On May 5th, a meeting took place at the NBS with representatives of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Moldova - Dr. Karina A. Nersesyan, Country Representative, Natalia Plugaru, Deputy Country Representative and Igor Condrat, Programme Analyst on Census.

Discussions were focused on the current situation and prospects for enhancing bilateral cooperation with the aim of further modernising the national statistical system (NSS), with a special emphasis on the integration of advanced technologies in the production and dissemination of official statistics.

The Director General of the NBS, Oleg Cara, expressed the gratitude for the significant support provided by UNFPA, which plays a crucial role in the development of national statistics in line with international standards, particularly in the conduction of the 2024 Population and Housing Census, together with the EU and other development partners. He also highlighted the current priorities of the NBS, including the modernisation of IT infrastructure, the use of new administrative and private data sources, the strengthening of institutional capacities, as well as the enhancement of communication with users in order to promote education, statistical culture and, accordingly, the use of official statistics by the authorities, the academic environment, the business sector and the general public.

On her part, Karina Nersesyan, reiterated UNFPA's openness to strengthening the partnership, emphasized the importance of supporting the NBS in the development of official statistics, especially in the social-demographic field, and reconfirmed the continued support for the modernisation of the NSS.

During the meeting, the prospects for launching new joint projects were discussed, aimed at expanding data governance, supporting statistical reforms and creating a framework for the alignment with European standards. This includes promoting statistical culture and its use in the decision-making process, exploring opportunities for the exchange of best practices regarding the use of advanced technologies in censuses and other statistical activities, including through the organisation of study visits, training sessions, etc.

The collaboration between the NBS and UNFPA in Moldova is marked by a series of achievements within projects that have a significant impact on the development of official statistics and their alignment with international standards. A major example is the support provided by the EU and UNFPA for the organisation and conduct of the Population and Housing Census 2024, joined by other development partners.