Advancing Global Statistics from Singapore to the UN
Statistics might sound boring. But Chapter 37 argues they are one of the most important things the UN does. And a Singaporean ended up running the whole operation.
This is part of my retelling of “50 Years of Singapore and the United Nations” (Tommy Koh, Li Lin Chang, Joanna Koh, 2015, ISBN: 978-9814713030).
This chapter is written by Paul Cheung, who served as Singapore’s Chief Statistician for 14 years and then became the Director of the UN Statistics Division. He was the first person from the developing world to hold that position. That alone is a remarkable fact. The chapter is part personal story, part explanation of why global statistics matter way more than most people think.
Why Global Statistics Matter
On October 10, 2010, some 140 countries celebrated the first-ever World Statistics Day. That tells you something about how far the field has come.
The UN started building its global statistics system right after World War II. In May 1946, it convened the first meeting of national statistical experts. The goal was to build a system of statistical indicators for the post-war era. That inter-governmental mechanism was supported by the UN Statistical Office, later renamed the Statistical Division.
What the UN accomplished over the next 70 years in statistics has been described by observers as “an unsung success.” It works quietly but effectively. Setting standards. Raising capacity. Building a community of practice across every country in the world.
Think about it. When you read that one country’s GDP is higher than another’s, that comparison is only possible because both countries measure GDP the same way. When you see global trade numbers, poverty rates, or population figures, those work because the UN coordinated how everyone counts them. International data comparability would not exist without the UN’s leadership.
The UN Statistical Commission
Every March, chief statisticians from around the world gather in New York for the UN Statistical Commission meeting. This body has been called the most effective “functional commission” in the UN system. It works as an expert body with minimal political influence. That is rare at the UN. Most things there are heavily political.
The Commission approves statistical standards and coordinates global projects. Here is an example of the scale: the 2010 round of global census saw 216 countries and areas complete population and housing censuses, covering 93% of the world’s population. The Commission also oversaw a global comparison of prices in 2014 that produced new purchasing power parity figures. And it managed the update of the System of National Accounts in 2008.
The chapter makes an important point about integrity. Throughout history, governments have manipulated statistics for political gain. The Commission adopted the “Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics” in 1994, which enshrine integrity, professionalism, and service as core values. Many countries have written these principles into their national laws.
But principles alone cannot prevent abuse. The chapter notes that the European Commission gave Eurostat auditing powers to prevent member countries from manipulating their statistics. Whether the UN Statistical Commission will ever get similar enforcement powers remains an open debate.
The Data Revolution
The chapter looks forward as well as back. Paul Cheung writes about what he calls the new information architecture. Several things were happening at once when this chapter was written.
Geospatial information was growing rapidly but there was no international body to manage the technical and policy issues. The UN Statistics Division started the process to fix that in 2009. By 2011, the Economic and Social Council had established the Expert Committee on Global Geospatial Information Management. This was a big deal. At a time when the UN was reluctant to create any new inter-governmental bodies, the decision showed that the world recognized a new information era was coming.
In 2014, both the Statistical Commission and the Geospatial Information Committee endorsed a program to develop global standards for integrating statistical and geospatial information. Think of it as connecting maps to data.
And then there is big data. The UN Secretary-General called the explosion of new data sources a “data revolution” and appointed advisory groups to study the implications. The challenge ahead was clear: integrating official statistics, geospatial information, and big data into one information platform at both national and global levels.
The concept of “Open Data” was also advancing. In 2006, the UN introduced “UNdata,” a free service that makes UN data accessible to everyone in the world. That was ahead of its time.
Paul Cheung’s Personal Journey
The personal part of this chapter is understated but interesting. Paul Cheung served as Singapore’s Chief Statistician from 1991 to 2004. Then he joined the United Nations as Director of the Statistics Division, a position he held for nine years until 2012.
He writes honestly about what it means to come from a small country. Singapore does not have the political weight or economic significance of large nations. Like other developing countries, it does not have expertise in every aspect of statistical measurement. But it still has to produce the full range of official statistics and meet both national and international demands. That is a demanding task for a small system.
His experience building Singapore’s national statistical system shaped his priorities at the UN. He made capacity building and helping other member states build their own systems his highest priority. If you have struggled with something yourself, you understand better how to help others with it.
Singapore’s Contributions to Global Statistics
The chapter outlines three specific ways Singapore has contributed to the global system.
Thought leadership. Singapore is small, so it faces measurement problems from rapid economic and social changes faster than bigger countries. Solutions have to be found quickly. When Singapore figures something out, it brings the ideas to the ASEAN community first, then to the UN for consideration at the global level. For example, Singapore’s comprehensive and systematic reporting of its economic performance influenced global standards for how economic data gets released.
Innovation and experimentation. In 2000, Singapore was the first country in the world to use the Internet as the primary means of data collection in its population census. Since then, 33 countries adopted multimodal data collection methods in the 2010 census round. Singapore was also the first Asian country to adopt a register-based population census. And Singapore’s “One-Map” platform, which integrates geospatial information with official statistics, has been showcased at many UN meetings as a global best practice.
Integrity and professionalism. Singapore takes the accuracy of its statistics very seriously, with safeguards built into legislation and institutional arrangements. There have been debates about the quality of Singapore’s data, but the adherence to global standards, transparency of methods, and dedication of professional staff have reassured users. The chapter argues that a constant, transparent flow of high quality statistical information is essential for Singapore’s role as a major financial and manufacturing hub.
Looking Ahead
The chapter ends by looking forward. Paul Cheung writes that a new information age is coming. Countries will take advantage of rapid and abundant information for decision-making in every aspect of life. As official statistics, geospatial data, and big data come together, the UN will need to bring countries together to work out new standards and protocols.
Singapore, with its Smart Nation agenda, was moving aggressively to develop an integrated data platform. As a “thought leader” in the professional community and as a UN member, Singapore would help shape the global information future.
My Take
Statistics do not get people excited. I get that. But this chapter makes a convincing case that the UN’s statistical work is one of its most successful and least appreciated achievements. Every time someone compares GDP figures between countries, or tracks global poverty rates, or uses population data for planning, they are relying on standards that the UN built over 70 years.
Paul Cheung’s story is a good example of the Singapore pattern we see throughout this book. Singapore builds capability at home, earns credibility through quality work, and then contributes that expertise to the international system. Going from a small national statistics office to leading the entire UN Statistics Division is a big jump. But it happened because Singapore’s statistical work was genuinely world-class.
The innovation stories are the most concrete. First in the world to do an internet-based census. First in Asia to do a register-based census. The One-Map platform. These are not just theoretical contributions. They are real solutions that other countries could learn from and adopt.
The chapter also raises a question that feels very modern. As data becomes more abundant and powerful, who sets the rules? Who makes sure it is accurate? Who prevents manipulation? The UN has been quietly doing this for statistics since 1946. Whether it can do the same for big data and geospatial information is the next big challenge.
About the Author
Paul Cheung is a Professor of Social Policy and Analytics at the National University of Singapore. He served as Director of the United Nations Statistics Division and Secretariat of the UN Committee on Global Geospatial Information Management for nine years (2004-2012). Before joining the UN, he was Singapore’s Chief Statistician from 1991 to 2004. He was awarded the Public Administration Gold Medal by the Singapore government in 2001 for modernizing Singapore’s census and statistical systems. His initiative to establish the UN Committee on Global Geospatial Information Management was endorsed by ECOSOC in 2011.