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INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND REGIONAL STATISTICAL DEVELOPMENT

OBJECTIVES

The key objectives of the ABS's International Relations program are to:

• review and refresh the international relations strategy to ensure ABS maintains a high profile and outstanding reputation as an engaged and active statistical leader
• shape and influence national and international discussions regarding statistical frameworks, strategies and policies
• build strong statistical capacity and capability domestically and within Asia and the Pacific Region
• contribute to Australia’s foreign policy objectives and aid development strategies
• ensure the ABS is managing and mitigating against risks to the organisation
• monitor performance and compliance across the various components of the program by undertaking audit and review of the program.
  

• seek high level collaboration to increase the pool of expertise, and reduce the cost of re-development, in order to harmonise statistical methods, systems and capabilities to achieve mutual benefits across all participating National Statistical Offices (NSOs)
• implement the ABS International Relations Strategy 2013-2017, taking account of current government priorities
• support the growing importance of comparable international data in the global economy by meeting the increasing demand to produce high quality, timely and consistent statistics
• continue to support the focus on Asia and the Pacific, with a model of engagement that supports a proactive voice from this region
• administer the funding received from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) to implement the delivery of high quality statistical improvement initiatives in Asia and the Pacific Region
• develop an integrated statistical capability framework that supports developing NSOs in meeting international standards in compiling and producing statistics.

• collaborative projects with other NSOs, including new dissemination and collections systems, processes for collecting administrative data, and common metadata frameworks - due 2015-16
• working with the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe on the modernisation of statistical infrastructure - ongoing
• with the support of DFAT, delivering a range of improved outcomes for statistical initiatives in Indonesia, the Pacific Region and Timor-Leste - ongoing
• through targeted collaboration, enhancing the ABS's engagement with key countries in Asia such as China, India and South Korea. Collaboration provides an opportunity to increase the pool of expertise, and reduce the cost of re-development via co-designed and co-developed projects - due 2016-17
• providing strategic advice to support ABS Executive engagement in key international statistical fora such as the Economic and Social Commission for Asia Pacific, United Nations Statistical Commission, and the United Nations Statistical Institute for Asia and Pacific - ongoing.