The first United Nations (UN) World Data Forum, which will be held at the Cape Town International Convention Centre from January 15 to 18, provides an opportunity for producers and users of data and statistics to collaborate in launching new initiatives and innovative solutions that will deliver better data on health, education, income, environmental indicators and other aspects of sustainable development.

The forum is organised by the UN and Statistics South Africa.

Speaking at a media briefing, in Johannesburg, on Tuesday, UN statistics division director Stefan Schweinfest said that, globally, there was a lot of interest in data and statistics.

“We want to launch initiatives, share ideas integrate new data sources, and build consensus on principles for data. We have made tremendous progress in statistics over the last 15 years but there is still a lot to be done,” he noted.

South African Statistician General Dr Pali Lehohla added that the forum would bring people together to measure the progress being made in the world of technology.

“We are dealing with a number of stakeholders to discuss this complex human endeavour that has to be measured in a way that is sustainable, trustworthy and can separate progress from failure,” he stated.

He added that capacity, standards and governance were required for data and technology to exist, survive and thrive.

“This collaboration with the UN will also help us continue to work on the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),” Lehohla pointed.

The SDGs are a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity.

Over 1 000 data experts from more than 100 countries, including delegates from national statistical offices, data scientists from the private sector and academia, international organisations and civil society groups, as well as political leaders and sustainable development advocates, have registered to attend the forum.