|
SUMMARY
This document seeks
the views and recommendations of the Committee
on Statistics on the 1998-1999 programme
of work, as well as on changes that might
be required to the 1996-1997 work programme.
The medium-term plan, 1998-2001, which
is being considered by the General Assembly,
is also discussed and the views of the
Committee are sought on any future amendments
to the component concerning the statistics
subprogramme of ESCAP.
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INTRODUCTION
1. The biennial programme
of work of ESCAP is usually considered by the
Commission for endorsement in the year prior
to the biennium, and it is submitted for the
approval of the General Assembly in the same
year. The preparation of the proposed programme
budget for the biennium 1998-1999 is likely
to commence in the fourth quarter of 1996. This
timing provides an opportunity for the Committee
to advise on the programme activities and priorities
of the Statistics subprogramme. It is important
that the proposed programme of activities fully
responds to the needs and expectations of member
States, as reflected in the medium-term plan
and resolutions and decisions of the Commission
and other legislative organs, and that it is
undertaken with efficiency and effectiveness.
This document provides an extract from the medium-term
plan 1998-2001, which is subject to the approval
of the General Assembly.
2. The recommendations of
the Committee are sought on any changes which
might be needed in the 1996-1997 programme of
work. An indicative programme of work is included
to assist the Committee in recommending activities
and indicating priorities for the next biennium
in the field of Statistics.
I. MEDIUM-TERM
PLAN, 1998-2001
3. The preparation of the proposed medium-term
plan for the period 1998-2001 was initiated
in the ESCAP secretariat in April 1995. The
Working Group of Statistical Experts at its
ninth session, held in January 1996, had the
opportunity to examine the draft medium-term
plan for the Statistics subprogramme.
4. The draft medium-term
plan for 1998-2001 was presented to the Commission
at its fifty-second session, held in April 1996,
for review prior to its submission to the Economic
and Social Council and the General Assembly.
However, since the Commission will be reviewing
itsconference structure at its fifty-third session,
in April 1997, the content of the plan might
require revision following that review as well
as in the light of the outcome of the reforms
under way in ESCAP. For further details on the
review and reform process, see E/ESCAP/STAT.10/6,
section D.
5. At its fifty-second session,
the Commission expressed satisfaction with and
endorsed the draft medium-term plan. In the
field of statistics, the Commission noted that
the proposed medium-term plan should focus on
the implications of expansion in the service
sector, advances in information technology for
statistical purposes and the need to adopt a
total human resources development approach.
The plan should also reflect the statistical
implications of global summit meetings. In general,
the plan should serve to strengthen coordination
within the United Nations system and with the
international financial institutions.
6. The proposed medium-term
plan for 1998-2001, revised according to instructions
from Headquarters, was considered by the Committee
for Programme and Coordination (CPC) in June
1996 in New York. Annex I presents excerpts
from the text of the medium-term plan pertaining
to programme 15: Economic and Social Development
in Asia and the Pacific. The secretariat has
received information that CPC, at its thirty-sixth
session in September 1996, recommended approval
by the General Assembly of the proposed medium-term
plan for programme 15 for the period 1998-2001,
taking into account the process of internal
restructuring currently under way in ESCAP.
II. PROGRAMME OF WORK
IN STATISTICS, 1996-1997
7. The ESCAP programme of
work, 1996-1997 was approved by the Commission
and the General Assembly in 1995. It was subsequently
modified by the Commission, at its fifty-second
session in April 1996, taking into account,
among other factors, the ceiling imposed on
the budget for the biennium 1996-1997 and the
special measures related to the financial crisis
of the United Nations, which were introduced
by the Secretary-General on 15 September 1995.
In order to comply with the requirement for
cost savings, the ESCAP secretariat has frozen
posts falling vacant so as to reach the overall
target vacancy rates for the biennium of 11.5
per cent in the Professional and higher categories
and 7.3 per cent in the General Service category.
For the Statistics subprogramme the vacancy
rates are higher, as noted in document E/ESCAP/STAT.10/3:
25.0 per cent for the Professional category
and 13.3 per cent for General Service staff.
In the circumstances, it was clearly unrealistic
to expect to deliver the totality of the approved
programme of work; the programme changes for
the Statistics subprogramme, as approved by
the Commission in April 1996, are given in table
1.
