Statistical Agencies Must Still Overcome Number of Challenges

UN dedicates 20 October, or 20-10-2010, as World Statistics Day

Achievements made in data availability, transparency, and dissemination

But national statistical agencies need to find better ways to compile, process data

On October 20, 2010, the world celebrated the first World Statistics Day to raise awareness of the many achievements of official statistics and the core values of service, integrity, and professionalism. Nearly all countries around the globe as well as international institutions marked the day with special events.

In opening remarks, Murilo Portugal, IMF Deputy Managing Director, said that the inauguration of World Statistics Day comes at a very critical juncture. “This devastating financial crisis has inflicted tremendous costs around the world and served as a humbling experience and wakeup call, including for all statisticians,” he said. “Even for the most advanced statistical systems such as in Europe and North America, the crisis highlighted ‘black holes’ in data that now need to be addressed.”

“We must ensure that statistics are used by policymakers and politicians, and also by entrepreneurs and investors, by local developments workers, and by citizens themselves,” said Sri Mulyani Indrawati, Managing Director of the World Bank. “New technologies such as the internet, mobile telephones, and social networks create opportunities for unlocking the power of our data and translating statistics into knowledge and action.”

Both Portugal and Indrawati also acknowledged the good collaboration between the IMF and the Word Bank, particularly in setting international statistical standards. In addition, the two institutions have a very well established collaboration on the International Comparison Program, which has helped improve comparability of data across countries.

Pressing and diverse challenges

Eduardo Sojo, Chief Statistician for Mexico, said that, in addition to emphasizing the vast achievements and improvements in the availability and quality of statistics, World Statistics Day should also be an occasion to recognize the challenges faced by national statistical offices.

Sojo: “National statistical offices need to find better ways to compile, process, and store the ‘sea of information’ that is generated in today’s technologically advanced world” (photo: IMF)

Sojo outlined “pressing challenges” in seven key areas:

• Information overload. National statistical offices need to find better ways to compile, process...