National Statistician, Sir Ian Diamond, shares his thoughts on the launch of ONS’s first strategic plan for international development.
I am delighted to launch ONS’s first ambitious strategic plan for international development which sets out our vision for “High-quality statistics to improve lives globally ”.
This marks the next exciting phase of our highly successful international development programme, which will see us expand our reach and impact across the developing world, using ONS experience and expertise to help build statistical capacity in national statistics offices, enabling them to provide a sound evidence base to inform decisions of the day.
Since it was formed five and a half years ago, the programme has played a hugely important role in positioning the ONS as leaders in global statistical development and modernisation.
This has enabled the ONS to use the UK’s world class statistical experience and expertise to support a wide range of improvements to other countries’ statistical systems – ensuring statistics work for the global public good and aim to leave no one behind.
Over the next three years we will continue to build on these successes by consolidating our existing partnerships and building new ones in new countries and regions. We will work closely, with colleagues in the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office and align our activities with UK Government’s International Development Strategy and other Government departments thereby ensuring a one HMG approach to our development activities as part of furthering UK priorities and maximising impact.
For more information about this area of work and ways to support, visit the international webpage or email international.development@ons.gov.uk