IDB’s Support in the area of statistics and census including NSDS

Objective of the Presentation What has IDB done in the are of statistics/census and how will it support the Region in the future? Projects in execution/to be executed in the area of strengthening statistics and census Possible support of the IDB in the area of strengthening National Statistical System Possible support of the IDB in the area of execution of population/housing census

Experiences Three types of financing: –Loans to finance institutional strengthening/modernization of the national statistics institution. –Loans to finance execution of censuses. –Financial support to regional activities.

Experience in Statistics Loans to finance the process of institutional strengthening/modernization of national statistics institutions: –Honduras 2002 –Guyana 2003 –Dominican Republic 2005 –Venezuela 2006 –Barbados 2007

Experience in Censuses since 1999 Financing the process of censuses: –Bolivia, 1999 –Paraguay y Ecuador, 2000 –Honduras, 2001 –Suriname, 2002 –Nicaragua, 2004 –Colombia, 2005 These loans have financed all kinds of budgetary lines: –Purchase of equipment. –Hiring of personnel. –Consultancy (technical assistance)

Experience in Regional Activities Financial support to regional activities: –To help and promote coordination among countries. –Support horizontal cooperation between countries and the learning process. Among the activities in this category, there are: –The start of the execution of the technical cooperation “The Use of Technology in Population Censuses.” –The preparation of the project “Statistics on Establishments and Enterprises” to be financed in the framework of “Regional Public Goods Program”. –The finalization of the activities of the MECOVI Program, approved in 2005 as a part of the Regional Public Goods Program.

MECOVI Program – Improvement of the Statistics for the measurement of life conditions (Mejoramiento de las estadísticas para la medición de condiciones de vida) The Program has 5 sub-projects: 1.Migration and Remittances – Central America 2.Harmonization of instruments for social statistics – Andean Community 3.Poverty – Measurement and definition of poverty lines – Regional 4.Monitoring of the Millennium Development Goals – Regional 5.Common Census of MERCOSUR, Chile y Bolivia

Possible support of the IDB in the area of strengthening of the National Statistics System What can we support? Promote the processes that allow improving the quality and timeliness of statistical information. Support institutional strengthening of the National Statistics System (NSS) and of the National Statistics Offices (NSO). This includes support to design and implementation of NSDS. Support the development of technical capacity in information technology for NSS and NSO. Promote relevant activities in coordination with regional/international organizations that work in this theme and are able to add value to the institutional offer of the Bank. (UNFPA, CARICOM ECLAC, SCA, UN, World Bank, among others).

What is the emphasis? Result-based Management – statistics and census that works to achieve this objective Mid-to-long term answers to organizational and management matters Through: Promotion of the innovation in public management Establishment of alliance/collaboration (public- private and with knowledge institutions) South-South Cooperation Possible support of the IDB in the area of strengthening of the National Statistics System (Continued)

Possible support of the IDB in the area of strengthening of the National Statistics System (Continued) What are the instruments for support? Loans (investment loans, policy-based loans) Technical Cooperation (reimbursable, non-reimbursable) Regional Public Goods Program (2009 deadline-Sept. 15) Knowledge products What is the procedure to request support? First contact the Country Office in your country. The responsible party in the Country Office will coordinate with the Headquarters. Prioritize the themes in your country. - Put the necessity to improve statistics in the national agenda through communication with the authorities that include the governor of your country before the Bank. - Raise the point of statistics improvement in the dialogue between your country and the IDB, including the Programming process.

Support to the censuses What was mentioned in the previous 3 slides also applies to census operations. The only difference is the timing: for the Bank to support the 2010 Round of populations, it is urgent that the process start now, taking into consideration the time we will need to process the financing request and the planning of the censuses. The Bank can support different censuses: Population/housing census, economic census, agricultural census, etc. The Bank can support different phases of the census: (Planning, design of questionnaire, mapping and geographic processes, implementation of the field work, processing and tabulation of the data collected, evaluation, analysis and dissemination of the results.

Conclusions The IDB is willing to support initiatives in the area of statistics and census including the support to NSDS. When it comes to census operations the timing of request is particularly important. Include in the national agenda the importance of improving statistics and census as soon as possible and express that in different occasions of dialog with the Bank (Regular meetings with country offices, Programming Missions, and other opportunities for dialogue) Focus: activities that are conducive to the generation and sharing of knowledge

Contact Information Janine Perfit Mariko Russell Thank you for your attention!