8. The current programme of
work, 1996-1997, as modified by the Commission,
is presented in annex II together with information
on the status of the implementation of activities
and outputs. An estimate of work-month resources
spent by main work-programme categories for
the first half of 1996 appears in table 3 of
document E/ESCAP/STAT.10/3. The Committee's
advice is sought on any changes which might
be required to be submitted to the Commission
for endorsement at its fifty-third session.
Table 1
Approved programme
changes for 1996-1997
Subprogramme 5: Statistics
| Code |
Outputs/Activities |
Deletion |
Addition |
Modification |
| (1) |
(2) |
(3) |
(4) |
(5) |
| 5.3 Published
material |
| (a) Recurrent
publications: |
| 5-3-101 |
Statistical Newsletter
(quarterly) |
|
|
Statistical Newsletter
(biannual) |
| 5-3-103 |
Statistical Yearbook for
Asia and the Pacific (1996, 1997 |
|
|
Curtailment of planned
enhancements in coverage and thematic orientation |
| 5-3-104 |
Foreign Trade Statistics
of Asia and the Pacific (1996, 1997) |
|
|
Foreign Trade Statistics
of Asia and the Pacific (1997) |
| (b) Non-recurrent
publications: |
| 5-3-201 |
Statistical profiles by
subregion (1996, 1997) |
X |
|
|
| 5-3-202 |
Regional compendium of
environmental statistics (1997) |
X |
|
|
| 5-3-203 |
Statistical charts on
thematic topics (1996, 1997) |
X |
|
|
| (c) Technical
material: |
| 5-3-301 |
Developing and maintaining
the ESCAP Statistical Information System,
linked to the United Nations Economic and
Social Information System (1996, 1997).
Ad hoc statistical information services
will be provided through conventional means
and on-line access. It is also planned to
distribute data on diskettes and/or CD-ROM |
|
|
Delayed development of
planned ESIS enhancements, including on-line
access by Member States |
| 5.5 Operational
activities |
|
(a) Advisory services: |
| 5-5-101 |
Organizational and institutional
issues affecting national statistical services |
|
|
Reduction in scope and
scale of activities |
| 5-5-104 |
Electronic interchange
and networking, and design and development
of government information systems |
|
|
Reduction in scope and
scale of activities |
| (b) Group
training, including seminars, workshops
and fellowships: |
| 5-5-201 |
Improved management and
organization of national statistical services |
X |
|
Delayed implementation
of activities |
| 5-5-204 |
Environment statistics
and environmental accounting |
|
|
|
| 5.6 Coordination,
harmonization and liaison |
| 5-6-001 |
Coordination with and
inputs to the ACC machinery and other bodies,
organizations and departments within the
United Nations system on various fields
of statistical activities |
|
|
Reduction in scope and
scale of activities |
III. PROGRAMME OF WORK
IN STATISTICS, 1998-1999
9. The ESCAP programme of
work, 1998-1999, in the field of statistics
will no doubt be influenced by the outcome of
the restructuring exercise and the review and
reform process currently under way in ESCAP.
Another major factor is the size of the ESCAP
programme budget for the biennium 1998-1999
which will depend on the ceiling approved by
the General Assembly. For the forthcoming biennium,
and before allowing for inflation and currency
exchange fluctuations, the Secretary-General
has made a preliminary budget estimate for the
regular budget activities of the United Nations
which is 6.9 per cent lower than the allocations
for 1996-1997. Among other cuts envisaged to
achieve that budget reduction, staff levels
would decrease to 85 per cent of the January
1996 levels. That staffing level for 1998-1999
represents a 30 per cent reduction since 1985.
10. The current climate of
uncertainty notwithstanding, the secretariat
is obliged to make preparations for drafting
the 1998-1999 programmes of work for the various
subprogrammes. The Committee is invited to provide
its recommendations on the objectives, focus
and priorities of the programme of work of the
secretariat in the field of statistics. This
will be important for the allocation of resources
among activities when some indication of the
total volume of resources available for the
Statistics subprogramme becomes known. In that
regard, the Committee may wish to note that
several elements in the statistics programme
of work are recurrent in nature, including the
sessions of the Committee and the Working Group
of Statistical Experts, the four statistical
publications, and the two newsletters. In addition,
there are some extrabudgetary projects already
approved by the donors which have activities
planned for 1998, while there are others under
funding consideration. Taking these factors
and the objectives of the future medium-term
plan into account, an indicative programme of
work for 1998-1999 is given in annex III to
assist the Committee in its deliberations.
