United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs/
Statistics Division (UNSD)
International experience in economic
statistics programmes
Regional Workshop for African Countries on the Compilation of
Basic Economic Statistics
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia,
16 – 19 October 2007
Presenter: Len Cook, UNSD Consultant
1
Vision -
Forum on Africa Statistical Development
“Our vision…………..
• as core producers of statistics in Africa
• is the installation of a statistical infrastructure,
• through enhanced partner-ship among stakeholders
at all levels,
• capable of providing and promoting the effective
management and utilization of quality data, and
• information for evidence-based policy and decisionmaking,
• monitoring development programmes and
• democratic accountability.”
Statistical Development in Africa: A Strategic framework
2
Decision-making in economic
statistics
Global accumulation of knowledge of decisions and
s/understanding needed in societies
National accumulation of knowledge
Statistical Frameworks national/international
Statistical processes
Statistical methods
Statistical practice
Surveying
Statistical measures
Country decisions/ understanding
3
Decision-making in economic
statistics
Global accumulation of knowledge of decisions and
s/understanding needed in societies
National accumulation of knowledge
Statistical Frameworks national/international
Statistical processes
Statistical methods
Statistical practice
Surveying
Statistical measures
Country decisions/ understanding
4
Decision-making in economic
statistics
Global accumulation of knowledge of decisions and
s/understanding needed in societies
National accumulation of knowledge
Statistical Frameworks national/international
Statistical processes
Statistical methods
Statistical practice
Surveying
Statistical measures
Country decisions/ understanding
5
Assumptions critical to economic statistics
Assumptions of
closed economy
and equilibria
irrelevant
Limitations in
classification and
valuation
Unpredictable
change in economic
system
Public institutions
do not manage
relevant
transactions
6
Assumptions critical to economic statistics
Assumptions of
closed economy
and equilibria
irrelevant
Limitations in
classification and
valuation
Unpredictable
change in economic
system
Public institutions
do not manage
relevant
transactions
7
Development path for NSI Planning
Anticipate change in
direction of statistical
sources and statistical
measures
High
Continuity of
Government
Funding
to
NSI
Capacity to change
the scope and
quality of statistics
low
Capacity to repeat
annual and monthly
operations
Low
----
Capacity to
extend
statistical
activities and
maintain
regular
activity
User commitment ----
high
8
Integrating elements
INTEGRATION
THROUGH
COMMON
METHODOLOGY
AND
PRACTICE
MATCHING
BY COMMON
STATISTICAL
SURVEY
FRAMES, AND
IDENTIFIERS
COMMON
QUALITY
MEASURES
FOR
SURVEY
EVENTS
COMMON
ORGANISATION
OF DATA
ARRAYS
REAL TIME SURVEY PROCESS INFORMATION
REAL-TIME
PROCESSES OF
STATISTICAL
FRAMEWORKS
& SYSTEMS
REPLACEABLE
COMMON TOOLS, AND SYSTEMS
COMMON DATA MANAGEMENT (ORACLE)
USERS DETERMINE WHOLE SYSTEM
CROSS CUTTING VARIABLES
META DATA
9
Managing obsolescence in statistical
Development
process
project scale
18 months
15 months
One year
Meta
data
9 months
Methods and
survey tools
6 months
Presentation and
extraction tools
3 months
Investment Life-span
Competitiveness
Innovation
Responsiveness
Best practice
Reliability
Cycle times
Cost structure
Integration
Coherence
Knowledge base
Geographic base
10
Core capabilities of National Statistics
Fundamental
Pillars of Official Statistics
T
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T
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N
T
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G
R
A
T
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O
N
NSI FOCUSED CAPABILITIES
Statistical Legislation
Statistical Standards
Statistical Frameworks
Training
Knowledge of methodologies
International co-operation
Statistical Organisation
R
E
L
E
V
A
N
C
E
STATISTICAL SYSTEM
FOCUSED CAPABILITIES
E
X
P
E
R
T
P
E
R
F
O
R
M
A
N
C
E
GLOBAL NETWORKS
Privacy Legislation
UN Principles of Official Statistics
Code of Practice
UNSNA
Advisory Bodies
Beijing (Women)
National Information Policy
Rio (Environment)
Regional Collaboration
Voorburg (Services)
Information Technology
Ottawa (Prices)
Market Infrastructures
IMF SDDS
11
Accreditation of quality