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First Steering Committee Meeting on SADC Project First Steering Committee Meeting on SADC Project Durban, 14 July 2006Durban, 14 July 2006

Experiences with United Nations Experiences with United Nations Development Accounts Statistics ProjectsDevelopment Accounts Statistics Projects

    

Lessons from UNSD Executed ProjectsLessons from UNSD Executed Projects

Grace BediakoGrace BediakoUnited Nations Statistics DivisionUnited Nations Statistics Division

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OutlineOutline Historical contextHistorical context Rationale and specific Rationale and specific

experiences of the projects experiences of the projects Indicators of successIndicators of success Lessons learntLessons learnt Implications for the SADC ProjectImplications for the SADC Project

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Historical Context (1)Historical Context (1)How did development accounts projects How did development accounts projects

start?start? Began with the CARICOM project (1999-Began with the CARICOM project (1999-

2001)2001) Was followed by:Was followed by:

Association of South-Eastern Asian Nations Association of South-Eastern Asian Nations (ASEAN) (2000-2003)(ASEAN) (2000-2003)

Economic and Social Commission for Western Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (UN ESCWA) (2002-2004)Asia (UN ESCWA) (2002-2004)

Economic Community of West African States Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) (2004-2006)(ECOWAS) (2004-2006)

SADC project, now starting, is the fifth SADC project, now starting, is the fifth project that UNSD is executing (2006-2009)project that UNSD is executing (2006-2009)

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Historical Context (2)Historical Context (2) Projects fall within the UNSD Technical Projects fall within the UNSD Technical

assistance programme but does not define assistance programme but does not define the beginning of UNSD technical assistancethe beginning of UNSD technical assistance

UNSD has a component of its regular budget UNSD has a component of its regular budget for technical assistance activities, such as for technical assistance activities, such as workshops, expert group meetings, technical workshops, expert group meetings, technical advisory missions, study tours; etc.advisory missions, study tours; etc.

By taking the project approach, the By taking the project approach, the assistance has become more holistic and assistance has become more holistic and allows for more systematic and results allows for more systematic and results oriented interventionsoriented interventions

All with positive and enduring outcomes All with positive and enduring outcomes

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Rationale for these projectsRationale for these projects As a technical assistance activity, projects As a technical assistance activity, projects

are designed to introduce practical are designed to introduce practical dimensions to the regular programme of dimensions to the regular programme of UNSD, which primarily involves: UNSD, which primarily involves: Developing methodological materials, including Developing methodological materials, including

standards in concepts, definitions, and standards in concepts, definitions, and classifications, classifications,

Compilation and dissemination of statisticsCompilation and dissemination of statistics Review of national practices in various aspects of Review of national practices in various aspects of

statistics production statistics production By these projects UNSD works with By these projects UNSD works with

countries through regional groups to bridge countries through regional groups to bridge capacity gapscapacity gaps

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Rationale for projects (2)Rationale for projects (2) Provide financial resources, which serves as a Provide financial resources, which serves as a

catalyst to strengthen the regional institution, catalyst to strengthen the regional institution, in its statistical coordination role and in its statistical coordination role and promotion of statistical development. promotion of statistical development.

Strategies involve:Strategies involve: Taking advantage of differences in levels of Taking advantage of differences in levels of

statistical development and capacities to promote statistical development and capacities to promote south-south cooperation internally, and with other south-south cooperation internally, and with other regional groupings regional groupings

Building on the cohesion among countries in the Building on the cohesion among countries in the economic communities,economic communities,

Bridging critical resource gap at the regional Bridging critical resource gap at the regional level/economic community, for a selection of level/economic community, for a selection of activitiesactivities

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Specific Project experiences Specific Project experiences (1)(1)

CARICOMCARICOM

Strengthening Capacity in the Compilation of Strengthening Capacity in the Compilation of Statistics and Indicators for Conference Statistics and Indicators for Conference Follow-up in the CARICOM Region (1999-2001)Follow-up in the CARICOM Region (1999-2001) Fifteen countriesFifteen countries

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Main objectivesMain objectives To strengthen co-operation among To strengthen co-operation among

national statistical systems national statistical systems TTo develop a critical mass of statisticians o develop a critical mass of statisticians

in the CARICOM regionin the CARICOM region To improve the ability of national To improve the ability of national

institutions to produce and disseminate institutions to produce and disseminate relevant statistics on environment, social relevant statistics on environment, social and gender concerns routinely and gender concerns routinely

To strengthen regional capability to To strengthen regional capability to produce analytical reports on the state of produce analytical reports on the state of the environment, social and gender the environment, social and gender concerns.concerns.

