Within the context of the project being implemented by UN-ESCWA and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on "Statistical Literacy and Capacity Building for the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Monitoring at the Country Level", a workshop was organized in collaboration with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)-Middle East and North Africa Office, in Amman from 13 to 15 March 07. The workshop entitled "Building National Capacity to Maintain a Central Repository of Data (CRD)" focused on building the capacities of DevInfo country teams working at the national statistical offices in the participating countries (Jordan, Palestine, and Tunisia) in order to conduct a database review and data cleaning of their existing DevInfo databases. The ultimate objective is to ensure optimal use of DevInfo as a functional central repository of data for the MDGs and other national development indicators. 

 

Throughout the training, facilitators from UN-ESCWA and UNICEF assisted the participating countries in reviewing the DevInfo structure and content for each country. At the end of the training, participants submitted a preliminary report documenting their work during the sessions including the formulation of an action plan and timetable for the CRD cleanup. Upon completion of the final report and successful clean up of their databases, the countries are expected to launch and disseminate their respective DevInfo databases.