Sixth SPECA Project Working Group Meeting Geneva, 16 June 2011 United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Statistical Division Adapted Global Assessment of National Statistical Systems Status report two years after the Yalta seminar Sixth SPECA Project Working Group Meeting Geneva, 16 June 2011

2009 Yalta Seminar Joint EFTA – Eurostat- UNECE high-level Seminar on global assessment for EECCA countries. 11 countries participated, including Mongolia; International principles and good practices regarding collection, processing and dissemination of official statistics; Overview of the ongoing and future initiatives, developments and procedures for requesting and organizing global assessments of the national statistical systems in the region Requests for global assessment to be sent to UNECE for Central Asia countries and to Eurostat for the other EECCA countries. 2

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Purpose of Global Assessments of National Statistical Systems (NSS) To assess the compliance of NSS with international standards, norms and recommendations, including the UN Fundamental Principles and the EU Code of Practice; To assess the institutional aspects of the NSS and its technical and organizational capacity to produce and disseminate official statistics in all relevant areas ; To address recommendations for the development of national statistical capacities; For national authorities to better programme the long-term development of statistics; For multilateral and bilateral donors to define the priorities for future co-operation.

The 5 stages of a Global Assessment Stage 1 – Preparatory work Available reference and information materials about the NSS are collected through an assessment guidance questionnaire. Stage 2 – First Assessment mission 5-day global assessment mission from EFTA – Eurostat – UNECE experts to collect in-depth information from producers and users of statistical information about the NSS. Stage 3 – Interim consultations – Draft report Production of a draft report submitted to the National Statistical Institute for consultation and, if necessary, ongoing ad-hoc consultation with producers and users in the country. Stage 4 – Second Assessment mission Discuss the draft report with the National Statistical Institutes and other stakeholders and propose recommendations. Stage 5 – Final reporting The final global assessment report including recommendations to be approved by the assessors and the National statistical Institutes for publication. 7

Where are we so far and what are the plans? Global assessment carried out: Kazakhstan (2008); Armenia (2009); and Azerbaijan (2010). Global assessment requested and planned: Kyrgyzstan (second mission July 2011); Ukraine (first mission September 2011); Belarus (2012); Moldova (2012). Requests for global assessments to be sent to: - UNECE for Central Asia countries - Eurostat for European neighbouring countries

Global assessment as a tool for the strategic development of statistics? Presentation from the Armenian experience Comments and general discussion on usefulness of global assessments for the development of national statistical systems; should we change something? Proposal for a Yalta II High-Level Seminar

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