IV. POINTS FOR
DISCUSSION
11. The Committee is
invited to:
- Review the statistics component
of the medium-term plan, 1998-2001 and give
its proposals on any changes that might be
recommended, as appropriate, to the Commission;
- (b) Give its views on any
changes to the programme of work in statistics,
1996-1997, for the endorsement of the Commission
at its fifty-third session in April 1997;
- (c) Provide guidelines on
the orientation, objectives, and activities
and outputs of the programme of work in statistics,
1998-1999, which will be presented to the
Commission at its fifty-third session for
endorsement.
Annex I
EXTRACT FROM
THE PROPOSED MEDIUM-TERM PLAN FOR THE PERIOD
1998-2001
Programme 15.
Economic and social development in Asia and
the Pacific.
Subprogrammes:
15.1 Regional economic cooperation:
trade and investment.
15.2 Regional economic cooperation: research
and policy analysis.
15.3 Regional economic cooperation: industry
and technology.
15.4 Environment and sustainable development.
15.5 Poverty alleviation: social development.
15.6 Poverty alleviation: rural and urban
development.
15.7 Poverty alleviation: population and development.
15.8 Transport and communications.
15.9 Statistics.
15.10 Least developed, land-locked and island
developing countries.
The mandate of the programme
derives from Economic and Social Council resolutions
37 (IV) and 414 (XIII), which established ESCAP.
The mandate has been further elaborated in a
number of General Assembly and Economic and
Social Council resolutions adopted since, as
well as in Commission resolutions, in particular,
47/3 of 10 April 1991 and 48/2 of 23 April 1992.
The Asia and Pacific region
is a most economically dynamic region, yet not
all the countries have been able to enjoy the
benefits of the growing prosperity sweeping
the region. While individual countries' priorities
and policies may vary, there exists the common
goal of sustainable economic growth coupled
with a focus on poverty alleviation. Against
this backdrop, the overall orientation of the
programme, for which ESCAP is responsible, is
to heighten the awareness of member countries
to the changes taking place, to assist those
which are developing rapidly to do so in a non-destructive
and beneficial way, and, more important, to
help the poorest countries improve opportunities
for employment and economic growth, so that
progress can be equitably shared by all. The
programme will also identify key problem areas
that each subregional grouping in the region
is facing and develop and implement regional
programmes in cooperation with United Nations
organizations and specialized agencies, as well
as regional intergovernmental organizations,
to give tangible assistance to the developing
countries in their economic and social development.
The Commission will continue
to focus on three major themes, namely, (a)
regional economic cooperation, with particular
reference to the role of macroeconomic variables,
trade and investment, industry and technology
transfer; (b) environment and sustainable development
that seeks to contain environmental degradation
and emphasizes sound management and sustainable
use of non-renewable resources; and (c) poverty
alleviation through economic growth, creation
of job opportunities and social development,
with emphasis on human resource development
and the provision of social services to the
people of the region, in particular women, youth,
the elderly and the disabled. The Commission
will also pursue the implementation of programmes
to improve intraregional and interregional infrastructure
facilities and services to enhance international
trade and tourism, improve the quality of life
and strengthen the capacity of countries in
the region to develop sustained statistical
capacities for informed policy-making, planning
and programme implementation. In that connection,
the Commission will give priority to assisting
the least developed, land-locked and island
developing countries whose economic growth achievements
remain well below the regional average and the
Central Asian republics whose achievements,
though improving, remain negative, with the
goal of narrowing the disparity in economic
growth between those countries and the emerging
economies in the region. Economic and technical
cooperation among developing countries (ECDC/TCDC)
as well as the subregional groupings will be
further promoted.
The Commission's secretariat
will continue its lead role in organizing meetings
of heads of subregional organizations and in
attaining a unified and effective United Nations
system-wide approach to regional development
through the Regional Inter-agency Committee
for Asia and the Pacific and its subsidiary
subcommittees.
