The Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) is moving forward with the establishment of a Bougainville Bureau of Statistics, a major step toward strengthening evidence-based planning, accountable governance, and institutional readiness.
The initiative follows a productive intergovernmental meeting between ABG officials and Papua New Guinea’s National Statistical Office (NSO), during which agreements were reached to formally transfer statistical powers through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
The MoU, planned to be signed later this month in Buka, will provide the legal and operational framework for Bougainville to assume statistical authority under the Sharp Agreement and the 2001 Bougainville Peace Agreement.
Dr Steven Kolova, Deputy Secretary for Strategic Planning and Policy Coordination in the Department of President and Bougainville Executive Council, led the ABG delegation. Representing the NSO were Mrs Hajily Kele, Deputy National Statistician for the Population & Social Statistics Division (PSSD), and Mr Rennie Moat, Coordination Manager for the Statistical Field Services Division (SFSD).
Dr Kolova said the establishment of a Bougainville Bureau of Statistics will significantly enhance government planning, service delivery, and decision-making through reliable data and insights.
“In every nation, whether developed or developing, data and statistics play a vital role—a nation without data is a nation without direction,” Dr Kolova stated. “As Bougainville advances toward greater autonomy, our ability to collect, analyze, and utilize reliable statistical information becomes fundamental to evidence-based policymaking, effective resource allocation, and monitoring our development progress.”
He added that the Department of President and Bougainville Executive Council is leading a phased approach to building statistical functions that will transition into a standalone Bureau of Statistics, ensuring long-term sustainability while maintaining national data quality standards.
“Quality statistics enable us to understand our population’s needs, measure economic performance, track social indicators, and plan strategically for our future. This is not merely a technical function—it is foundational to accountable, responsive governance that serves the people of Bougainville,” he said.
Officials were advised that legal review of the MoU is progressing well, with alignment to Part XIV of the National Constitution, the Organic Law on Peace-Building in Bougainville, and the Bougainville Constitution.
Under the proposed framework, the ABG will develop its own statistical legislation, supported by comprehensive capacity-building and institutional development assistance from the NSO.
“The National Statistical Office is committed to ensuring that Bougainville has robust, independent statistical capacity,” Mrs Kele said. “This partnership reflects our shared responsibility to ensure data-driven governance serves the people of Bougainville.”
