1. Reinforcing Statistical Co-operation at the Regional Level to Support Sustainable Development PARIS21 Regional Forum 5-6 October 2015

2. 2 1.Why this Forum? 2.Where is regional statistical co-operation taking place? 3.What are the elements of regional statistical co- operation? 4.What is the added value of regional statistical co-operation 5.What are regional statistical development strategies (RSDS)? 6.What’s ahead: RSDS in Post-2015

3. 3 Understand regional processes on statistics Share regional practices on statistical co- operation across all regions Discuss benefits and necessity of an RSDS Reach a consensus on the elements of RSDS to inform the preparation of flexible guidelines

4. 4 UN regional commissions (e.g., ECA,ECLAC, ECE, ESCAP, ESCWA) Regional offices of UN agencies (e.g., FAO, WHO, UNICEF) Subregional inter-governmental bodies (e.g., Afristat, African Union, ASEAN, CAN, Caricom, ECOWAS, SAARC, SADC, SICA, SPC, UEMOA) Regional development banks (e.g., AfDB, ADB, IADB, IsDB) Regional capacity building centers (e.g., SIAP, EASTAC) Bilateral and multilateral agencies

5. 5 Group of chief statisticians regularly meet to oversee regional statistical activities (i.e., annual meeting) Organisational structure guides regional action based on chief statisticians’ decisions (e.g., statistics committee) Formal adoption and periodical review of a long-term strategy (i.e., RSDS)

6. 6 Development partners’ support enables regional solutions and country-specific interventions Collaboration and support of multi-year statistical projects

7. 7 Expands range of globally comparable statistical measures Contributes to diminishing the cost of a comprehensive national statistical system Establishes and operates relevant statistical infrastructure for countries with limited resources

8. 8 Recognizes the nature of societies and economies of countries in the region Advances the quality of NSS in the face of obsolence in technologies and practices Enables all countries to benefit from development partners’ contibution

9. 9 Builds and enables access to:  range and mix of skills and capabilities essential for an NSS  funding for regular operations of major statistical sources Contributes to international standard-setting by developing countries Complements statistical operation of countries with limited capability

10. 10 RSDS A strategic regional plan on statistics prepared and agreed to by regional authorities and member countries Objectives Framework for producing regional data Ensure comparability of statistics produced by NSSs across the region Harmonize statistics between member countries Outcomes Coordinated national and regional statistical programmes (e.g. data collection activities) Harmonised conceptual frameworks and methods Strengthened national and regional statistical systems Regional institutions serving as statistical centres of excellence in the region Purpose An efficient Regional Statistical System to respond to statistical needs of a regional development agenda

11. 11 CENTROESTAD & SICA Regional Strategy for the Development of Statistics (RSDS) process since 2012 Ten-Year Pacific Statistics Strategy 2011-2020 SADC RSDS 2013-2018 Strategic Plan for the Establishment of the ASEAN Community Statistical System (ACSS) 2011-2015

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13. 13 No recommended sequence when formulating RSDS and NSDS – it can be formulated one after the other or in parallel What is important :  NSDS should include programs that would address regional statistical needs (including standards to adhere to)  RSDS define specific regional or sub-regional statistical priorities consistent with regional development goals and policies; and consider capacity building needs of member countries to enable them to deliver on regional statistical needs

14. 14 Flexible RSDS guidelines to include:  Principles and areas of cooperation  Role distribution of key actors and stakeholders  Description of regional processes  Investment strategy Support to regions in RSDS design and implementation complementing NSDS

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