1. Asian Development Bank Statistical Capacity Building 21 July 2008

2. Outline Introduction Need for statistical capacity building Shortfalls
Revised strategy for sustainability
Sustainability of SCB in recipient countries
Inter agency collaboration
21/07/2008

3. Introduction
ADB has history of technical assistance (TA) in statistical capacity building (SCB) since 1974
Only development agency in region with a SCB TA program
Assist in SCB activities through country specific TA programs or regional technical assistance (RETA) programs
Country specific TA (21 developing member countries have benefited)
Regional technical TA (all 44 developing member countries have benefited)
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4. Within ADB, the Economics and Research Dept
Within ADB, the Economics and Research Dept. has been the prime mover of statistical capacity building
Areas of SCB focused on:
developing skills on national accounts, price statistics, services sector statistics, poverty statistics, developing statistical plans, statistics act etc
resource transfer to underwrite statistical operation (surveys – household and establishment)
procurement of equipment
Significant strides have been made, but need for SCB TA still remains
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5. Conceptual Implementation of 1993 SNA
Fiscal Years 2002 to 2005
(Assessment 2006)
No. of Countries
1993 SNA
% of Total
UN Member Countries
192
101
53 %
Developed 1 28 26
93%
Transition Economies
100%
Developing
136 47
35%
Africa 53 9
17%
Caribbean and Latin America 33 19
58%
Western Asia 15 7
47%
Eastern, Southeastern, Southern Asia 23 10
43%
Oceania 12 2
ESCAP Member States 2 49 25
51%
1 Include Western Europe, Northern America, Japan, Australia, New Zealand
2 Include all Member States of ESCAP, excluding France, the Netherlands,
the U.K., and the U.S.A.
Source: Information provided by UNSD, August 2006.
NB: Conceptual implementation: inclusion of items affecting levels of GDP

6. Fiscal Years 2002 to 2005 (Assessment 2006)
Scope of Accounts (Minimum Requirement)
Fiscal Years 2002 to 2005 (Assessment 2006)
No. of Countries
Six or > tables
% of Total
Seven tables
UN Member Countries
192 94
49% 58
30%
Developed 1 28 24
86% 15
54%
Transition Economies 17
61%
Developing
136 53
39% 26
19%
Africa 12
23% 7
13%
Caribbean and Latin America 33 20 11
33%
Western Asia 8
53% 2
Eastern, Southern, Southern Asia 23
48% 5
22%
Oceania
17% 1 8%
ESCAP Member States 2 49
41% 13
27%
1 Include Western Europe, Northern America, Japan, Australia, New Zealand
2 Include all Member States of ESCAP, excluding France, the Netherlands,
the U.K., and the U.S.A.
Source: Information provided by UNSD, August 2006.
NB: Scope of implementation: measured by minimum dataset comprising 7 recommended tables

7. Need for SCB assistance Strengthen national statistical system:
Generate timely, reliable and quality statistics for efficient administration, management and evidence-based policy making
Ability to collect primary data
Generate internationally comparable statistics
Assisting countries with weak statistical systems to build statistical infrastructure
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8. Based on ad hoc requests by countries
Shortfalls
Gap filling:
substantial funding shortfall in NSO
satisfy an immediate demand of key users
Based on ad hoc requests by countries
SCB done on a piecemeal basis - devoid of any sustainability
Did not involve a systematic assessment of needs and relevance from:
standpoint of client county’s medium and long term statistical development strategy
in context of ADB’s own priority goals for statistical development in the region
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9. Examine statistical strength and weaknesses
Revised strategy for sustainability
1. Systematic – conduct diagnostic studies with direct country involvement
Examine statistical strength and weaknesses
Identify obstacles and positive factors for the development of statistics
Access availability of budgets for:
Statistical development
Human resources
Information technology
Field operation (surveys)
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10. 2. Long-term SCB programs drawn factoring in Institutional environment
Availability of statistical legislative framework
Management and organization of statistical system
Level of budgetary resources for statistical activities
Reflect national priorities
Stakeholder consultations – NSOs; line ministries
3. SCB to be results oriented
Clear and measurable targets – Design and monitoring framework drawn up with clearly stated outcomes and outputs
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11. 5. Promoting use administrative data sources
Appropriate conditionalities included
Country consent
Memorandum of Agreement - to promote and ensure government ownership and buy-in
Milestones to achieve outputs are set
Workshops to present results and assess results
Release of funds upon satisfactory attainment of predetermined and agreed milestones
4. Integrate SCB programs into the Country Partnership Strategy (CPS) for long-term commitment
5. Promoting use administrative data sources
Improve administrative data (AD) sources
Country assessment studies of AD system
Manual on Use of AD sources
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12. Sustainability of SCB in recipient country
Improved legal framework (statistics act) – NSOs mandated as primary source of official statistics
Statistical master plan (or a national statistics development strategy) with buy-in from government/Central Bank
programmed/structured implementation of statistical activities
set priorities based on budget allocation
secure government commitment to invest in SCB
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13. NSOs must remain relevant - conduct regular dialogue with users
produce timely, reliable and relevant statistics
understand priorities of users and developments in the economic world
ability to respond in a timely manner
Human resource issues
In developing countries staff costs typically represent more than 75% of budget (Source: WB)
Chronic budgetary shortfall for routine statistical activities
High staff turnover undermine the effectiveness of training
Need to develop skills and keep up with technical developments
Limited supply of skills
Limited flexibilities
Small staff size
Limited training opportunities
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14. Inter agency collaboration in SCB
Training
Organizing training seminars and workshops
make it relevant to regional circumstances
immediate relevance to countries in the region
Targeted technical assistance, advisory missions and consultancies
Advocacy workshops on need for statistics for policy making
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15. Technical cooperation
The 2005 ICP modal
Governance structure premised on
Regional coordinating agencies working closely with beneficiary countries at regional level
World Bank working with regional coordinating agencies at global level
The IMF-WB modal in Anglophone Africa
Formal separation of responsibilities
the IMF covers macroeconomic and financial statistics
World Bank covers socio-demographic statistics
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16. Thank you
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