ONS/DFID technical cooperation partnership

Global projects DFID has a £6.6 million project with UNSD to improve use and dissemination of the SDG indicators by developing an online data and visualisation platform for the SDG indicators, and supporting 20 developing countries to: build their capacity in collecting, analysing & disseminating disaggregated data;  DFID is, through the World Bank managed Trust Fund for Statistical Capacity Building, providing funding for household surveys in close to 20 developing countries. DFID has a £12 million project providing support to improve Economic Statistics through the IMF in Africa, and UNECAP in Asia. DFID is a core funder of Paris21 DFID funds the International Comparison Programme (ICP) through the World Bank.

Challenges Old problems persist – need more funding for statistics and need political buy-in New indicators – SDGs with 230 indicators as well as the commitment to ensure  no one is left behind New technologies – these can offer huge potential but we will need to ensure that we do not neglect the basic building blocks of a statistical system including support for census and household surveys New skills – to ensure we make the most of new technologies we will need new skills New funding – and finally we still need new funding we need to look at new sources of funding which will be sustainable in the longer term.

ONS: International Development Team Vision: ONS experts provide high quality technical assistance to build the capacity of statistical systems in developing countries, as a part of core business, in a strategic and well planned way. 

Our priorities Identifying and delivering projects which draw on ONS expertise Supporting and contributing to methodological best practice Increasing the number of ONS experts who have the skills and experience required to deliver high quality technical assistance Collaboration with other providers of Technical Assistance .

Early progress…

ONS International Development Team work (1) In August 2017, the UK Department for International Development (DFID) agreed to support an enlarged UK Partnership Programme with the ONS for the modernisation of official statistics 3 countries identified: Rwanda, Ghana and Kenya. Aim for a demonstrative effect for other countries in the region. To ensure long term sustainability, partnership with UNECA to help them to reposition themselves as a resource for national statistics These four partnerships were formalised during the UN Statistics Commission meetings on 5 March - John Pullinger signed partnership agreements with the chair of each organisation at the event.

Scoping visits…

ONS International Development Team work (2) Provide medium term support to specific projects which draw on ONS comparative advantage: for example, supporting the Ethiopia 2018 census; improving National Accounts through IMF projects in Zimbabwe, Liberia and Nigeria; providing ONS skills to advise on international best practices for measuring quality employment, to develop methodologies for the International Comparisons Programme (ICP) to support countries who want to emulate our SDG dissemination tool. Host ad hoc visits and support key international events, such as the GPSDD Data for Development festival which was held in Bristol on 21–23 March 2018

Data for Development festival – ONS visit

Going Forwards international@statistics.gov.uk Working on establishing partnerships; Very interested to share lessons on what works; And very happy to think about opportunities to work together; international@statistics.gov.uk Marina.Wright@ons.gsi.gov.uk