This paper argues that the statistical community has reached a fork in the road. Incremental adjustment alone may no longer be sufficient. Countries and the international community face a strategic choice between two broad paths, each with distinct implications for legitimacy, financing, risk and equity. Rather than prescribing a single solution, the paper provides a framework to facilitate informed debate among all stakeholders of official statistics as they chart a course towards more sustainable and inclusive data systems. It is also the foundation for a forthcoming series of policy briefs that will explore specific aspects of this theme in greater depth and help sharpen policy attention to key areas.
At the Global Data Festival in Nairobi, PARIS21 and Open Data Watch convened a diverse group of stakeholders to discuss the future of official statistics and explore concrete responses to the challenges facing national data systems.
Building on the paper, participants examined how governments, national statistical offices, international organisations, civil society and development partners can work together to address financing constraints, strengthen trust in data, modernise statistical systems and respond to evolving user needs.
Through breakout discussions and peer exchange, the session moved beyond diagnosing challenges to identifying actions that can help ensure data systems remain resilient, relevant and capable of supporting sustainable development in the years ahead.