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Priority areas (CARICOM)Priority areas (CARICOM) Statistical co-ordination Statistical co-ordination Communication between Communication between

statistics producing institutions statistics producing institutions Social and gender statistics Social and gender statistics Environment statistics Environment statistics Information technology: Information technology:

infrastructure and computer infrastructure and computer skills skills

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Successes (CARICOM)Successes (CARICOM) Two regional reports onTwo regional reports on

Social and genderSocial and gender Environment Environment

Social, gender and environment statistics Social, gender and environment statistics placed on the agenda of Standing placed on the agenda of Standing Committee of Caribbean Statisticians (SCCS)Committee of Caribbean Statisticians (SCCS)

An advisory committee (sub-committee of An advisory committee (sub-committee of SCCS) established to guide the development SCCS) established to guide the development of on social, gender and environment of on social, gender and environment

Project activities integrated into regular Project activities integrated into regular programme of the CARICOM Secretariatprogramme of the CARICOM Secretariat

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Specific Project experiences Specific Project experiences (2)(2)

ASEANASEAN

Strengthening Regional Capacities Strengthening Regional Capacities for Statistical Development in South for Statistical Development in South

East AsiaEast Asia (2000-2003) (2000-2003) Ten countriesTen countries

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Main objectives (ASEAN)Main objectives (ASEAN) Strengthening national statistical systems Strengthening national statistical systems

in the tenin the ten ASEAN countries ASEAN countries Strengthening the intra-regional co-Strengthening the intra-regional co-

operation amongoperation among the ten statistical systemsthe ten statistical systems and, reinforce existing south/south and, reinforce existing south/south networks networks

Strengthening the statistical capacity of theStrengthening the statistical capacity of the ASEAN Secretariat, to draw on national data ASEAN Secretariat, to draw on national data systems and to produce analytical reports systems and to produce analytical reports on major economic and social issueson major economic and social issues

Improve data exchange and dissemination Improve data exchange and dissemination in the region, through technology upgradesin the region, through technology upgrades

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Priority areas (ASEAN)Priority areas (ASEAN) National and satellite accounting through National and satellite accounting through

the implementation of relevant the implementation of relevant provisions of the 1993 System of provisions of the 1993 System of National AccountsNational Accounts

Harmonization of development indicators Harmonization of development indicators for the ASEAN countriesfor the ASEAN countries

Statistical organization and managementStatistical organization and management Information technology for statisticsInformation technology for statistics

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Successes (ASEAN)Successes (ASEAN) Production of the publication Production of the publication

“ASEAN IN FIGURES”“ASEAN IN FIGURES” Development of software on input-Development of software on input-

output compilationoutput compilation Compilation of good practices in Compilation of good practices in

organization and management of organization and management of statistical systemsstatistical systems

Establishment of a statistical unit at Establishment of a statistical unit at the ASEAN Secretariatthe ASEAN Secretariat

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Specific Project experiences Specific Project experiences (3)(3)

ESCWAESCWA

Strengthening Statistical Capacity in the Strengthening Statistical Capacity in the Region of the Economic and Social Region of the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (2002-Commission for Western Asia (2002-2004)2004) Thirteen countriesThirteen countries

Main objective: Main objective: to build a statistical network to play a catalytic role to build a statistical network to play a catalytic role

in improving the production and dissemination of in improving the production and dissemination of statistics and indicators in the ESCWA regionstatistics and indicators in the ESCWA region

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The Role of the NetworkThe Role of the Network Improve the organization of the countries’ Improve the organization of the countries’

statistical systems and strengthen the statistical systems and strengthen the capacity of the countries to disseminate their capacity of the countries to disseminate their datadata

Strengthen the capacity of the countries to Strengthen the capacity of the countries to routinely produce statistical dataroutinely produce statistical data

Develop common methodological Develop common methodological approaches for data collection, processing, approaches for data collection, processing, and dissemination in area of environmental, and dissemination in area of environmental, social and demographic statisticssocial and demographic statistics

Strengthen the capacity of ESCWA Statistics Strengthen the capacity of ESCWA Statistics Division in regional coordinationDivision in regional coordination

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Priority areas of focusPriority areas of focus (ESCWA)(ESCWA)

   Management of statistical operationsManagement of statistical operations Dissemination and marketing of Dissemination and marketing of

official official statisticsstatistics Population and housing censusPopulation and housing census Environment statistics Environment statistics Disability statisticsDisability statistics

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Successes (ESCWA)Successes (ESCWA) Steering committee of Directors of Steering committee of Directors of

Statistics set upStatistics set up Focus on Population and housing Focus on Population and housing

census beneficial to most countriescensus beneficial to most countries Testing of handheld devises in a Testing of handheld devises in a

national census (Oman)national census (Oman) Development and testing of software Development and testing of software

for application in Optical and for application in Optical and Intelligent Character Recognition Intelligent Character Recognition (OICR) for Arabic characters in (OICR) for Arabic characters in population censuses (Egypt)population censuses (Egypt)

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Specific Project experiences Specific Project experiences (4)(4)

