Vice-President U Henry Van Thio, Patron of the Committee on Data Accuracy and Quality of Statistics, yesterday stressed the importance of accurate statistics for Myanmar’s development and ability to compete on an international level.

“Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are being implemented across the world. In Myanmar as well, national-level multi-projects, short-term, mid-term and long-term development plans in regions and sectors, especially successful implementation of the tasks with sustainable development goals in the framework of 5-year-project-strategy are of great importance,” U Henry Van Thio said at the 6th meeting 3/2017 of statistics accuracy and competency and at the 4th meeting 3/2017 of preliminary necessary data collection working committee held at the meeting hall of the Ministry of Planning and Finance.

The Vice-President said accurate data is needed in order to measure and monitor the success of developmental projects.“So as to be  well-convinced of actual situations of respective sectors in drawing projects and plans, laying down principles for national development, original data collection, socio-economic data collection and natural disaster data collection are needed by combined teams of organisations included in the Myanmar national statistics system. For successful implementation of the statistics process and for releasing well-standardised statistics and figures, a new law on statistics was re-compiled in accord with international standards and was approved by Pyithu Hluttaw on 25th October 2017.”

Then, Vice President went on to say, “For overall coverage of national statistics system and upgrading skills of statistic staff, development courses on statistics are to be opened. I hereby urge respective departments to continually cooperate projects on registration of birth and death for the development of data sphere on birth and death.”

“For success of designations included in the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, sectorial and regional objectives are to be laid down for implementation. Here, I would like to urge to find out solutions in combination, concerning definitions and means which are suitable with the country for development of indices. As the Central Statistics Board is to collect data on natural disasters of the present year, Regions and States are urged to co-operate. Though some projects can be carried out in a short term period, some are to be performed in the long run. Similarly, some projects can spend national funds, where some are to be operated in cooperation with development partners. For national development, reliability of statistics on the ground and acquisition of data in time with changing time are to be carried out,” the Vice President said.