Consensus has been reached internationally on the centrality of an holistic, strategic approach to improving national statistical systems to provide the information needed for poverty-focused development programmes. For instance, the Second International Roundtable on Managing for Development Results in February 2004 and the resulting Marrakech Action Plan on Managing for Development Results set out the aim that 'National Statistical Systems can meet the monitoring and evaluation requirements of PRSPs, MDGs and other national development plans' through 'integrated statistical plans covering all data sectors and users' and to increase the 'number of countries with a fully costed, integrated statistical action plan’. The Marrakech Action Plan for Statistics (MAPS) was even more specific in recommending ‘Mainstreaming strategic planning of statistical systems and preparing national strategies for the development of statistics for all low income countries by 2006’.

The concepts of strategic planning for statistics have evolved over the past two decades but recognition of the needs for strategic approaches are not new. A number of international initiatives have addressed these needs, for instance as long ago as the late 1980s when the Addis Ababa Plan of Action for Statistics in the 1990s (prepared by UNECA) was based around demand-driven, user-focused national statistical development plans. A number of countries have worked to develop their statistical systems in this way, including with international support, and subsequent international initiatives and programmes have been relevant to—and helped to develop—strategic approaches to the development of national statistics in developing countries. These include: the General Data Dissemination System (GDDS), Multi-annual Integrated Statistical Programme (MISP), the third edition of the UN Handbook of Statistical Organisation and most recently the STATCAP Master Plan (SMP) and NSDSs. Each of these ‘instruments’ or approaches address the recommendations from Marrakech, but this does not help countries (and donors) in deciding on the path to follow (or support).

These approaches are complementary and specific to particular situations. Each seeks to take the agenda forward in their specific domain: e.g. MISPs mainly in the former Soviet Union, SMPs in countries seeking an IDA loan for statistics, GDDS initially for quality and access to economic and financial data (now broader). There is no competition between them, and none is needed.

NSDS guidelines have been developed on behalf of the PARIS21 constituency, including the architects and managers of, and building on experience from, these ongoing strategic planning initiatives and programmes. The aim is an umbrella approach, which distills and seeks to evolve good practice in strategic planning based on experience. In any particular country, the NSDS might include and build on an existing GDDS improvement programme and/or an MISP and/or an SMP. In each case, good note should be taken of guidance from the UN handbook.