Brisbane Accord Group (BAG)

The improvement of civil registration vital statistics (CRVS) systems in the Pacific Region requires a diverse set of technical expertise that is not available in any one agency. Recognizing this, development partners and United Nations agencies came together in 2010 to form the Brisbane Accord Group (BAG).

BAG is a consortium of agencies with a principal aim of coordinating partner support and maximising investments made towards supporting the improvement of civil registration and vital statistics systems in Pacific Island countries and territories. Activities of BAG are guided by the Pacific Vital Statistics Action Plan (PVSAP), which sits under the Ten Year Pacific Statistic Strategy (TYPSS) 2011–2020. BAG partners work in all 15 Pacific Island Countries. SPC serves as the secretariat of the partnership.

• The scope of BAG activities is limited to birth, deaths and causes-of-death.
• Technical assistance to countries is country driven, and where one exists, consistent with national CRVS improvement plans.
• A coordinated approach to technical assistance is considered essential to make the most out of the available resources, and to ensure that assistance provided in one area is not to the detriment of others.
• Progress with the initiative is reported regularly to regional governance structures i.e. the annual meetings of the Pacific Heads of Planning and Statistics, the Heads of health and the biennial Committee of Representatives of Government Agencies (CRGA).