Summary
A silver falcon is presented to the Swiss delegation following the announcement that the third World Data Forum will be held in Bern, Switzerland, in 2020
On the third and final day of the second UN World Data Forum, delegates participated in twenty parallel events addressing topics ranging from the role and profile of data scientists and data journalists to challenges and opportunities related to non-official data, corruption and governance, national data platforms, and multi-stakeholder collaborations for sustainable development in Africa. Two panels convened in the afternoon for the closing plenary. Speakers on the first panel represented a variety of data communities that had attended the Forum and discussed strengths, challenges and hopes for the way forward. Panelists highlighted the need for:
- Attention to issues related to coordination of national statistical systems at the national level;
- Addressing privacy and trust issues related to use of non-official data sources;
- A coherent approach to traditional and non-traditional data sources and capacity;
- Data infrastructure that is affordable, accessible and usable by a variety of users;
- Capacity development that is affordable and responsive to user needs; and
- Strengthening legal frameworks to protect users and to enable data sharing especially as it relates to public and private partnerships.
Panelists highlighted their hopes for the third World Data Forum, which will be hosted by Switzerland in Bern, from 18-21 October 2020. Suggestions for the third World Data Forum included:
- Take stock of current situation of data statistics;
- Enable review process for countries to report on progress made on the Cape Town Global Action Plan;
- Provide an avenue for impact stories and measuring the returns on investments in data;
- Showcase tools, techniques and celebration of advancements made in the data community; and
- Showcasing concrete results.
The Dubai Declaration was announced at the final plenary panel. Stefan Schweinfest told a closing press conference that the Declaration:
- Commits to continue the journey that was begun at the first UN World Data Forum, in Cape Town;
- Focuses on implementation and practical solutions; and
- Addresses funding and financing for data.
Abdulla Nasser Lootah, Director General, Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority, United Arab Emirates, thanked participants, saying, “We all believed in peace, we all practiced respect and we all expressed appreciation.” The second UN World Data Forum closed at 6:42 pm.
IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB+ Meeting Coverage, provided daily digital coverage and a summary report from the UN World Data Forum 2018, which is availabe in HTML and PDF.
Photos by IISD/ENB | Kiara Worth
For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page
Statistical-Geospatial Integration: Supporting the SDGs and the 2020 Censuses
Participants during the session
Gemma Van Halderen, Director, Statistics Division, UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP)
Bernard Muhwezi, Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS)
Clint Brown, Esri
Janusz Dygaszewicz, Statistics Poland
Moderator Timothy Trainor, US Census Bureau
Parallel Sessions Throughout the Day
Panel speakers for the session "Data Scientists: What are they?" (L-R): Seth Dobrin, Vice President and Chief Data Officer, IBM Analytics; Jorge Sanz Moraleda, ADS Securities; Eva-Marie Muller-Stuler, Chief Data Scientist, IBM; Juan Pablo Redondo, Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company; and Tom Smith, Office for National Statistics, UK
Tom Smith, Office for National Statistics, UK
Eva-Marie Muller-Stuler, Chief Data Scientist, IBM
Panel speakers for the session "Innovate or Perish! Household Surveys in a Changing Data Landscape" (L-R): Wah Wah Maung, Director General, Central Statistical Office, Myanmar; Karen Carter, UN Children's Fund (UNICEF); Mark Hereward, UNICEF, and Chair, Intersecretariat Working Group on Household Surveys (ISWGHS); Calogero Carletto, Development Data Group, World Bank; and Dana Thomson, GridSample Project at Flowminder Foundation
Wah Wah Maung, Director General, Central Statistical Office, Myanmar
Calogero Carletto, Development Data Group, World Bank
Panel speakers for the session "Non-official Data: Challenges and Opportunities for National Statistical Offices (NSOs)" (L-R): Bernard Sabiti, Development Initiatives (DI); Bernard Muhwezi, UBOS; Harpinder Collacott, DI; Norah Madaya, UBOS; Sylvie Michaud, Statistics Canada; Davis Adieno, Regional Director for Africa, Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data (GPSDD); Johannes Jütting, Partnership in Statistics for Development in the 21st Century (PARIS21); and Javier Carranza, GeoCensos Foundation
