Resident Coordinator's Remarks at the Launch of the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) campaign

Your Excellency Prime Minister, Mr. Najib Mikati,

Fellow UN colleagues,

Distinguished participants,

Good afternoon,

In times of crisis, data and results are critical to ensure informed decision-making by the Government, key stakeholders, and development partners, in providing support for children, their families, and those who are most in need.

Data is the base of our work, and its power is critical to the global agendas we serve. The UN family’s footprint, expertise, and partnerships create unique opportunities to advance global “data action” with insights, impact, and integrity. 

The UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework 2023-2025 signed with the Lebanese government last year, highlighted the data gaps in Lebanon and how this affects development programming and the measuring of progress towards the achievement of the SDGs. 

The last MICS survey was conducted in Lebanon in 2009 and today, UN agencies in Lebanon together with the Central Administration for Statistics (CAS) are preparing the ground for a Joint Programme on National Statistics System strengthening, that aims to build human capacity of the national statistical system, including public, private and civil society institutions, to generate and disseminate high-quality, multisectoral, disaggregated data and statistics in a timely manner.

Ladies and Gentlemen, 

We are in a race against time to help the most vulnerable people survive Lebanon’s unprecedented crises. Therefore, more needs to be done to ensure that the National Statistics System in Lebanon is adequately resourced, modernized, and aligned with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. 

This requires increased investment from the government and development partners. It also demands greater political commitment and firm leadership. In fact, investing in national statistics systems is not only a technical matter but also a strategic one. It is an investment in the future of our planet and its people. So, a strong CAS as the core of the national statistical system will undoubtedly put data to work for actual SDGs progress in Lebanon. 

The MICS survey comes in on time as a key instrument that will enable proper and timely reporting on the SDGs for Lebanon. Data will inform stakeholders in the design and delivery of programs and interventions that focus on the most vulnerable population groups by gender, geographic location, age, economic status, legal status, disability, and other key parameters to ensure that no one is left behind.

On behalf of the UN family in Lebanon, I reiterate our support to accelerate the data-driven transformation that lives up to the ambitions of the UN Charter and our Common Agenda. 

Thank you.