I. Objective

1. The Partners for Statistics Development in Asia-Pacific ('the Partnership') is an informal forum for statistical development Partners to promote inter-agency coordination and cooperation on global, regional, sub-regional and bilateral statistical programmes and projects implemented in the Asian and the Pacific region. The Partnership enables a coordinated approach for the support of development of national statistical systems and improves aid effectiveness through enhanced synergy and complementarity among programmes and activities of Partner agencies.

II. Role and key functions

2. Provide analysis and assessments to support the efforts of the Committee on Statistics to identify major challenges and priority areas pertaining to statistics development in the Asia-Pacific region.

3. Review and respond in a coordinated way to country requests for assistance in addressing priority areas for the development of their National Statistical Systems.

4. In support of the above, the Partnership will:

• Exchange information among Partners on work being conducted in Asia-Pacific on a continuous basis;
• Align its work to the decisions and priorities set out by the ESCAP Committee on Statistics and report progress made to the Committee;
• Liaise with Asia-Pacific subregional, intergovernmental forums, as appropriate;
• Coordinate its work with the Committee for the Coordination of Statistical Activities (CCSA) at the global level.

III. Composition

5. The Partnership is open to membership by all global, regional, sub-regional and bilateral agencies whose mandate includes a) supporting the development of national statistical systems in the Asia-Pacific region; b) supporting the provision of regional or international official statistics in accordance with the Principles Governing International Statistical Activities.¹ The partnership is also open to other agencies that have embedded statistical services in their organization addressed particularly at the Asian and the Pacific region.

6. In recognition of the leading role of the Committee on Statistics of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), the Chair of the Committee is invited as a member of the Partnership. Other members of the Committee may participate in meetings of the Partnership at the discretion of the Chair.

IV. Organization

A. Meetings

7. The Partnership shall meet immediately prior to the biennial sessions of the ESCAP Committee on Statistics and, as appropriate, in conjunction with the CCSA meeting held annually in the fall. In addition and as required, the Partnership may meet virtually or physically in conjunction with other major statistical events, as deemed necessary by the Co-Chairs.

8. The duration of each meeting shall be dictated by the substance of the agenda and other needs as expressed by members.

B. Chair

9. The Partnership shall be guided by two Co-Chairs that represent the diversity of its members. Each Co-Chair will serve for a period of two years after which they will be eligible for re-election.

10. The Co-Chairs will: a) decide on the draft agenda for meetings of the Partnership in collaboration with the secretariat and on the basis of decisions taken during the last meeting; b) guide and summarize the discussions of the meetings; c) report to the Committee on statistics related progress made by the Partnership; and d) follow up with Partners on the implementation of decisions, with the assistance of the secretariat.

C. Secretariat

11. The Statistics Division of ESCAP will serve as the secretariat of the Partnership.

12. The secretariat will not receive any financial assistance to carry out related duties but may, on an ad hoc basis, seek in-kind assistance of other members and Partners.

13. The secretariat will support the Co-chairs in carrying out their functions as described above.

14. In collaboration with the Co-Chairs and other members, the secretariat will prepare the draft agenda of meetings and will ensure that all documentation prepared by members is made available for meetings in a timely manner.

15. The secretariat will prepare an annual draft progress report for approval by the Partnership. The report will be presented by the Co-Chairs to the Committee on Statistics, and in years the Committee does not meet, to the Bureau of the Committee. The report will also be shared with the CCSA.

¹ unstats.un.org/unsd/methods/statorg/Principles_stat_activities/principles_stat_activities.htm