ESCWA signed today a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) on measuring the progress of societies during the 3rd OECD World Forum on Statistics, Knowledge and Policy, held in Busan, Korea.
Speaking at the session on "Charting Progress, Building Visions, improving Life: In A Time of Crisis", ESCWA Executive Secretary Bader AlDafa laid out the objectives and scope of work of the UN Commission. He emphasized the regional dimension of ESCWA's work, which focuses on ensuring regional integration, economic and social development, interregional cooperation and contribution to the global agenda.
In the context of quantifying progress and crises alike, AlDafa noted the challenges lying ahead, such as the role of statistics in measuring crises, preventing them and providing policymakers with information.
To face these challenges, the Executive Secretary laid out some practical steps, such as reforming the statistical legislation, establishing national strategies for development of statistics and ensuring the presence of efficient national statistical institutions.
The forum is noted for its agenda and keynote speakers, who include high level participants, politicians, policy makers, opinion leaders, Nobel laureates, and representatives of civil society from all over the world.
The Third World Forum is being run as part of the Global Project on "Measuring the Progress of Societies". Hosted by the OECD, and organized in cooperation with other international and regional organisations, the Global Project seeks to become the worldwide reference point for those who wish to measure and assess the progress of their societies.
For more information about this meeting: http://www.oecdworldforum2009.org/
