The World Data Forum events that takes place every two years; and follows one of the main recommendations contained in the report entitled “A World That Counts”, presented in November 2014 by the United Nations Secretary-General’s Independent Expert and Advisory Group on Data Revolution for Sustainable Development.
It is important to note that The Statistical Commission agreed that a United Nations World Data Forum on Sustainable Development Data (UN World Data Forum) would be the suitable platform for intensifying cooperation with various professional groups, such as information technology, geospatial information managers, data scientists, and users, as well as civil society stakeholders
The first United Nations World Data Forum was hosted from 15 to 18 January 2017 by Statistics South Africa in Cape Town, South Africa. The previous South Africa’s Statistician-General, Dr Pali Lehohla, who was Head of Statistics South Africa until end October 2017, hosted the very first United Nations World Data Forum. South Africa had the honor to participate in the first UN World Data Forum drum handed over to representatives of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), who will host the second Forum during 22 to 24 October 2018 in Dubai October 2018.
Approximately 2,000 individuals registered to attend the 73 plenary and breakout sessions that were organized under six themes:
- new approaches to capacity development for better data;
- innovations and synergies across different data ecosystems;
- leaving no one behind;
- understanding the world through data;
- data principles and governance;
- and the way forward: a Global Action Plan for data
The inaugral event in South Africa concluded with the launch of a global plan for better data to improve prople’s lives, and new ideas and solutions to boost the collaboration, resources and policies to put in action. The need to strenghtne statistical systes was a the subnject of extensive discuss at the Forum, and a number of commitment were advacnes o reaffimred. In this regard commitments were made to boost the capactiy by key partners such s the African Development Bank, World Bank.
The Statistics South Council members participated across the six themes with a particular interest into new approached, innovations, skills development and governance that could serve to inform the legislative reform agenda.
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