Regional cooperation and statistical capacity development: Successes, challenges and next steps

Regional Cooperation and Capacity Development was the sixth discussion platform topic of the Statistical Journal of the International Association of Official Statistics. Contributors shared many reflections on cooperation and capacity development including the third ‘c’ of coordination. Coordination, as one contributor remarked, “has been a holy grail but is a long way from being achieved”. United Nations (UN) Member States (countries) regularly call for improved coordination amongst the international capacity development community at annual meetings of the United Nations Statistical Commission (UNSC) and international organisations and professional associations are committed to coordination and cooperation ideals. This paper highlights potential routes to improved global cooperation by reviewing contributions to the discussion platform, sharing an example of effective coordination from a UN Regional Commission, and the key features of current coordination efforts by the International Statistical Institute (ISI) and the UN. The launch of the ISI’s Capability Building Committee’s 2022–2025 strategic plan provides an opportunity to review overall coordination efforts and promote inclusive capacity development efforts to ensure no one or no National Statistical System is left behind.