By the end of period covered
by the plan, it is expected that the programme
will have achieved the following:
- Active and wider participation
of the countries in the region in the development
and implementation of regional programmes
as mandated by the Commission;
- Accelerated follow-up to
global conferences at the national level supported
by the subregional and regional operational
activities of ESCAP;
- Provided the essential
regional link between the global and country
levels of economic and social development
programmes that would build up country-level
capacity for development;
- Facilitated the sharing
of experiences among countries at varying
levels of development;
- Maximized the Commission's
comparative advantage as a centre for policy
research, analysis and information for the
benefit of its member Governments.
Subprogramme 15.9 Statistics
The objectives of the subprogramme,
which is implemented by the Statistics Division,
are:
- To strengthen the capacity
of the countries of the region in achieving
or making further progress towards sustained
national statistical capabilities for the
purposes of informed policy-making, planning,
programme implementation and monitoring of
progress. In the implementation of the subprogramme,
greater recognition will be given to the growing
competencies of the countries themselves in
contributing to capability-building activities;
- To widen the scope and
improve the accessibility and international
comparability of the statistical information
compiled and disseminated by the secretariat,
taking into account user demands. To that
end the focus will be on greater use of electronic
technology in the acquisition and provision
of data and information, and on reducing the
response burden of countries;
- To strengthen the role
of the countries of the region in the development
of international standards, the use of improved
methodology for data collection, processing
and analysis, and the greater utilization
of statistics. In line with the recommendations
of the United Nations Statistical Commission,
the secretariat will initiate and coordinate
at the regional level the development, revision,
testing and implementation of selected international
statistical standards and, where necessary,
their adaptation to meet the conditions and
needs of the countries of the region;
- To enhance the understanding
of the role of information technology and
promote the applications of that technology
as well as information resource management
in the region, especially in the public sector.
Annex II
SUBPROGRAMME 5, STATISTICS:
PROGRAMME OF WORK, 1996-1997 AND STATUS OF ITS
IMPLEMENTATION
| Code |
Description
of output |
Status
of implementation |
| 5.1 |
International
cooperation |
| |
External
relations: |
| 5-1-101 |
Cooperation
with and support to other intergovernmental
and non-governmental organizations on matters
related to the subprogramme |
Coordination
continued with the following regional/subregional
organizations:
- with the Asian
Development Bank on statistics related
to environment, ICP and the 1993 SNA;
- with the South
Pacific Commission regarding statistical
activities in Pacific.
Secretariat staff attended
the:
- International
Conference on Information System for
Economies in Transition, New Delhi,
4-7 March 1996.
- International
Symposium on Integrated Environmental
and Economic Accounting in Theory and
Practice, organized by the International
Association for Research in Income and
Wealth, Tokyo, 5-8 March 1996.
|
| 5.2 |
Parliamentary
services |
| (a) |
Parliamentary
documentation: |
| 5-2-101 |
Report
to the Commission on the progress of work
carried out under the subprogramme (1997) |
Documents
E/ESCAP/1028 and E/ESCAP/1029 were submitted
to the Commission at its fifty-second session
in April 1996. |
| 5-2-102 |
Five
reports to the Committee on Statistics (1996) |
9
reports for the tenth session of the Committee
were completed as of 18 October; 3 further
documents were being finalized by the secretariat. |
| (b) |
Substantive
services: |
| 5-2-201 |
Substantive
servicing of the Committee on Statistics
(1996) |
Preparations
for the meeting are in progress. |
| (d)
