Official statistics and information and communication technologies in development in the Pacific

Abstract

The collection, management and dissemination of official statistics is essential for good governance and planning, but is a formidable task for most Pacific Island countries due to lack of resources, capacity and their dispersed rural populations. Information and communication technologies (ICTs), especially in the context of regional cooperation and leadership, have the potential to significantly improve the collection of data and the dissemination and analysis of statistics in formats that will ensure its value is maximized. This chapter discusses the role of statistics in development and their role in monitoring the Millennium Development Goals (2000–2015), as well as the recently adopted Sustainable Development Goals (2016–2030) and how ICT can be used to manage this process. It examines technologies used in PICs and the regional initiatives that are contributing to capacity building and more effective statistics management through the use of emerging technologies. It considers some of the issues that must be taken into account to maximize the sustainable use of ICT in statistics, the value of statistics for decision-making in PICs and highlights the importance of leadership in regional initiatives as well as in individual countries.