Heads of Planning and Statistics 2007

MEETING AIM, APPROACHES AND EXPECTED OUTCOME

The general purpose of  regular regional meetings organised by SPC technical programs is of a governance nature, where program managers and their staff report back to our membership on activities undertaken on their behalf since the last such meeting, where they seek feedback on program performance and achievements, and look for guidance on future activities.

Acknowledging the growing importance our membership places on strategic evidence-based decision making,  we decided to add a second strategic objective to this year’s Regional Heads of Planning and Heads of Statistics meeting, in articulating future strategic directions for statistics in the Pacific island region, as they pertain to policy development and planning.

Three main approaches will be used:

•           Review the contributions made by the Statistics and Demography Programme (SDP) of SPC and development partners to statistical development in the region since the last meeting (Sessions 2-5);

•           Review the growing importance of cross-cutting issues, as well as the emergence of new priorities (Session 6); and

•           Develop priority future regional directions, through lessons learnt from recent statistical development experience and refinements of the results of the March 2007 meeting on the Future of Statistics in the Pacific (Session 7).

In terms of tangible outcomes from this meeting, we expect to develop a strategic blueprint for statistical development in the Pacific island region for the coming 5 – 10 years, outlining key thematic and operational priorities, and identifying commensurate implementation strategies.