Advancing Evidence-Based Policy Making: PARIS21 Progress Report 2005-2006

1. PARIS21 Progress in 2005 and Early 2006 PARIS21 Steering Committee, Paris, 26 April 2006

2. PARIS21’s goal and purpose • The goal of PARIS21 is to “Develop a culture of evidence-based policy making and implementation which serves to improve governance and government effectiveness in reducing poverty and achieving the MDGs”. • PARIS21 is focusing its efforts to achieve this goal by assisting low income countries design NSDSs, the key element of MAPS • This will stimulate “Greater demand, availability and use of better statistics and statistical analysis in national, international, and civil society decision-making”.

3. Reaching the Objective • In October 2003, the Steering Committee set the objective of assisting countries to design an NSDS by end 2006. • This objective was then endorsed by Marrakech in February 2004. • We are well on the way of achieving this objective. • This is only a first step: implementation will be crucial.

4. Preliminary Worldwide NSDS Progress Report As of April 2006 17 16% Countries without a strategy in preparation or already in place 54 51% Countries with a strategy in preparation 34 33% Countries with a strategy designed or being implemented 100% 105 Total Developing Countries Covered

5. Sub-Saharan African Country Progress in NSDS As of April 2006 4 8% Countries without a strategy in preparation or already in place 29 61% Countries with a strategy in preparation 15 31% Countries with a strategy designed or being implemented 48 100% Total of Sub-Saharan African Countries

6. PARIS21 Progress in 2005 and early 2006 • Assistance to NSDS Processes: Regional Programmes • Developing NSDS Methodology • Task Teams • Advocacy • Light Reporting Mechanism (LRM) • Two New Satellite Programmes • Metagora • Light Evaluation Process

7. Regional Programmes • Africa • FASDEV II – co-organised with AfDB, UNECA, World Bank • Reference Regional Strategy Framework for Statistical Development in Africa • Six regional workshops (3 Francophone, 2 Anglophone, 1 Lusophone) • Three consultant briefing sessions (Dakar, Paris, Addis Ababa) • Peer Reviews • Country-level assistance to NSDS processes • Latin America • Three regional workshops for Central America • Launching of NSDS programme for Andean Community • Country-level assistance to NSDS processes

8. Regional Programmes • Arab States • Second Regional Forum held in Muscat • Establishment of Preparatory Group for Third Forum • Baseline Assessment on Strategic Planning • Asia • Transfer of UNDP/Japanese funds for Asia programme • Close partnership ties established with ESCAP, ECE • Regional Workshop for South Asia Countries held in Colombo • Preparations for three more workshops already underway

9. Developing NSDS Methodology • Translation/Dissemination of NSDS Design Guide and Advocacy Paper • Guide to designing an NSDS Roadmap • Models of Statistical Systems • Lessons Learned in Strategic Planning • Development of a Policy-Based NSDS • Compilation of Francophone Country Statistical Laws • NSDS Design and Implementation Issues Paper

10. Task Teams • Costing and Funding of NSDSs • Paper on “Strategic Planning – Costing and Funding” • Input to Light Reporting Mechanism • Training for Official Statisticians • Inventory of organisations/institutes providing statistical training • Rural and Agricultural Statistics • Advocacy video on agricultural statistics

11. Advocacy • New materials produced: • Francophone video “La Statistique au Service du Développement” • Video on agricultural statistics • Glossy leaflet derived from “Measuring Up to the Measurement Problem” paper and pamphlet • Leaflet on “Frequently Asked Questions on NSDSs” • A number of PowerPoint presentations (e.g., on “Why statistics, Why NSDS?”) • Interventions at international and regional events, (e.g., Commonwealth Conference of Statisticians, STATCOM-Africa and FASDEV, and Africa Statistics Day events) • Revised Draft Strategy and Work Plan

12. Light Reporting Mechanism (LRM) on Support to SCB • In June 2005, the Steering Committee endorsed a pilot for Africa. • Process launched in September 2005, targeting 56 technical & financial partners • Key results from LRM presented at FASDEV II and CCSA in early 2006.

13. Light Reporting Mechanism (LRM): Key Results • Annual commitment flow for 2004-05 to SSA roughly US$ 70 million. • Nigeria, Uganda, Mozambique, Burkina Faso, Angola, Malawi, and Tanzania received the most support. • Key financial partners: United Kingdom, World Bank, European Commission, Norway, and the African Development Bank. • Burkina Faso and Nigeria are implementing STATCAPs. • 16 countries have received TFSCB grants for the design of an NSDS. • Shift to budget and sector programs (need to identify statistical needs early in cycle). • Role of sub-regional organisations growing as vehicle for partners’ financing. • Funding to statistical training centres and student scholarships is decreasing.

