training in official statistics has yet to evolve although some of the statistical offices have in-house programmes for training of staff. However, for the much needed acquisition of contemporary knowledge of statistical skills and techniques, most of the developing countries depend on support of external consultants and sending of staff for training abroad.
Since its establishment in 1970, SIAP has continuously conducted statistical training courses in Tokyo as well as at country levels in collaboration or in partnership with national statistical offices or local training institutes in Asia and the Pacific. Regular courses are conducted to meet the training needs of relatively young and junior statisticians in basic and practical statistics, as well as in statistical computing. More advanced courses or seminars and workshops on specialized topics including data analysis and interpretation are also conducted. Training of trainers is also focused to speed up the training process. The curricula of various courses have been revised from time to time to include new areas of concerns, especially those deliberated at the recent global summit conferences.
In the past year, efforts have been made on developing cooperative partnerships with member countries and international organizations to strengthen training capabilities at the country level as well as to conduct courses /workshops/seminars at the regional/subregional levels, drawing on the availability of local experts and professionals. This is to generate more training opportunities and to enhance the training capacity on statistics in the region. Over the next few years, the Institute will, under UNDP's sixth intercountry programme, initiate programmes and activities on establishing and strengthening national capability on data collection, compilation and statistical analysis required in the preparation of national human development reports for developing member countries of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP). In order to strengthen the financial viability of SLAP, more support from member countries of ESCAP and international organizations and agencies is crucial.
I trust an overall assessment will be made in this symposium on the adequacy of the present statistical framework for measuring progress of human well-being in addition to economic growth, the requirements of data forfacilitating policy and decision making to ensure continuous sustainability of socio-economic progress and the resources and training needs arising from new statistical programmes. I am sure the participants of the symposium will be enlightened by the views and experiences contained in the six papers by distinguished writers from countries of the region, as well as the discussions thereon. I look forward to today's absorbing deliberations and thank you for your attention.