ECOWASECOWAS Strengthening statistical capacity-building in Strengthening statistical capacity-building in

support of the Millennium Development Goals support of the Millennium Development Goals in the region of the Economic Community of in the region of the Economic Community of West African StatesWest African States (ECOWAS) 2004-2006 (ECOWAS) 2004-2006 Fifteen countriesFifteen countries The overall goal of the project is to strengthen The overall goal of the project is to strengthen

national statistical systems in the ECOWAS region national statistical systems in the ECOWAS region to enable them to meet their statistical needs and to enable them to meet their statistical needs and to improve the availability and quality of data to improve the availability and quality of data required to develop and compile the millennium required to develop and compile the millennium indicator list for the MDGsindicator list for the MDGs

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Priority areasPriority areas Statistical activities planning, data Statistical activities planning, data

analysis and disseminationanalysis and dissemination Statistical organization and user-Statistical organization and user-

producer relationsproducer relations Poverty statisticsPoverty statistics National accountsNational accounts Energy and environment statistics Energy and environment statistics Millennium Development Goals Millennium Development Goals

(MDGs) (MDGs) Information and Communication Information and Communication

Technology (ICT)Technology (ICT)

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SuccessesSuccesses Steering committee of Directors Steering committee of Directors

of Statistics set upof Statistics set up Project activities integrated into Project activities integrated into

strategic plan of ECOWASstrategic plan of ECOWAS Publication on poverty Publication on poverty

measurement under measurement under preparationpreparation

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Lessons from Past Projects Lessons from Past Projects (1)(1) The use of the steering committee (of heads of The use of the steering committee (of heads of

statistics) ensured the continued relevance of statistics) ensured the continued relevance of project goals, focus and activitiesproject goals, focus and activities

Heads of Statistics played critical role in the Heads of Statistics played critical role in the development and implementation of the development and implementation of the projects, and thus in their successprojects, and thus in their success

Form of the projects the same, but focus areas Form of the projects the same, but focus areas varied according to regional and national needsvaried according to regional and national needs

Regional and national statistical offices Regional and national statistical offices committed resources, in terms of time and committed resources, in terms of time and effort of their staff, hosting of project meeting effort of their staff, hosting of project meeting and study tours, provision of technical expertise and study tours, provision of technical expertise

Leadership of regional secretariat a necessityLeadership of regional secretariat a necessity

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Lessons learnt (2)Lessons learnt (2)Common groundsCommon grounds

Heads of statistics directing the affairs of Heads of statistics directing the affairs of the projectthe project

Regional Secretariat institutionalize key Regional Secretariat institutionalize key elements of project goals and objectives elements of project goals and objectives

Networking with south-south cooperation Networking with south-south cooperation enhancedenhanced

Resources, especially for ICT enhancement Resources, especially for ICT enhancement and study tours, allocated according to needand study tours, allocated according to need

Compilation and dissemination of indicators Compilation and dissemination of indicators (publication) one of the key outputs(publication) one of the key outputs

At least one significant milestone At least one significant milestone

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Specific achievementsSpecific achievements Real success of these projects lies in the Real success of these projects lies in the

enduring changes beyond project spanenduring changes beyond project span CARICOM – Introduction of a social and CARICOM – Introduction of a social and

environment component into its Statistics environment component into its Statistics Sub-programmeSub-programme

ASEAN – Establishment of the Statistics Unit ASEAN – Establishment of the Statistics Unit at its Secretariatat its Secretariat

ESCWA – ESCWA – Development of software for use Development of software for use of IT, i.e., Optical character recognition and of IT, i.e., Optical character recognition and hand held devices technologies in census- hand held devices technologies in census- taking taking

ECOWAS – Institutionalizing the meetings of ECOWAS – Institutionalizing the meetings of Heads of StatisticsHeads of Statistics

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Implications for SADC Implications for SADC ProjectProject

Maximizing benefits and impactMaximizing benefits and impact Identify one important goal that can have Identify one important goal that can have long lasting impactlong lasting impact

Ensure synergies with ongoing and Ensure synergies with ongoing and planned activities (such as use of existing planned activities (such as use of existing meetings of heads of statistics)meetings of heads of statistics)

Make it worthwhile by focusing on critical Make it worthwhile by focusing on critical gapsgaps

Commit time and human resources, at Commit time and human resources, at national and regional levels, to participate national and regional levels, to participate in activities and contributein activities and contribute

SADC Secretariat has a big responsibility SADC Secretariat has a big responsibility for its successfor its success

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Specific Project experiences Specific Project experiences (5)(5)

SADCSADC

Strengthening statistical capacity-Strengthening statistical capacity-building in support of the Millennium building in support of the Millennium Development Goals in the Southern Development Goals in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) African Development Community (SADC) regionregion (2006-2009) (2006-2009) Fifteen countriesFifteen countries

Details of the project to be given in Details of the project to be given in another presentationanother presentation

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Thank YouThank You