The move towards strengthening regional statistical systems took another step forward with the conclusion of a workshop this week.

Secretary General of the Forum Secretariat Tuiloma Slade said the workshop and the study were important milestones which recognise the need to upgrade and extend country and regional statistical information systems and databases across all sectors.

He said the interest in improving statistics is broad based and driven among others by the need for informed policy making in our region, to ensure good governance and efficient allocation of scarce resources for economic development.

The views of all participants will now be incorporated into the final report of the Benchmark Study on Regional Approaches to Statistical Services to be presented to the next Forum Economic Ministers Meeting in the Cook Islands later this year.