|
Ad
hoc expert groups and related work: |
|
| 5-2-301 |
Working
Group of Statistical Experts (1997) |
|
| 5-2-3021 |
Working
Group of Statistical Experts (1996) [Postponed
from 1994-1995] |
Working
Group of Statistical Experts, ninth session
was held in Bangkok from 30 January to 2
February 1996. |
| 5.3 |
Published
material |
| (a) |
Recurrent
publications: |
| 5-3-101 |
Statistical
Newsletter (biannual) |
For
1996 issues: Nos.100 to 102 were released. |
| 5-3-102 |
Government
Computerization Newsletter (biannual) |
Issue
No.7 is under preparation. |
| 5-3-103 |
Statistical
Yearbook for Asia and the Pacific (1996,
1997) |
The
1995 Yearbook was released in June 1996.
Preparation of the 1996 edition is in progress. |
| 5-3-104 |
Foreign
Trade Statistics of Asia and the Pacific
(1997) |
Foreign
Trade Statistics, 1989-1993, was released
in March 1996. 1990-1994 issue is being
prepared. |
| 5-3-105 |
Statistical
Indicators for Asia and the Pacific (quarterly) |
Volume
XXVI: No.1, March 1996 was issued in April
1996; No.2, June 1996 was issued in August
1996; No. 3, September 1996 was issued in
October 1996. |
| 5-3-106 |
Asia-Pacific
in Figures (1996, 1997) |
Asia-Pacific
in Figures, 1995, was released in March
1996. The 1996 issue is being prepared. |
| 5-3-1071 |
Government
Computerization Newsletter [1 output postponed
from 1994-1995] |
Issue
No.6 was released. |
| (b) |
Non-recurrent
publications: |
| 5-3-204 |
Technical
publications on Socio-economic and environment
statistics (1996, 1997) |
Profiles
on women: Technical editing and printing
of the profiles was in progress. Printing
of the profiles for Bangladesh, Nepal, Philippines
and Thailand was completed. |
| 5-3-2051 |
Statistical
profiles by subregion (one)[1 output postponed
from 1992-1993] |
Technical
editing of the "Socio-economic Profile of
SAARC Countries" was completed. The draft
is being reviewed, for clearance prior to
publication. |
| 5-3-2061 |
Operational
handbook on environmental statistics (XB)
[1 output postponed from 1992-1993] |
Technical
editing of the handbook was completed. The
draft is being reviewed for clearance prior
to publication. |
| (c) |
Technical
material: |
| 5-3-301 |
Developing
and maintaining the ESCAP Statistical Information
System, linked to the United Nations Economic
and Social Information System (1996, 1997).
Ad hoc statistical information services
will be provided through conventional means
and on-line access. It is also planned to
distribute data on diskettes and/or CD-ROM |
ESIS:
data conversion programs were tested; data
were partially uploaded. Staff and other
resource constraints have brought the development
of ESIS to a virtual standstill. Ad hoc
statistical information was provided on
a continuing basis to inhouse and outside
users. |
| 5.5 |
Operational
activities |
| (a) |
Advisory
services: |
| 5-5-101 |
Organizational
and institutional issues affecting national
statistical services |
Discussions
were held with the Federal Bureau of Statistics,
Pakistan, concerning a review of their statistical
system, Islamabad, January 1996. |
| 5-5-102 |
Implementation
of the 1993 System of National Accounts
(SNA); various aspects of economic statistics |
The
following missions were undertaken by the
Regional Adviser on National Accounts:
- To advise on
the implementation of the 1993 SNA and
to review the existing methodology and
data base, Sri Lanka, January 1996.
- To advise on
conceptual aspects of national accounts
and to suggest aggregate measures at
the provincial level, Thailand, April
1996.
|
| 5-5-103 |
Various
aspects of social and demographic statistics |
The following missions
were undertaken by ESCAP advisers in statistics,
located in the United Nations Population
Fund (UNFPA) Country Support Teams:
- To advise on the
preparation of a draft outline of project
proposal and on the health management
information system, Viet Nam, February
1996.
- To undertake a
review of the population and development
strategies sector, Marshall Islands,
March 1996.
- To undertake a
review of the population and development
sector and to continue making preparations
for national seminar on population and
development, Kiribati, March 1996.
- To assist in conducting
the training workshop for Central Asian
Republics, March 1996.
- To assist with
project development and formulation,
Indonesia, March/April 1996.
- To assist in the
preparation for 1996 population and
housing census, Cook Islands, April
1996.
- To assist in organizing
a training workshop on the use of ISSA
(Integrated System for Survey Analysis),
Mongolia, April/May 1996.
- To serve as a
resource person at the national seminar
on population and development for Parliamentarians
and senior officials, Kiribati, May
1996.
- To advise on planning
and implementing a population and housing
census and to recommend and formulate
a proposal for assisting the country
in conducting the census, Azerbaijan,
June 1996.
- To assist with
preparations for the 1996 population
and housing census, Tonga, June 1996.
- To assist in further
analysis of KAP (Knowledge, attitude
and practice) survey on Fertility and
contraception in Cambodia, June 1996.
Secretariat staff assisted
the Federal Bureau of Statistics in preparing
a report on data gaps and the national
plan of action for improving gender statistics,
Islamabad, January 1996.
