The 52nd session of the United Nations Statistics Committee (UNSC) took place from 1st to 5th March, 2021 held in the form of online meetings with about 159 bridge points in the opening session. Ms. Nguyen Thi Huong – General Director lead the delegation of General Statistics Office of Vietnam (GSO) attending the meeting with Deputy General Directors, leaders and representatives of departments under the GSO.
According to the expected agenda, the 52nd Session will discuss and resolve 13 contents, including: (1) Data and targets on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development; (2) Coordination of statistical programs; (3) Economic statistics; (4) National accounts; (5) Business and trade statistics; (6) Economic – environmental accounting; (7) Migration statistics; (8) Regional statistical development; (9) Management and modernization of the statistical system; (10) Big data; (11) International statistical classifications; (12) Household survey; (13) Data and metadata presentation and dissemination. In addition, the meeting will also provide information related to many other professional fields such as: Demographic statistics; Cultural statistics; Climate change statistics; Disaster statistics; International comparison program; etc. These are important and highly current content in the period when the world is facing unusual developments like today.
The GSO contributed to the comments on three documents of the 52nd Session, including: (1) Report of the High-level Group for Partnership, Coordination and Capacity-Building for Statistics for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development; (2) Report of the Intersecretariat Working Group on National Accounts; (3) Report of the Committee of Experts on Business and Trade Statistics.
The results of the session will be submitted to the United Nations Economic and Social Council in the form of a draft Resolution, recommendations proposed for United Nations Member States, to the Secretary-General of the United Nations. or other specialized agencies of the United Nations. It can be said that the UNSC session is of particular importance to the world Statistics community, giving the development orientation for global statistics in each year as well as in the whole period.
In addition, the 52nd session of the UNSC also organized more than 50 online side events from 20th January to 11th March, 2021. GSO attended most of the side meetings to capture information for implementing statistical activities during the year.
Viet Nam’s Participation in United Nations Statistical Activities
After nearly 75 years since the first days of establishment (1946), the international cooperation activities of the GSO have always been focused and developed. Since the innovative period up to now, Vietnam Statistics has increasingly integrated deeply and broadly into the World Statistics’ activities, contributing to the consistent implementation of the foreign policy of independence, autonomy, peace and harmony. cooperation and development of the Party and State.
Statistical system in Vietnam has gradually met international statistical information needs and contributed to the Vietnamese Government fulfilling its obligation to become a member of the United Nations. Viet Nam’s statistics for monitoring the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals are used and highly appreciated by international organizations.
With the policy of enhancing integration for development, the GSO has actively participated in multilateral cooperation activities within the United Nations statistical framework. Recognizing the importance of the UNSC Meetings, since the early 2000s up to now, the GSO has sent high-level delegations to attend the UNSC meetings, as well as the annual meetings of the United Nations held in the Asia-Pacific region.
Participation in the 52nd Session of the UNSC this year is of paramount importance to the development of Statistics of Vietnam. The contents exchanged at the meeting are a valuable source of information for Vietnam Statistics to complete the National Statistical System, serving the implementation of guidelines and guidelines set out at the XIII National Party Congress contributing to the orientation of the process of formulating the Vietnam Statistical Development Strategy for the period 2021-2030 and a vision to 2030 in line with the world’s development trends.