UNDP and AITRS sign an MOU to strengthen official statistics in the Arab countries
Promoting the production and dissemination of official statistics
Amman, May 22, 2017 – The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Arab Institute for Training and Research in Statistics (AITRS) signed today in Amman a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to reinforce their collaborative effort in supporting and building the capacity of National Statistical Offices (NSOs) in the Arab region. The NSOs have a vital role to play in development, especially with the unanimous adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the 17 related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by the UN members states in September 2015.
Both the UNDP and AITRS have agreed to join efforts to extend support to the civil servants of the National Statistical Offices in the Arab countries by conducting joint training and offering technical consultations on various issues, enhancing statistical literacy, and developing joint e-learning courses within the framework of the 2030 Agenda.
"The signing of this MoU today is the fruit of a longstanding cooperation with the Arab Institute for Training and Research in Statistics, which was renewed since the beginning of 2016. We take pride in the fact that the UNDP was one of the Institute’s main supporters in its inception phase back in the 1960s, but also in its second phase when we supported the expansion of its mandate in 1974 to support the advancement of general statistics in the Arab region,” said Khaled Abdelshafi, Director of the Amman Regional Hub at UNDP-Bureau for Arab States. “I look forward to a new phase in our cooperation with the Institute to strengthen the role of the NSOs. In the Arab region, UNDP is already working closely with the NSOs through our Regional Programme, within the scope of the Arab Development Portal, and through our country offices.”
Many Arab countries have already made remarkable progress in the production and dissemination of data and this cooperation aims at supporting the work of the NSOs during this important period. The implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is the responsibility of all, hence the importance of strengthening Arab cooperation in the statistical field to develop targeted development strategies and policies.”
Abdul Aziz Maalmi, Director General of the Arab Institute for Training and Research in Statistics said “the signing of the MOU today is a continuation of an old cooperation between both sides and reflects a belief in the importance of joining efforts to overcome the obstacles that we are facing in view of the diminishing resources and increasing needs. The Institute looks forward to take this MOU up to the next level, with the development of a joint programme to support advancing the human resources of those who are involved in the production of official statistics in the Arab region in all 22 Arab countries and who are part of the Institute’s strategy within the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
About UNDP
UNDP partners with people at all levels of society to help build nations that can withstand crisis, and drive and sustain the kind of growth that improves the quality of life for everyone. On the ground in more than 170 countries and territories, we offer global perspective and local insight to help empower lives and build resilient nations.
About the Arab Institute for Training and Research in Statistics (AITRS)
AITRS has been established 40 years ago, and its Board of Trustees consists of presidents and heads of the statistical offices or bureaus of the Arab states who meet annually to approve the Institute’s plan and the budget of the coming fiscal year. It aims to advance the statistical capacity of the civil servants of the statistical offices in many areas. Over the past four decades, the Institute trained thousands from all Arab countries.
UNDP in the Arab States | Published on May 22, 2017