Secretariat staff attended
the launching of the "Statistical Handbook
on Men and Women in the Philippines",
Manila, January 1996; |
| 5-5-104 |
Electronic
interchange and networking, and design and
development of government information systems |
No
advisory services are envisaged yet in this
area due to lack of resources. |
| 5-5-1051 |
Implementation
of Phase VI of the International Comparison
Programme in the ESCAP region [Postponed
from 1994-1995] |
The
following missions were undertaken:
- To coordinate
activities on the reduced information
approach to ICP, Lao PDR, March 1996.
- To discuss with
the World Bank officials in Washington
D.C. on processing the results of ICP
for the Reduced Information Approach
and ICP related matters and to discuss
with a prospective consultant in Philadelphia
on the proposed studies on the ICP,
USA, July 1996.
- To deliver lectures
at Xian Statistical Institute and Sichuan
Statistical School; and to hold technical
consultations with SSB officials at
Xian, Chongqing, Wuhan and Beijing on
their work in ICP-type data collection,
China, September 1996.
|
| (b) |
Group
training, including seminars, workshops
and fellowships: |
| 5-5-202 |
Various
aspects of economic statistics, including
implementation of the revised System of
National Accounts (SNA) and International
Comparison Programme (ICP) |
Coordination
continued with other agencies on various
aspects of economic statistics including
SNA and ICP.
Project proposals were
drawn up for three subregional workshops
to support implementation of the 1993
SNA. |
| 5-5-203 |
Various
aspects of social and demographic statistics |
Third
regional workshop on gender statistics has
been scheduled for Bangkok, December 1996. |
| 5-5-204 |
Environment
statistics and environmental accounting |
Expert
Group Meeting on Environmental Resource
Accounting was held at Bangkok from 20 to
23 February 1996.
Seminar on Environmental
and Resource Accounting was held at Seoul
from 27 to 31 May 1996. |
| 5-5-205 |
Design
and development of government information
systems |
The
proceedings of the Expert Group Meeting
to Review Computerization Development in
the Public Sector were published and released.
A project proposal was
drawn up for a seminar on information
technology management for decision-makers. |
| 5.6 |
Coordination,
harmonization and liaison |
Coordination continued with regional and
international statistical agencies as follows:
- with the United
Nations Statistics Division on the International
Comparison Programme (ICP) and implementation
of the 1993 SNA, among other matters;
- with the United
Nations Statistics Division and Economic
Commission for Europe on environment
statistics and environmental accounting;
- with the United
Nations Development Programme on statistical
training and statistics related to human
development indicators;
- with the
International Labour Organisation on
technical assistance to countries in
the field of household surveys.
|
| 5-6-001 |
Coordination
with and inputs to the ACC machinery and
other bodies, organizations and departments
within the United Nations system on various
fields of statistical activities |
The
secretariat was represented, among other
meetings, at the:
- Second meeting
of the ECE/UNDP project on support for
development of social statistics, Geneva,
14-15 March 1996.
- ACC Subcommittee
on Statistical Activities, 30th session,
New York, 7-9 May 1996;
- The Conference of
European Statisticians, Paris, 11-13
June 1996.
- Thirteenth session
of the Standing Committee on Coordination
of Technical Assistance in Statistics
to Countries of the Former Soviet Union,
11 June 1996, Paris.
|
| 5-6-002 |
Technical
and substantive support to the Statistical
Institute for Asia and the Pacific (SIAP),
a regional institute of ESCAP |
The
secretariat provided technical and substantive
support to SIAP in the planning and organization
of its work programme. It assisted in servicing
the SIAP Governing Board, first session,
Tokyo, 11-13 March 1996, and participated
in preparing for the UNDP evaluation programme. |
Annex III
SUBPROGRAMME: STATISTICS
INDICATIVE WORK PROGRAMME,
1998-1999
A. PARLIAMENTARY SERVICES
AND COORDINATION
Reports to and substantive
servicing of the annual Commission sessions
Reports to and substantive
servicing of the Committee on Statistics and
other intergovernmental committees and bodies
subsidiary to the Commission
Substantive servicing of the
Working Group of Statistical Experts
Annotation: If
so designated by the Committee on Statistics,
a meeting of the Working Group will be convened
to hold in-depth discussions of specific statistical
topics.
