Regional capacity building initiative to

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 HaberkornManager, Statistics and Demography ProgrammeSecretariat of the Pacific CommunityNoumea, New Caledonia(www.spc.int/sdp)

Structure of Presentation

1. Policy Environment and operating reality for PIC NSOs

2. Current State of statistical planning in the Pacific Community

3. Strategic Planning: 2 parallel models 4. Main Lessons learned

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

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)

Our ideal constituents – national statistical systems of 21 PICTS

• Statistics agencies and planning agencies …. PLUS• Statistics providers in key line ministries

o Educationo Healtho Agriculture (natural resources)o Treasury/Ministry of Financeo Central Banks, National Provident Funds

Everyone collecting/producing/using official

statistics in a country: National Statistical System

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

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

Current State of Strategic Statistical Planning – Pacific Island NSOs (April 2010)Country Population Staff Strat Plan Status Assistance

PNG 6,745,000 110 (91) no in process Paris21

Fiji 847,800 63 (52) no planning stage Paris21

Samoa 180,700 59 (49) no planning stage Paris21

Tonga 102,000 31 (29) no planning stage Paris21

Vanuatu 245,000 21 (18) Yes (2008) completed ABS-AusAID

Solomons 549,600 18 (25) no pipeline Paris21

FSM 111,400 16 (20) draft 2009 (May) ABS-AusAID / SPC

Kiribati 100,800 10 (10) draft 2009 (May) ABS-AusAID / SPC

Cook Islands 15,700 9 (11) Yes (2008) completed Stats NZ-NZAid

Marshall Islands 54,400 6 (7) Yes (2008) completed ABS-AusAID / SPC

Tuvalu 11,100 5 (5) no TA requested

Nauru 10,000 5 (3) draft 2009 (May) ABS-AusAID / SPC

Palau 20,500 2 (4) draft 2009 (May) ABS-AusAID / SPC

Niue 1,500 2 (2) Yes (2008) completed Stats NZ-NZAid

Tokelau 1,200 1 (1) Yes (2008) completed Stats NZ-NZAid

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

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 SPCo Collaboration with AusAID/ABSo Seeking collaboration with Paris21

…. coming up at 13.50 in Session 3 …

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

3. Examples of recent Statistical Planning in the Pacific Community

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

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

3. Strategic Statistical Planning in the Pacific Community – 2 models

Seven workshop modules

1. Work through context of how to develop a strategic plan2. Review SWOT Analysis previously undertaken by participants3. Commence development of Strategic Plan – focus on Vision and

Mission statements (break-out into two working groups).

4. Drafting of Strategic Plan’s Vision and Mission statements (plenary)

5. Discuss and set strategic objectives and begin work on first draft (working groups)

6. Finalize first draft of RMI Strategic Statistical Plan (plenary)

7. Review importance of ongoing plan monitoring, evaluation and regular reporting

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)

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:

i. developing one from scratch, or ii. 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)

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

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)

3. Strategic Statistical Planning in the Pacific Community

Employ two-pronged approach:

1. Two-stage approach for remaining small island statesi. sub-regional training/strategic plan development targeting

NSOs plus planning agencies, before =>

ii. possibly pursuing a more statistics-wide approach at a later stage in-country.

2. 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).

4. Main lessons learned

3. Acknowledge PARIS21 expertise and experience, and pursue active inter-agency collaboration in these 5 countries (leverage of experience with CARICOM and Caribbean NSO colleagues).

4. 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.

4. Main lessons learned