CARICOM Regional Statistics Strategy advances to the Conference of Heads of Government

Ministers responsible for CARICOM affairs have recommended that the Strategic Framework of the CARICOM Regional Strategy for the Development of Statistics (RSDS) be placed before CARICOM Heads of Government for endorsement at their July 2018 Meeting in Jamaica.

The recommendation came after the Ministers deliberated on the Strategic Framework of the CARICOM RSDS during the Forty-Second Meeting of the Community Council of Ministers (Council) in Georgetown, Guyana, on 16 May, 2018.

Also to be placed before the Heads of Government for endorsement are the next steps which will include the development of a comprehensive implementation plan for the RSDS. The plan will include costing, a Resource Mobilisation Strategy, a Monitoring and Evaluation Framework and an Advocacy and Communication Strategy.

The RSDS should play a strategic role in strengthening statistics in the Region and improving its availability for evidence-based decision-making. It constitutes a shared foundation upon which statistical capacity will be developed.

The CARICOM RSDS is being developed in three key phases:

(a)        Phase 1 – Comprehensive assessment of the CARICOM regional and national statistical systems, building on the results of the Diagnostic Assessment of the National Statistical Offices (NSOs) of Caribbean countries conducted in 2011/2013; and preparation of a roadmap for the design of the RSDS;

(b)        Phase 2 – RSDS Formulation, including visioning, objective-setting, strategising, and action planning with budgeting; and

(c)        Phase 3 – Dissemination and Advocacy

The Assessment Phase and the Strategic Framework have been completed, with the latter being taken to the 39th HGC as indicated.

It is anticipated that International Development Partners would augment the support through the RSDS that countries are already providing to the development of statistics.

At the Meeting in Georgetown, the Ministers commended PARIS21 (The Partnership in Statistics for Development in the Twenty-First Century) - the organisation that is funding the preparation of the RSDS - for its support to CARICOM.

The development of the Strategic Framework of the CARICOM RSDS follows the endorsement of its preparation by the Thirty-Eighth Regular Meeting of the Heads of Government of CARICOM, in Grand Anse, Grenada in July, 2017. The preparation of the RSDS was placed on the Agenda of that Meeting by the Prime Minister of Grenada, Dr. the Rt. Hon. Keith C. Mitchell.

CARICOM Heads of Government had endorsed the Action Plan for Statistics in the Caribbean in July, 2016. The Action Plan consisted of specific actions to be undertaken by governments to improve the availability of statistics for evidence-based decision-making at all levels and produce better development outcomes and greater prosperity for the peoples of CARICOM. 

A critical element of the Action Plan was the preparation of the CARICOM RSDS. This is against the background of the growing demand for data on social, economic and environment statistics and indicators for implementing and monitoring national plans and priorities. The Plan is also critical to the regional development agenda including the advancement of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) and commitments made at the global level such as the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The RSDS Strategic Framework comes at a time when the CARICOM Core SDG Indicators, identified from the global list of SDG Indicators was approved by the recently-concluded Thirty-Fourth Meeting of the Council for Human and Social Development (COHSOD).

 HIGHLIGHTS OF THE STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK OF THE RSDS:

The overarching theme for the CARICOM RSDS is

“Building Resilience of the Caribbean Community”

Vision:
A CARICOM Statistical System (CSS) that is recognised for professional excellence and is the premier source of high-quality, harmonised statistics on the Community.

Mission:
To provide CARICOM and the global community with high quality, harmonised, national and regional statistics for evidence-based decision-making, research, the empowerment of the people and for the achievement of sustainable economic growth and development.

Core Values:
The Core Values identified are Professional Independence; Transparency; Integrity; Confidentiality; Quality; Accessibility and Customer Focus/User Orientation.

The Ultimate Outcome to be achieved is:
An efficient CARICOM Statistical System (CSS), that is responsive to the national, regional and global development agenda, enabling a resilient Community with sustained economic growth and development.

The Strategic Priorities are:
Standards and Harmonisation, Governance; Integrated Statistical System; Innovation and Advocacy and Communication.