Coordination with other United
Nations bodies and specialized agencies and
liaison with intergovernmental and non-governmental
organizations
B. NATIONAL STATISTICAL
CAPABILITY BUILDING
Publication of the Statistical
Newsletter
Annotation: A
quarterly publication containing news of secretariat
activities, developments of common interest
in the national statistical offices, technical
information from statistical meetings, training
opportunities etc.
Promotion and support of regional
statistical training facilities
Annotation: Technical
and substantive support to the Statistical Institute
for Asia and the Pacific (SIAP) and other institutions
conducting statistical training.
Promotion of improved management
and organization of national statistical services
Annotation: Annual
seminars for senior statistical managers; advisory
services on organizational and institutional
issues affecting national statistical services
Development of national databases
and statistical capabilities in support of the
themes of the Commission.
Annotation: Review
of existing methodologies and availability of
data; expert group meetings on collection and
dissemination methodologies; methodological
guidelines; advisory missions to provide assistance
to countries in the utilization of existing
data.
Improvement of population
statistics.
Annotation: Advisory
missions on planning, conduct, processing and
analysis of population censuses and surveys;
technical meetings and methodological publications
on civil registration and vital statistics,
utilization and dissemination of census data,
application of modern information technology,
geographic information systems and demographic
surveys.
Assistance to governments
in the improvement of social statistics and
indicators
Annotation: Annual
meetings on indicators needed for developing
social policy and monitoring progress towards
achieving goals and targets of recent global
conferences; training and technical meetings
on the development of statistics concerning
eradication of poverty; meetings, advisory services
and methodological work designed to improve
statistics on gender issues; advisory missions
to assist in the conduct of surveys; methodological
publication on social indicators; compilation
and dissemination of data.
Assistance to governments
in the improvement of economic statistics.
Annotation: Subregional
workshops and regional advisory services on
various aspects of national accounts. Organization
of full-scale survey or reduced information
approach to the International Comparison Programme
(ICP) in the ESCAP region; group activities
on other aspects of economic statistics, including
the service sector.
Development of national capabilities
concerning statistics on environment and sustainable
development.
Annotation: Expert group
meetings and regional seminars on environment
statistics and environmental accounting; advisory
services on environment and energy statistics;
conduct of case studies in selected countries
on linking systems of national accounts and
environmental accounting; development of environment
statistics databases for the region.
C. STATISTICAL INFORMATION
SERVICES
Improvement and management
of regional statistical databases
Annotation: Improvement
and maintenance of the ESCAP Statistical Information
System (ESIS) and coordination of its linkage
to the United Nations Economic and Social Information
System (UNESIS)
Provision of ad hoc statistical
information services and special data compilations
Annotation: Responses
to requests for statistical information from
users outside and within the secretariat through
conventional means and online access; distribution
of data on CD-ROM; statistical charts on thematic
topics; dissemination of selected data through
World Wide Web home page.
Publication of the Statistical
Yearbook for Asia and the Pacific
Annotation: An
annual compendium of general statistical time-series
on the region; enhancement of coverage and orientation.
Publication of Foreign
Trade Statistics of Asia and the Pacific
Annotation: A
detailed annual compilation of international
trade data on countries of the region, covering
a recent five-year period
Publication of Statistical
Indicators for Asia and the Pacific
Annotation: A
quarterly compilation of selected "leading"
indicators available on a monthly basis, covering
the past three years
Publication of Asia-Pacific
in Figures
Annotation: An
annual pocketbook of basic statistical information
on countries of the region, in one-country-per-page
format
D. PUBLIC SECTOR COMPUTERIZATION
Substantive servicing of a
Working Group of Experts on Government Computerization
Annotation: An
inception meeting of the Working Group will
be held to review developments in the field
and provide expert guidance to the secretariat's
work
Publication of the Government
Computerization Newsletter
Annotation: A
biannual publication containing news of secretariat
and national activities and relevant technological
developments distributed through mail and the
Internet
Assistance to Governments
in the improvement of public sector information
systems and public sector computerization
Annotation: Advisory services and training
workshops on the development of government information
systems, including policy formulation; promotion
of the use of appropriate information technology
in the public sector. Studies on computerization
strategies in the public sector. |