14. LRM: from Reporting to Collaboration • What is use of reporting mechanism to development partners? • Management tool for more efficient support • Monitoring and advocacy tool to promote SCB • Development of partner strategy to support SCB • Basis of reflection for improved collaboration and harmonisation of partners’ activities • What is use of reporting mechanism to beneficiary countries? • Identification of gaps between statistical needs and actual support • Base in design of funding strategy of NSDS • Assessment of “outputs/outcomes” of partner support

15. Two New Satellite Programmes • World Bank’s Development Grant Facility providing funds for the 6 priority actions of the MAPS, including 3 for PARIS21: • Core programme on NSDS • International Household Survey Network (IHSN) • Accelerated Data Programme in Pilot Countries (ADP) • In early 2006, the Steering Committee and OECD approved the inclusion of the twonew satellite programmes in the PARIS21 work programme.

16. Metagora • Delivering significant lessons and relevant recommendations on evidence-based assessment. • Light version of the Synthesis Report on Results and Lessons of the Metagorapilot phase now available in an advanced draft version. • Final report will be delivered in the course of April 2006 by the Panel of Experts. • On the basis of a positive interim assessment by the Panel of Experts, as well as on the achievements made by the project, the Committee of Donors encouraged plans for consolidating the achievements of the pilot phase in the course of 2006. • Metagora co-ordination team together with the Partner Implementing Organisations is working on a plan and tentative budget for a subsequent phase of the project starting in 2007 (Metagora II).

17. Light Evaluation of PARIS21 • June 2005 Steering Committee agreed to a “light” evaluation of the impact, relevance, effectiveness, and efficiency of PARIS21, which would also consider the future of the Partnership after 2006. • Establishment of a Review Sub-Group, with an evaluator / facilitator. • Inception report in mid-February. • Final report to be discussed today. • Secretariat has produced a proposal on the future of the Partnership.

18. What is PARIS21’s Specific Contribution? • NSDS • Advocacy: different audiences • Partnership

19. NSDS : what we have learned after two years • The design process provides the opportunity for all stakeholders to address statistical development issues. • Political commitment has to be sought continuously. • NSDS is a framework covering all sectors and over time, allowing international support to be coherent and thus contribute more effectively to national capacity building. • NSDS document is the basis to discuss financing with national authorities and donors. • Funding for NSDS design is constrained by disbursement issues. • Shortage in human resources to support countries in NSDS design.

20. NSDS : what we have learned after two years • Countries asking for more methodological work to be made available to them • Inertia still exists from international agencies to support the country approach. • Sometimes regional approach could be effective to develop NSDS. • Short-term statistical needs have to be included in the process, and the balance between immediate needs and capacity building objective has still to be found • Implementation will be the real indicator of success.

21. Advocacy: PARIS21 constituencies • Policy makers, senior managers and funders in developing countries • Policy makers and funders in OECD countries and multilateral development agencies • Statisticians and analysts in developing countries • Statisticians and analysts in OECD countries and multilateral development agencies

22. Central Stat. Office, Sector Units, Central Banks, etc. Ministers of Finance, Sector Ministers, etc. Development Agencies, WB, IMF, RDB, etc. OECD Statistics Office Mngers, UN Specialised Agencies; Stat. units in IFI PARIS21 constituencies and linkages Policy makers Statisticians DevelopingCountries OECD Countries andMultilaterals

23. What PARIS21 has done with and for key partnersA - Developing country statisticians • Provided advocacy and methodological support • Developed an approach to developing statistical capacity which has broad approval among policy makers and funders • Helped to facilitate their NSDS processes • Provided opportunities where their voices can be heard and experiences can be shared.

24. What PARIS21 has done with and for key partnersB – Policy makers in developing countries • Advocated for the importance of statistics in improving development outcomes and for statistics to be integrated into national policy frameworks • Provided an approach to developing statistical capacity that addresses technical, institutional and funding constraints • Encouraged national statisticians to follow this approach • Helped avoid the lack of coherence in statistical programmes and donor support for statistics.

25. What PARIS21 has done with and for key partnersC – Donor agencies • Advocated for the importance of statistics in improving development outcomes • More effective aid through better aligned, coordinated and coherent donor support for NSDSs • Encouraged consideration of national, regional and international needs for statistics • More confidence about the quality of statistical programmes and about the use of resources

26. What PARIS21 has done with and for key partnersD – International Statistical Community • Delivered key messages about the role of statistics in development and of new priorities for statistics • Advocated for the scaling up of technical assistance • Developed the NSDS approach • Convening ability and good access to developing country statistical agencies.

27. Improving partnership • PARIS21’s role is to bring together these four constituencies to improve and support statistical development. • For the future, policy makers should be the target of the advocacy programme.

28. Partnership • LRM: scope and the extent of SCB support in Africa. • Collaboration at country level key to success of statistical development. • Real progress has been made to improve collaboration and coordination. Yet little evidence at country level of such approach. Involvement in NSDS could be a positive factor. • PARIS21’s role is to improve collaboration among partners. Clearer orientation should be given to Secretariat on how to achieve this.

29. Final remarks • PARIS21 approach -- chosen by founders and supported by several partners -- has proven useful to develop statistical capacity. • “Statistical part” of the agenda is on track, but plenty of work necessary to ensure long term funding of statistical development is included in both national budgets and aid programs. • Need for technical assistance being estimated through NSDS, and discussions underway within international statistical community to address this issue.