09th April, 2018 Tonga’s Statistics Department hosted a half-day conference on ‘Poverty in Tonga according to Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) and Tonga Strategic Development Framework (TSDF) requirements’ last Friday afternoon, at Tano’a International Dateline Hotel.
The conference aims to provide participants with an understanding of the poverty measurements, the rationale that defines and measure poverty using the consensual approach reflecting multi-dimensional poverty required by SDGs.
Minister for Finance and National Planning Hon. Pohiva Tu’i’onetoa said, Tonga Statistics Department’s Corporate Plan requires to produce high quality statistical information, on a timely basis, to aid evidence-based decision making.
“There are new emerging demands from the development agendas, like the international Sustainable Developments Goals (SDGs) that apply to all countries. Our national priorities reflects the Tonga Strategic Development Framework (TSDF) and other regional framework, such as the Pacific SDGs, the Samoa Pathway and Pacific Regionalisms. Addressing all of these presents a challenge in producing data for effective responses.”
“These demands and challenges require a shift, from focusing on just the statistics organization to stabling a comprehensive and coordinated National Statistical System (NSS) which serves the statistical and analytical needs relevant to the social, economic and environmental challenges facing Tonga.”
Hon. Tu’i’onetoa said that the Statistics Department in collaboration with the University of the South Pacific, drafted the Tonga National Strategy for Development of Statistics (NSDS).
“This Strategy is key to addressing emerging demands required by local, national, regional and international development agendas. This strategy provides a vision for where the National Statistical System (NSS) should be in the next five to ten years, setting milestones for getting there.”
“It will present a comprehensive and unified framework for continual assessment of evolving user needs and priorities for statistics and for building the capacity needed to meet these needs in a more coordinated, synergistic and efficient manner. It will also provide a framework for mobilizing, harnessing, and leveraging resources and a basis for effective and results-oriented strategic management of the NSS.”
He said that these processes will aid the development of a more efficient, effective, affordable, transparent and apolitical public service, which focuses on the priorities specified in the Corporate Plan.
ENDS
Issued by the: Ministry of Meteorology, Energy, Information, Disaster Management, Environment, Climate Change & Communications.