1. P ARTNERSHIP IN S TATISTICS FOR D EVELOPMENT IN THE 21 ST C ENTURY The Challenges Facing Statistical Capacity Development in the ARAB REGION Mohamed-El-Heyba Berrou

2. We all know that… Decisions based on fact might be more expensive than those based on ignorance, but they last a lot longer

3. If you cannot measure it, you cannot manage it Statistics are a lifeblood of policy making and resource allocation The importance of evidence for development effectiveness

4. But not everyone agrees …

5. Not relevant to people’s lives Statistics are often perceived as boring

6. Out of date Or even as facts that can “get in the way of policy making”

7. Statistics Need to Fight for their Place in Society Public debate focuses on health, the economy, law and order…. Not on the quality of the national statistical system

8. The Main Challenges … Official Statistics face challenges around the world The Arab region is no different

9. Statistical Capacity in the Arab Region Since 2004, the World Bank has calculated an annual composite indicator of the statistical capacity of developing countries. It has 3 component indicators: 1.Methodology: conformity with international statistical standards 2.Source Data: capacity to collect relevant timely data at appropriate intervals and whether administrative data are available and reliable. 3.Periodicity and timeliness of key macroeconomic and socio-demographic indicators and data availability based on international databases

10. All countries (*) of which: Arab Countries (**) 1999201019992010 Overall54624553 Methodology 4654 3843 Source Data 5459 4047 Periodicity 6174 5669 Source: Development Data Group, World Bank (*) Data are for 154 developing countries (**) League of Arab States for which data are available: Algeria, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia and Yemen World Bank Statistical Capacity Indicator (on a scale of 0-100)

11. Statistical Capacity in the Arab Region These results suggest  Although things have improved, Arab countries perform below average in every component

12. Tracking the MDGs Numbers of Developing countries by number of MDGS with at least 2 data points 1990 - 2008 Number of Indicators with at least 2 data points All Countries Arab Countries No.% % 0 – 1514 9 00 16 – 2520 12 15 26 – 3544 27 1045 36 – 4561 37 1250 46 – 5524 15 00 Total163 100 18100 Source: http://unstats.un.org/unsd/statcom/doc09/BG-MDGTables.xls

13. Tracking the MDGs The Millennium Declaration in 2000 and the subsequent MDGs initiated a considerable amount of work among statisticians to measure the progress towards achieving the goals.  The Arab countries are monitoring the MDGs more actively than their peers, though none are in the top group.

14. How to break the Vicious Cycle…. Weak demand Low funding Weak statistics

15. by creating a Virtuous Cycle Better Statistics Increased demand Better coordination Increased and better spent resources

16. The 5 Main Challenges … 1. Improve dialogue between users & producers 2. Strengthen use of evidence in decision- making 3. More progress on statistical capacity development 4. Better use of resources for statistical development 5. Integrating statistics into national policy and budgetary frameworks – like the PRSPs

17. The Main Challenges … Number 1 How to improve the dialogue between users and producers? Statistics are worthless unless they are used! An NSO’s job does not end when the statistics are released. Statisticians need to work to ensure that the information is used and used appropriately. And that requires working with users.

18. The Main Challenges … Number 2 How to strengthen the use of evidence in decision-making? Statistics do not sell themselves!

19. Advocacy We all need to advocate for better statistics and better strategic planning for the statistics system

20. The Main Challenges … Number 3 How to make more progress on statistical capacity development?

21. SDS Focussing on the next 4 or 5 years Brings together decision makers to have a coherent conversation about statistical priorities

22. NSDS Facilitates the production of better statistics and better statistical analysis, Identifies – and responds to – the priorities of national decision makers.

23. The Qatar Example

24. Launched in 2007 To strengthen statistical capacity across entire Qatari NSS Builds on previous work NSDS vision is to achieve a coherent, integrated system of national statistics that responds to national and international user needs for high- quality statistical information to support evidence- based decision making and to monitor social and economic development. Qatar’s NSDS

25. The Main Challenges … Number 4 Making better use of resources for statistical development PARIS21 works to strengthen the coordination of all the actors working to develop National Statistical Systems

26. At the National level : Supporting the creation of national partnerships for statistics comprising national players and those giving technical and financial support

27. At the Regional level : Supporting the creation of regional strategies for the development of statistics (RSDS).. Similar to the NSDSs The Arab States and the Gulf Countries are working on regional strategies.

28. At the Global level: The Partner Report on the Support to Statistics (PRESS) Meetings of the PARIS21 Consortium Following up on the implementation of the Dakar Declaration on the Development of Statistics according to development effectiveness principles

29. The Main Challenges … Number 5 Integrating statistics into national policy and budgetary frameworks The priorities for data collection expressed in the NSDS should align with the needs of a country’s strategic development plan… …Not always as easy as it sounds

30. International partnership of users and producers of statistics for development From both developing and developed countries and multilaterals Who Are PARIS21?

31. Develop capacity within NSS in developing countries to : Reduce poverty and contribute to the achievement of the MDG’s Improve governance and policy decisions We aim to

32. Facilitation Mobilisation of resources Country level groups Partnership Co-ordination Advocacy materials Peer reviews Guidance and documentation Technical assistance

33. Conclusions 1. We need to use statistics better both in policy design and monitoring. 2. Strategic planning – through an NSDS – is essential for a mature statistical system. 3. Investment for statistics is vital – but we have to make the case.

34. Conclusions 4. Producers need to become much better at talking to users – they are the other half of an NSS. 5. Too few partners provide support. Those that do need to place their support within an NSDS so as not to distort national priorities and apply development effectiveness principles.

35. Next step The 5 th Forum on Statistical Capacity Development in the Arab Region, Beirut, Lebanon, May 2011

36. P ARTNERSHIP IN S TATISTICS FOR D EVELOPMENT IN THE 21 ST C ENTURY Thank you