Sierra Leone’s Statistician General, Andrew Bob Johnny, has returned from the 55th United Nations Statistical Commission session in New York with a renewed mandate and significant international support to bolster the country’s data generation efforts.
During the session held from late February to early March 2024, key discussions revolved around Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics, National Accounts, Demographic and Social Statistics, Population and Housing Censuses, Big Data, Data Science, and Data Communication and Dissemination.
In a pivotal move aimed at enhancing Sierra Leone’s data infrastructure, Mr. Johnny engaged with influential stakeholders during a side event in Washington DC, including the US Aid for International Development (USAID) and the US Census Bureau. Both institutions pledged unwavering support for Stats SL ahead of the critical 2025 decennial census.
Furthermore, Mr. Johnny forged collaborative ties with the leadership of the Global Partnership For Sustainable Development Data (Data For Now), signaling a concerted effort to employ robust methodologies and tools to enhance the timeliness, coverage, and quality of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) data.
In a significant stride towards strengthening partnerships, Mr. Johnny and Madam Kenyeh Barley, Minister of Planning and Economic Development, engaged in discussions with the senior leadership team of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). The talks emphasized UNFPA’s ongoing commitment to supporting Sierra Leone and its institutions, particularly the National Statistics Office (NSO), which operates as Stats SL.
Moreover, Mr. Johnny held crucial discussions with the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) to reinforce an existing partnership aimed at enhancing data collection activities. UNECA has been instrumental in providing expertise to support Stats SL’s previous major data collection initiatives.
Mr. Johnny’s strategic engagements underscore a concerted effort to harness international support and expertise to drive a data revolution in Sierra Leone. With strong backing from key global stakeholders, Sierra Leone is poised to achieve significant advancements in data generation and utilization, crucial for informed decision-making and sustainable development.
© Stats SL Comms & PR Div.