Bernard Sabiti, DI
Sylvie Michaud, Statistics Canada
Panel speakers for the session "New data sources for policy action: from dreams to reality" (L-R): François Fonteneau, PARIS21; Brian Sullivan, Google; Jose Ramon Albert, Philippine Institute for Development Studies; Anne Bowser, Wilson Center; Christophe Duhamel, Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO); Ward Anseeuw, International Land Coalition; Ayush Ariunzaya, Chairwoman, National Statistical Office, Mongolia; and Norah Madaya, UBOS
Anne Bowser, Wilson Center
Christophe Duhamel, FAO
Panel speakers for the session "A new era for civil registration and vital statistics systems: innovation and transformation to develop capacities, reduce gender inequities, and improve data for the SDGs" (L-R): Mayra Buvinic, Data2X; Gemma Van Halderen, Director, Statistics Division, UNESCAP; Oliver Chinganya, Director, African Centre for Statistics, UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA); Yusuf Murangwa, Director General, National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (NISR); Badamtsetseg Batjargal, General Authority for Intellectual Property and State Registration (GAIPSR), Mongolia; Omurbek Ibraev, National Statistics Committee, Kyrgyzstan; and Judith Kilobi-Otieno, Civil Registration Department, Kenya
Yusuf Murangwa, Director General, NISR
Badamtsetseg Batjargal, GAIPSR, Mongolia
Panel speakers for the session "Innovative Monitoring and Evaluation Solutions for the implementation of SDGs for Small and Vulnerable States" (L-R): Souad Aden-Osman, Executive Director, Coalition for Dialogue on Africa; Motselisi Matsela, Commonwealth Secretariat; Romeela Mohee, Commonwealth of Learning (COL); Malehloa Molato, Director, Bureau of Statistics Lesotho; and Yasmin Cassimally, Deputy Director, Statistics Mauritius
Romeela Mohee, COL
Malehloa Molato, Director, Bureau of Statistics Lesotho
Financing for More and Better Data
Panelsists for the session (L-R): Rajesh Mirchandani, Chief Communications Officer, UN Foundation; Leesha Delatie-Budair, Deputy Director General, Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN); Niels Ploug, Statistics Denmark; Haishan Fu, Development Data Group, World Bank Group; Neil Jackson, Department for International Development (DIFD); Stefan Schweinfest, Director, Statistics Division, UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA); Zachary Mwangi Chege, Director General, Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS); and Sarah Lucas, William and Flora Hewlett Foundation
Leesha Delatie-Budair, Deputy Director General, Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN)
Neil Jackson, Department for International Development (DIFD)
Niels Ploug, Statistics Denmark
Haishan Fu, Development Data Group, World Bank Group
Zachary Mwangi Chege, Director General, KNBS
Sarah Lucas, William and Flora Hewlett Foundation
Closing Press Briefing
A video address from UN Secretary-General António Guterres is played to celebrate International UN Day
Abdulla Nasser Lootah, Director General, Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority (FCSA), UAE
Gabriella Vukovich, Vice Chair, UN Statistical Commission, and Head of Department, Hungarian Central Statistical Office
Stefan Schweinfest, Director, Statistics Division, UNDESA
Shaida Badiee, Managing Director, Open Data Watch
Abdulla Nasser Lootah, Director General, FCSA, UAE, presents a silver falcon to Maya Tissafi, Ambassador of Switzerland to the UAE, as the host of the next World Data Forum
Maya Tissafi, Ambassador of Switzerland to the UAE
Thomas Gass, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC)
The silver falcon, with seven feathers representing each of the Emirates, will be carried to the next World Data Forum to be hosted in Bern, Switzerland
Closing Session: Implementation of the Cape Town Global Action Plan for Sustainable Development Data – The Way Forward
Participants during the closing session
Nnenna Nwakanma, World Wide Web Foundation
Sofie Habram, Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida)
Francesca Perucci, UN Statistics Division
George McCarthy, President and CEO, Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, US
Mahmoud Mohieldin, World Bank Group Senior Vice President for the 2030 Development Agenda, UN Relations, and Partnerships
FSCA family photo
Around the Venue
Delegates from the Pacific
Emily Courey Pryor, Executive Director, Data2X, speaks with a delegate
Traditional coffee is served around the venue
Local musicians play traditional instruments
The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB+) team covering the meeting: Adam Fishman, US; Lynn Wagner, US; Lagipoiva Cherelle Jackson, Samoa; and Kiara Worth, South Africa
