Developing a programme for the
implementation of the
2008 SNA and supporting statistics
Side event at the 2013 UNSC
Organised by UNSD
23 February 2013
New York, USA
Outline
∙ Introduction
∙ 2008 SNA implementation programme
∙ Activities of ISWGNA members
∙ Developing a programme for SNA
implementation and supporting statistics
∙ Discussion
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Introduction
∙ Increased concerns about data gaps and
major revisions in national accounts and
supporting statistics of developing countries
∙ Need to revisit the effectiveness of the
implementation of the 2008 SNA and
supporting statistics
∙ One option is to address the institutional
arrangements, the statistical operations and
the statistical infrastructure at country level
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Introduction




NSOs committed to uphold UN Fundamental Principles
of Official Statistics and 2008 SNA implementation goals
However, mobilising political motivation at the highest
levels of government is encumbered by absence of
adequate statistical management and communication
strategies
The UNSC also recognised the need for scaling up the
SNA implementation
Aim today: to discuss the UNSD approach to developing
an implementation programme for the 2008 SNA and
supporting statistics at the country level
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Global 2008 SNA Implementation
Programme

Global statistical initiative, mandated by the 40th
UNSC following the adoption of the 2008 SNA,
with dual objective to assist countries to:
–
–
Change over to the 2008 SNA;
improve scope, detail and quality of the national
accounts and supporting economic statistics
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Objective of the
Global Statistical Initiative
Develop national accounts that are responsive to:
–
Macroeconomic and sectoral policy needs
–
Global economic and financial interconnected
environment (global production, trade and finance
and their interdependency with national economy)
–
Short term economic vulnerabilities (early warning
indicators for tracing turning points in the business
cycle
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Principles of the global initiative
The efficiency and sustainability of the initiative
rest on the agreed principles of the
implementation strategy:
(a) strategic planning
(b) coordination, monitoring and
reporting
(c) improving statistical systems
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Elements to operationalise the initiative
Strategic planning framework: NSDS as the strategic
planning framework
Information structure: based on the integrated economic
statistics approach (standards, statistical production
process, institutional arrangements) and internationally
agreed scope (MRDS) and compliance for the national
accounts and supporting economic statistics
Modalities: Training and technical cooperation, publication
of manuals and handbooks, research and advocacy
Stages of implementation: leading to the change over to
the 2008 SNA.
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Implementation stages

Three stages
o Stage I: Review of strategic framework and detailing of
national and regional implementation programmes
•
Statement of strategy – Development of an economic statistics
programme for compiling the required scope and detail of the
National Accounts to inform policy makers
•
Diagnosis of current situation – Assessment of the national
statistical system to support the national accounts compilation
(self assessment diagnostic tool)
•
Development of strategic vision for national accounts and
supporting statistics shared among stakeholders
•
Develop implementation plan based on agreed priorities with
a minimum set of core indicators
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Implementation stages

Stage II: Adaptation of classification frameworks,
business registers and frames, surveys, administrative
data sources and information technology infrastructure.

Stage III: Application of adapted frameworks and
source data, backcasting and changeover to 2008
SNA

Each country will determine the duration of the various
stages.
–
It is expected that from 2014 onwards, many Member
States will change over to the 2008 SNA following a
gradual two or three year transition for each stage.
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Activities of ISWGNA members

Light coordination mechanism allows for flexibility

Active in statistical capacity building providing training
and technical cooperation, publication of manuals and
handbooks and research

Most recent activities of the ISWGNA members and the
regional commissions described annually in the report of
the ISWGNA to the UNSC

In addition, all these agencies also disseminate support
material through their respective websites
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UNSD activities

UNSD, in collaboration with RCs, conducted series of
seminars to align regional and global implementation
programmes

Country visits the next phase – to help countries
develop strategic vision and implementation programme

