Regional capacity building initiative to

1. Paris21 – SPC Workshop National Strategies for the Development of Statistics (NSDS) 8 – 9 July 2010, Noumea, New Caledonia 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 • Policy Environment and operating reality for PIC NSOs • Current State of statistical planning in the Pacific Community • Strategic Planning: 2 parallel models • Main Lessons learned

3. 1. Policy Environment and operating reality for PIC NSOs • Pacific Plan, 2006 – 2008 (Pacific Leaders’ vision for future social and economic development) • SPC Corporate Plan, 2007 – 2012 • SDP Strategic Plan, 2006 – 2008(2009 – 2012 in development) • Good quality and timely economic, population and social data for PICTS • More accessible data through innovative technology such as PopGIS and PRISM • More effective utilization of data and information for evidence-based decision-making • Triennial Regional Conference of Heads of Planning and Heads of Statistics

4. Our main constituents –national statistics and planning agencies of 21 PICTS • National Statistical agencies (technical support and training covering collections, analysis, dissemination and utilization of statistics) • National Planning agencies (ensure data and information needs are articulated and addressed, data easily accessible and utilized)

5. Our ideal constituents –national statistical systems of 21 PICTS • Statistics agencies and planning agencies …. PLUS • Statistics providers in key line ministries • Education • Health • Agriculture (natural resources) • Treasury/Ministry of Finance • Central Banks, National Provident Funds • Everyone collecting/producing/using official statistics in a country: National Statistical System

6. Our key challenges • Move beyond NSO to NSS emphasis (with NSO playing the lead/coordinating role regards official statistics) • Assist countries in aligning political / policy mandates with practical and sustainable solutions

7. 2. Current State of Strategic Statistical Planning in the Pacific Community • All countries have some sort of (annual) work program / corporate plan • (despite this, many statistical activities in most countries are implemented in response to available funds/donor requests - not necessarily determined by national needs (content/timing) for such data/information) • Most PICs make reference to statistical developments in their National Development Frameworks (yet without commensurate strategic initiatives/budgets) • Up until 2 years ago, no country had a Statistical development strategy/Master plan/strategic Plan

8. Current State of Strategic Statistical Planning – Pacific Island NSOs (April 2010)

9. Pacific Island NSOs – key challenges, common obstacles (country views)

10. Catalysts for recent developments • Paris21 getting more active (including visit by Antoine Simonpietri to SPC as part of IAOS side meeting in Noumea, March 2006) • PIC development partners getting more strategic (questioning wisdom of continued ad hoc investments in statistics, without overall strategic policy /planning framework – e.g. WB; multi-donor sector SWAps) • Individual country initiatives wishing to pursue a more pronounced Statistics-wide approach (Vanuatu, RMI, PNG, Samoa) • Gentle and ongoing advocacy by SPC • Collaboration with AusAID/ABS • Seeking collaboration with Paris21

11. 3. Examples of recent Statistical Planning in the Pacific Community …. coming up at 13.50 in Session 3 …

12. 3. Examples of recent Statistical Planning in the Pacific Community • 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

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

14. 3. Strategic Statistical Planning in the Pacific Community – 2 models Model 1: country-based • Piloting of approach in Marshall Islands – background • 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

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

16. 3. Strategic Statistical Planning in the Pacific Community 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 (translation) (-) 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 ... we have to start somewhere)

17. 3. Strategic Statistical Planning in the Pacific Community Model 2: sub-regional approach(pragmatic rationale) • No NSS in place (yet) in most Pacific island countries and territories => choice: • developing one from scratch, or • 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)

18. 3. Strategic Statistical Planning in the Pacific Community 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

19. 3. Strategic Statistical Planning in the Pacific Community Achievements/lessons learned (+) 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)

20. 4. Main lessons learned Employ two-pronged approach: • Two-stage approach for remaining small island states • sub-regional training/strategic plan development targeting NSOs plus planning agencies, before => • possibly pursuing a more statistics-wide approach at a later stage in-country. • 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).

21. 4. Main lessons learned • Acknowledge PARIS21 expertise and experience, and pursue active inter-agency collaboration in these 5 countries (leverage of experience with CARICOM and Caribbean NSO colleagues). • Involve development partners at early stage of strategic statistical planning engagements with countries (transparency, operational consistency, whole-of-Government / NSS focus – example World Bank). • That is why we are here. Thank you.