Strategic Framework for Pacific Statistics

The Strategic Framework for Pacific Statistics 2022–2030 is the long-term strategy that sets the vision, outcome, pathways and key focus areas for this decade for the Pacific region’s statistics system. 

The Strategic Framework addresses key areas for future attention and current and emerging issues that confront the development of statistics in the region, including increasing complexity of statistical collections, new sources of data, increasing demand for access to and for more comprehensive and detailed analysis of the available data. Rather than being a prescriptive strategy, it is designed as a more strategic and less prescriptive framework for statistics development. In the context of the post-COVID-19 environment, the statistical landscape of the Pacific Island countries and territories continues to change and evolve, and this is reflected in the new Strategic Framework. The Strategic Framework provides a framework through which statistical support can be channeled to national statistics systems and users of statistics with particular reference to the sustainable development goals, other national, regional, and global development reporting, and data requirements for policy development. All statistical support and activities under the Strategic Framework will be guided by the United Nations Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics and the “Pacific Way”. 

To develop the Strategic Framework, SDD drew on engagement with people across the region, experience with the previous Pacific statistics strategy (TYPSS) and input from national and regional strategies. The draft framework was discussed at the Pacific Statistics Methods Board and the Pacific Statistics Standing Committee meetings in late 2022, and at the Pacific Statistics Leadership Forum in May 2023. The next step is approval at the Heads of Statistics and Planning meeting in Noumea in October 2023 and then launch and implementation as the guiding compass for statistical development in the region. 

Ten-Year Pacific Statistics Strategy (TYPSS) 2010–2020 

The previous Ten-Year Pacific Statistics Strategy (TYPSS) was adopted by leaders of Pacific Islands Countries and Territories (PICTs) in 2009. TYPSS was developed in recognition of the need for a comprehensive plan to drive the improvement and development of statistics in the Pacific region. It sought to move away from annual and ad hoc planning and resourcing of statistical collections and related statistical activities by PICT governments and development partners. A lack of proper coordination was leading to uncoordinated cycles of statistical production, National Statistics Offices (NSOs) becoming overstretched in terms of capacity and under-resourced for their core census and survey programmes. Regular collection cycles were being disrupted and data quality was at risk of being compromised. TYPSS sought to provide a longer term framework for improvements in the collection and utilisation of statistics. It also sought to make efficient use of resources across the region to maximise the development of national statistical systems and to provide regional strategic guidance, within a sound regional statistics governance structure, and thereby improve the scope and quality of national statistics for policy development and decision-making. 

TYPSS was reviewed during 2020–2021 with a view to a new programme being developed to support statistics through to 2030 and the completion of the period of the Sustainable Development Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).