National Strategies for the
Development of Statistics in Arab
Countries
Mohamed-El-Heyba Berrou
PARTNERSHIP IN STATISTICS FOR DEVELOPMENT IN THE 21ST CENTURY
Who Are PARIS21?
International partnership of users and
producers of statistics for development from
developing & developed countries and
multilaterals
Ministers of Finance,
Sector Ministers, etc.
Central Stat. Office,
Sector Units, Central
Banks, etc.
Development Agencies,
WB, IMF, RDB, etc.
NSO Managers, UN
Specialised Agencies;
Stat. units in intl orgs
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
PRODUCERS
OECD COUNTRIES &
MULTILATERALS
USERS
Goal
to develop a culture of Management for
Development Results
= Better Development Outcomes
Promoting a focus on results
Encouraging the demand for, and use of,
statistics across society
An increased capacity to produce and analyse
statistics
A better dialogue between the producers and
users of statistics
Promoting an
efficient use of national and
international resources in a
national statistical system that is
focussed on the user’s needs and
embedded within national
development policies.
PARIS21 promote and facilitate
1. Coordination among partners at all
levels
2. Advocacy for national statistics
3. NSDS National Strategies for the
Development of Statistics
4. Knowledge for Statistics
SDS
Focussing on the next 4 or 5
years
Brings together decision makers
to have a coherent conversation
about statistical priorities
NSDS
Facilitates the production of better
statistics and better statistical
analysis,
Identifies – and responds to – the
priorities of national decision
makers (including those from civil
society and elsewhere) and
international stakeholders.
NSDS
Today, 74 of the 79 countries eligible for
Internal Development Assistance have
adopted an NSDS process, as have
35 of the 39 Lower Middle Income
Countries.
NSDS in the Arab Region
There are at least 9 countries with an NSDS
or some strategy for statistics
We are working with countries in the region
to improve this situation
The Qatar Example
Qatar’s NSDS
Launched in 2007
To strengthen statistical capacity across
entire Qatari NSS Builds on previous work
development.
NSDS vision is to achieve a coherent, integrated system of national
statistics that responds to national and international user needs for
high-quality statistical information to support evidence-based
decision making and to monitor social and economic
Qatar’s NSDS Document Includes
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Roadmap for an NSDS
Inputs for a national strategy
An assessment of Qatari statistics
Foundations for an NSDS
Strategic Goals and Subgoals
Enabling Sub-strategies
Implementation plan
What is an NSDS?
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A nationally-owned, participatory dynamic process integrated into
the development policy process covering the whole National
Statistical System (NSS)
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Aiming at developing statistical capacity to meet the demand for
data necessary to conduct national development policies and
respond to international requirements
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Providing a vision for where NSS should be in 5-10 years time
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Coherence framework and prioritised action plan for capacity
building and for funding decisions
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Framework for coordination arrangements: across NSS and between
donors
SDS
What makes for good statistical capacity
development?
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Strategic planning crucial to statistical development
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Addresses data limitations across whole national statistical system
Prioritises data needs
Harmonises all national / international programmes
Integrates stats within policy / budgetary processes
But it has to be a rigorous process!
And it has to take into account what already exists!
Strategic planning (NSDS) emphasised in international fora:
– Marrakech, Hanoi, Accra roundtables, Statistics for Results Facility
– Dakar Declaration on the Development of Statistics
NSDS as a country coherence framework:
int’l programmes
ICP
DHS
MICS
NSDS as a country coherence framework:
int’l programmes
ICP
ICP
DHS
DHS
MICS
MICS
NSDS as a country coherence framework:
national system
Edu.
Agri.
Health
Labour
NSDS as a country coherence framework:
national system
Agri
.
Healt
h
Edu
.
Labour
NSDS
Coming Soon…
The NSDS Quality Assessment Framework
• Helps countries to assess their NSDS and see how it
compares to others around the world
• Based on a self-assessed questionnaire
• A summary index, with three component indices
– NSDS Environment,
– NSDS Process
– NSDS Content
Mainstreaming Sectors:
Possible Obstacles
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Legal environment: statistical law and co-ordination
structure missing
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First generation of NSDSs has been NSO-centric: easier to
design
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In some sectors, the statistical function does not exist
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Lack of knowledge of policies by statisticians
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Lack of human resources and inadequate funding
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Influence of donors and international institutions on their
sector without interest in co-ordination
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Sometimes absence of ownership of the process
Mainstreaming Sectors
Bottom-up approach: a few countries
• Advocacy workshop at Government level
• Statistical committees for each sector
• Identification of main statistical products
• In line with national/ international policies
• Identification of users
• Reporting mechanism for each sector
Health
• Sectoral strategies of 3 years
• Inter-agency committee on statistics
• Compilation and design of NSDS
Agriculture
Education
Finances
NSDS
Others
Mainstreaming Sectors
Top-down approach: majority of countries
• Global NSDS
• With Sub-committees on sectors
• Overall NSDS
Agriculture
Others
Health
NSDS
• Sub-strategies for sectors
• More detailed for sectors if necessary
Finances
Education
Mainstreaming Sectors
How to ensure a better integration of
sectors?
• Importance of coordination mechanisms (National
Councils)
• Line ministries and other data producers to be
involved in the process from the beginning
• Advocacy is a key element
• Donors’ responsibility in terms of alignment
NSDS: Four main principles
1.
The NSDS should be integrated into national development policy processes
and context, taking account of regional and international commitments
2.
The NSDS should be developed in an inclusive way, incorporating resultsbased management principles and meet quality standards
3.
The NSDS should be comprehensive and coherent and provide the basis
for the sustainable development of statistics with quality “fit for purpose”.
4.
The NSDS should show where the statistical system is now, how it needs to
be developed and how to accomplish this.
NSDS: Six phases
1. Commitment
2. Roadmap
3. Assessment (Where we are now?)
4. Vision, mission (Where do we want to be?)
5. Strategy and plan of actions (How do we get there?)
6. Implementation, monitoring and evaluation
> Phase of Assessment
Where we are now?
• Reviewing the legal and institutional framework,
linkages, and coordination arrangements
• Linkages and coordination arrangements
• Assessing organisational factors using e.g. SWOT
• Assessing statistical products using e.g. DQAF, GDDS
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Vision, mission
Where do we want to be?
• Agree a mission and vision statement
• Agree on desired results
• Set priorities to deliver the vision and results
> Strategy, plans of actions
How do we get there?
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Translate strategies into a detailed implementation
or action plan, including:
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What is to be done, by whom and when (key actions)
Actions to address each strategic issue and to reach goals
Results and outputs to be achieved
Detailed costs, overall budget and a financing plan
Reporting, monitoring and evaluation arrangements
TO RECAP: an NSDS can help by
•Addressing data limitations
•Prioritising the use of resources
•Looking across whole NSS
•Integrating statistics within policy processes
•Coordinating donor support
•Providing a robust framework and action plan for statistical
capacity building
•Acting as a catalyst for change to build confidence and break
the vicious cycle
TO RECAP:
NSDS Continuity & Flexibility
• Strategic management is a continuous process
• Design of NSDS is only the beginning
• Need to build in mechanisms to monitor and evaluate
progress, review the strategy and make changes when
required
• Systems must remain flexible and respond to new demands
for data and changing environment
• Donors are asked to:
– Respect national priorities (ownership)
– Channel support via the strategy (alignment)
– Coordinate with one another (harmonisation)
Thank you
PARTNERSHIP IN STATISTICS FOR DEVELOPMENT IN THE 21ST CENTURY