KEYNOTE ADDRESS:
Statistics and Sustainable Economic Development
in the Asia and the Pacific Region in the 21st century
by
Lau kak En
Director
United Nations Statistical Institute for Asia and the Pacific
(SIAP)
Mr.Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I wish to begin by congratulating the National Federation of Statistical Associations for holding the international symposium: "In Pursuit of Statistics for Sustainable Development in Asia." I am honored to be invited and it gives me great pleasure in delivering the keynote address on this important occasion. The theme of my speech has been expanded to cover countries in Asia and the Pacific and I shall speak on "Statistics and Sustainable Economic Development in the Asia and the Pacific Region in the 21st Century."
In my talk, I focus on three interrelated areas. I shall begin with a brief overview of the growth experience in the Asia-Pacific region including some recent events that have cast doubt on the sustainability of its rapid economic expansion in the recent past. In that context, I shall touch on the future data needs of countries in the region, particularly in the light of recent developments at the global level in statistical methodologies and classification systems and data standards. I shall conclude by emphasizing the importance of enhancing the expertise of statistical personnel and the role of the United Nations Statistical Institute for Asia and the Pacific (SIAP), which is located in Tokyo, in contributing to the process.
The Asia-Pacific region is made up of a very diverse group of more than fifty countries. This diversity is reflected in language, religion, land area, population size, per capita income, literacy and other indicators. A few of the
