a statistical unit at the ASEAN Secretariat Establishment of a statistical unit at the ASEAN Secretariat

15. 15 Specific Project experiences (3) ESCWA Strengthening Statistical Capacity in the Region of the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (2002-2004) Thirteen countries Thirteen countries Main objective: to build a statistical network to play a catalytic role in improving the production and dissemination of statistics and indicators in the ESCWA region to build a statistical network to play a catalytic role in improving the production and dissemination of statistics and indicators in the ESCWA region

16. 16 The Role of the Network Improve the organization of the countries’ statistical systems and strengthen the capacity of the countries to disseminate their data Improve the organization of the countries’ statistical systems and strengthen the capacity of the countries to disseminate their data Strengthen the capacity of the countries to routinely produce statistical data Strengthen the capacity of the countries to routinely produce statistical data Develop common methodological approaches for data collection, processing, and dissemination in area of environmental, social and demographic statistics Develop common methodological approaches for data collection, processing, and dissemination in area of environmental, social and demographic statistics Strengthen the capacity of ESCWA Statistics Division in regional coordination Strengthen the capacity of ESCWA Statistics Division in regional coordination

17. 17 Priority areas of focus (ESCWA) Management of statistical operations Management of statistical operations Dissemination and marketing of official statistics Dissemination and marketing of official statistics Population and housing census Population and housing census Environment statistics Environment statistics Disability statistics Disability statistics

18. 18 Successes (ESCWA) Steering committee of Directors of Statistics set up Steering committee of Directors of Statistics set up Focus on Population and housing census beneficial to most countries Focus on Population and housing census beneficial to most countries Testing of handheld devises in a national census (Oman) Testing of handheld devises in a national census (Oman) Development and testing of software for application in Optical and Intelligent Character Recognition (OICR) for Arabic characters in population censuses (Egypt) Development and testing of software for application in Optical and Intelligent Character Recognition (OICR) for Arabic characters in population censuses (Egypt)

19. 19 Specific Project experiences (4) ECOWAS Strengthening statistical capacity-building in support of the Millennium Development Goals in the region of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) 2004-2006 Strengthening statistical capacity-building in support of the Millennium Development Goals in the region of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) 2004-2006 Fifteen countries Fifteen countries The overall goal of the project is to strengthen national statistical systems in the ECOWAS region to enable them to meet their statistical needs and to improve the availability and quality of data required to develop and compile the millennium indicator list for the MDGs The overall goal of the project is to strengthen national statistical systems in the ECOWAS region to enable them to meet their statistical needs and to improve the availability and quality of data required to develop and compile the millennium indicator list for the MDGs

20. 20 Priority areas Statistical activities planning, data analysis and dissemination Statistical activities planning, data analysis and dissemination Statistical organization and user-producer relations Statistical organization and user-producer relations Poverty statistics Poverty statistics National accounts National accounts Energy and environment statistics Energy and environment statistics Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Information and Communication Technology (ICT)

21. 21 Successes Steering committee of Directors of Statistics set up Steering committee of Directors of Statistics set up Project activities integrated into strategic plan of ECOWAS Project activities integrated into strategic plan of ECOWAS Publication on poverty measurement under preparation Publication on poverty measurement under preparation

22. 22 Lessons from Past Projects (1) The use of the steering committee (of heads of statistics) ensured the continued relevance of project goals, focus and activities The use of the steering committee (of heads of statistics) ensured the continued relevance of project goals, focus and activities Heads of Statistics played critical role in the development and implementation of the projects, and thus in their success Heads of Statistics played critical role in the development and implementation of the projects, and thus in their success Form of the projects the same, but focus areas varied according to regional and national needs Form of the projects the same, but focus areas varied according to regional and national needs Regional and national statistical offices committed resources, in terms of time and effort of their staff, hosting of project meeting and study tours, provision of technical expertise Regional and national statistical offices committed resources, in terms of time and effort of their staff, hosting of project meeting and study tours, provision of technical expertise Leadership of regional secretariat a necessity Leadership of regional secretariat a necessity

23. 23 Lessons learnt (2) Common grounds Heads of statistics directing the affairs of the project Heads of statistics directing the affairs of the project Regional Secretariat institutionalize key elements of project goals and objectives Regional Secretariat institutionalize key elements of project goals and objectives Networking with south-south cooperation enhanced Networking with south-south cooperation enhanced Resources, especially for ICT enhancement and study tours, allocated according to need Resources, especially for ICT enhancement and study tours, allocated according to need Compilation and dissemination of indicators (publication) one of the key outputs Compilation and dissemination of indicators (publication) one of the key outputs At least one significant milestone At least one significant milestone

24. 24 Specific achievements Real success of these projects lies in the enduring changes beyond project span Real success of these projects lies in the enduring changes beyond project span CARICOM – Introduction of a social and environment component into its Statistics Sub- programme CARICOM – Introduction of a social and environment component into its Statistics Sub- programme ASEAN – Establishment of the Statistics Unit at its Secretariat ASEAN – Establishment of the Statistics Unit at its Secretariat ESCWA – Development of software for use of IT, i.e., Optical character recognition and hand held devices technologies in census- taking ESCWA – Development of software for use of IT, i.e., Optical character recognition and hand held devices technologies in census- taking ECOWAS – Institutionalizing the meetings of Heads of Statistics ECOWAS – Institutionalizing the meetings of Heads of Statistics

25. 25 Implications for SADC Project Maximizing benefits and impact Identify one important goal that can have long lasting impact Identify one important goal that can have long lasting impact Ensure synergies with ongoing and planned activities (such as use of existing meetings of heads of statistics) Ensure synergies with ongoing and planned activities (such as use of existing meetings of heads of statistics) Make it worthwhile by focusing on critical gaps Make it worthwhile by focusing on critical gaps Commit time and human resources, at national and regional levels, to participate in activities and contribute Commit time and human resources, at national and regional levels, to participate in activities and contribute SADC Secretariat has a big responsibility for its success SADC Secretariat has a big responsibility for its success

26. 26 Specific Project experiences (5) SADC Strengthening statistical capacity-building in support of the Millennium Development Goals in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region (2006-2009) Strengthening statistical capacity-building in support of the Millennium Development Goals in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region (2006-2009) Fifteen countries Fifteen countries Details of the project to be given in another presentation Details of the project to be given in another presentation

27. 27 Thank You