Lead countries identified to support SNA
implementation at a sub-regional level
–
National seminar with lead country
(Sub) regional seminar with support from lead country
–
Follow up with countries by UNSD, RCs and lead country
–
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UNSD activities
Objectives of the seminars are to

–
Identify the macro economic policy needs to determine
the scope and detail of the NA that needs to be
compiled
–
To prepare for an assessment of the adequacy of the
statistical production process to provide the required
data for the compilation of the NA
–
To identify the required actions for implementation
–
To develop a statement of strategy
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Statement of strategy

a strategic planning frame work for the development of
an economic statistics programme to meet policy
needs

set of actions to accomplish statistical and institutional
goals for the sustainable improvement of the economic
statistics programmes
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Statement of Strategy –
take into account
Policy documents, NSDS, etc.
 Regional strategic frameworks for statistical capacity
building
 Regulatory and institutional framework – strengthening
the functioning of NSS, its programming, management
and performance
 Statistical infrastructure – strengthening of use of
classifications, registers and frames and IT
infrastructure
 Statistical operations of data collection, compilation,
dissemination and analysis

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Elements of the
statement of strategy
 Mandate,
 Mission
statement
 Values
 High-level
 Specific
goals
goals
 Required
actions
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Statement of strategy
High-level goals represent the overall
accomplishments to be achieved
 Improving scope, quality and timeliness of economic
statistics
 Minimizing response burden
 Increasing use of administrative data for statistical
purposes
 Achieving cost effectiveness using best practices
 Raising public awareness and use of national accounts
and economic statistics

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Statement of strategy

Specific goals describe the ultimate results that need
to be accomplished
–
Compile national accounts according to milestone two
or MRDS
–
Develop a national central hub for short term economic
statistics
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Statement of strategy
Required actions to be carried out:
 Regulatory and institutional framework – strengthening
the functioning of NSS, its programming, management
and performance
 Statistical infrastructure – strengthening of use of
standards (2008 SNA), classifications (ISIC Rev 4),
registers and frames
 Statistical operations – strengthening of data
collection, compilation, dissemination and analysis
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Examples of actions
Improve statistical legislation, code of conduct, service
agreements for NSS
 Comply with standards: 2008 SNA, ISIC rev 4, etc.
 Upgrade of business registers and area frames
 Extend use of administrative data
 Increase periodicity and timeliness of data (price
statistics, production and turnover surveys)
 Integrate survey and questionnaire design of
economic activity surveys (structural business
statistics and short term business statistics)
 Integrate survey and questionnaire design of
household surveys (labour and income and
expenditure surveys)
 Extend coverage of enterprises (informal sector
surveys etc.

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Consolidation of statistical requirements,
assessments and actions
 Confrontation
–
–
–
–
of
Goals – as determined by international
recommendations – compliance
Requirements to meet goals – administrative and
survey resources
Current status – present practices
Actions – to remedy the shortcomings
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Consolidation of statistical requirements,
assessments and actions
Frequency 2008
M Q A SNA
Required
sources
Data item
N V N V N V
Nominal
Volu
mes
Principal data
sources and
compilation
methods
Nomi
Volumes
nal
National accounts
aggregates to comply to
Milestone 2 - MRDS
Set of short term
indicators
Blue – Goals
Green – needs
Red – current status
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Conclusions
Statement of strategy:

requires agreement by the national statistical system
(data producer, provider and user), high political
support and donor consultation

is basis for formulating a national implementation
programme

is basis for actively seeking funding for implementation
programmes from own sources and donors
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http://unstats.un.org/unsd/nationalaccount/default.asp
SNA@un.org
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Points for discussion
 Is
the development of a statement of strategy an
appropriate step for the development of a
programme for the implementation of the SNA
and supporting statistics?
 Is the sub-regional approach with lead countries
the right approach for developing multi-year
implementation programme that could be scaled
up to the regional and global level?
 Do you have other suggestions to facilitate the
implementation of the SNA?
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Thank you
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