Definitions of Statistical Capacity Building
The definitions of statistical capacity building vary slightly depending on the organisation, even if they are very similar. They could be categorised in three ways.
Technical and Institutional Development
Infrastructure and Resource Development
Sector-Specific Capacity
ORBICAP's definition focuses on strengthening the technical skills, institutional frameworks, and governance necessary for producing and disseminating statistics.
1. Technical and Institutional Development
United Nations (UNSD): Focuses on strengthening technical and institutional capabilities to produce reliable data for policymaking.
International Monetary Fund (IMF): Emphasises improving technical skills to produce economic and financial statistics that meet international standards.
PARIS21: Highlights improving technical and institutional frameworks through targeted training, investment, and governance.
World Bank: Highlights improving systems and resources to meet users’ needs for high-quality official statistics.
OECD: Advocates for a comprehensive approach to statistical capacity building, focusing on governance, leadership, adherence to international principles and standards, and the integration of technology and innovation.
2. Infrastructure and Resource Development
African Development Bank (AfDB Statistics): Focuses on building infrastructure, skills, and frameworks for reliable statistical production.
Asian Development Bank (ADB): Enhances capabilities of statistical systems in Asia-Pacific countries to support development. Key focus on National Accounts, Business Register, innovative data sources, and sharing knowledge.
Reference Regional Strategic Framework for Statistical Capacity Building in Africa (RRSF). Jointly prepared by the African Development Bank, the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), the World Bank and the PARIS21 in 2006. Focuses on meeting user needs, improving the management of statistical systems, and ensuring the sustainability of statistical advancements.
3. Sector-Specific Capacity
World Health Organization (WHO): Develops health data systems for informed policy and improved health outcomes.
United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA): Strengthens African statistical systems for development planning and monitoring.
Examples of Definitions
United Nations (UN)
"Statistical capacity building involves developing the technical and institutional ability of national statistical systems to produce and disseminate high-quality, reliable, and timely data to inform policy and decision-making."
PARIS21
“A process through which the ability of a country to produce, analyse, disseminate, and use reliable and timely statistics is improved over time.”
World Bank
"Statistical capacity building refers to improving the ability of national statistical systems, including human, technical, and institutional resources, to produce and disseminate official statistics that meet users’ needs."
International Monetary Fund (IMF)
"Statistical capacity building refers to enhancing the ability of countries to collect, compile, and disseminate economic and financial data in a way that meets international standards, enabling better-informed policy decisions and fostering transparency and accountability."
OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development)
"Statistical capacity building is the process of strengthening the ability of national statistical systems to produce high-quality, relevant, and timely statistics consistent with international standards and support evidence-based policymaking."
African Development Bank (AfDB)
"Statistical capacity building involves developing the infrastructure, skills, and institutional frameworks necessary for African countries to produce reliable and timely statistics for monitoring development goals and informing public policy."
United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE)
"Statistical capacity building is the process of helping countries develop sustainable systems for producing high-quality statistics and ensuring they are used effectively in decision-making."
Asian Development Bank (ADB)
"Statistical capacity building enhances the capabilities of national statistical systems in Asian and Pacific countries to generate accurate, timely, and comparable data that support sustainable development and economic growth."
World Health Organization (WHO)
"Statistical capacity building is the process of improving the skills, resources, and infrastructure necessary for countries to collect, analyse, and use health data to inform policies and improve health outcomes."
United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA)
"Statistical capacity building refers to strengthening the institutional’ institutional and technical ability to produce quality statistics for evidence-based policymaking, development planning, and monitoring."
This page was updated in January 2025.