1. Strategy of Statistics in Georgia
Global Assessment and
Strategy of Statistics in Georgia
UNECE Workshop on Strengthening National Capacity for the Sustainable Development of Statistics
4-6 October 2017, Tbilisi, Georgia
Maia Guntsadze
Deputy Executive Director
National Statistics Office of Georgia – Geostat

2. Outline of presentation
About Geostat
Global Assessment and its Objectives
Recommendations for improvements from GA
GA Impact : Institutional environment/conditions
Main outputs and Impact from GA
Future plans and Challenges
Strategy of Statistics Georgia 2017–2020

3. About Geostat About Geostat General Information
Legal Entity of Public Law
Coordinator of National Statistical System
Reporting/accountable to the Parliament and to the Prime Minister
Management Board - 8 Member Board (5 non public servants and 3 Government bodies), the Board is chaired by the Executive Director
Advisory Board -consist of at least 8 members (non public servants)
Legal Basis
Law on Official Statistics
Annual Statistical Programme
Geostat Charter
Geostat Board/ Advisory Board Charter
Coordination of Statistical Activities
The statistical Law gives Geostat the role of coordinating and overseeing official statistics in Georgia 1

4. Global Assessment and its Objectives
2 AGA Missions was conducted in 2012
The assessment was based on an extensive review performed during two assessment missions.
With the Main objective :
To describe and analyze institutional and organizational aspects of Geostat including the compliance of Georgian official statistics with international and European standards, norms and recommendations, incorporating:
the European statistics Code of Practice,
the UN Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics
GA topics covered Broad strategic reviews of Georgian statistical system:
- Institutional environment /statistical infrastructure
- Practice in individual statistical domains -sector statistics
- Whether resources are efficiently used, and well directed
- Engagement with users and respondents

5. Recommendations for improvements from GA
Based on GA Mission Report :
Total number of given recommendations was 125
80 percent of GA recommendations (100 out of 125) have been implemented fully or are ongoing
Some of them (5 out of 125) were regarded as non-relevant (out of Geostat’s competence) for implementation, in this case percentage increases to 83.
A set of changes have been made according to the recommendations of the AGA in recent years. In particular:
In several significant changes and amendments to the law on official statistics were made (Professional Independence, Mandate for data collection, new definitions, census periodicity etc.).
UN fundamental principles and ESS Code of Practice translated into Georgian and distributed among entire statistical system.
Coordination of Statistical Activities - To ensure better coordination and information exchange Geostat has cooperation memoranda and agreements in place with major producers of official statistics and data providers (Government agencies-20, Business associations-8, NGO-5, Universities-7 in Total 40 MOE.).

6. GA Impact : Institutional environment/conditions
Adequacy of ressources - Methodology and Quality Management unit has been created according to the AGA recommendations
Commitment to quality - Interagency working group on quality issues has been created; Consists of Producers/Providers, 14 government institutions in total.
Statistical confidentiality - New policy documents and guidelines have been prepared: Confidentiality policy, Public use micro-data dissemination policy, Confidentiality reminder, Guidelines on the protection of tabulated personal data, Guidelines on the protection of tabulated business data, Statistical data revision policy.
Non-excessive burden on respondents –simplification of questionnaires, increased usage of administrative data; modernized data collection methods.
New Methodologies & New Classifications developed- New surveys (Truism, ICT, Energy statistics, LFS, Agricultural surveys, BS, etc.) & the national version of the NACE rev.2
Open Access to Statistical Information - Continue ensuring availability of statistics and data to researchers, journalists and the broader public
Data Dissemination and user friendly tools- Geostat web-page and calendar Newsletter subscribe service, PC-Axis, Social media, online Business Register etc.
Impartiality -Data are disseminated following  the pre-announced release calendar and all users have equal access to statistical release at the same time (11 O’clock).   

7. Main outputs and Impact from GA
Very useful dialogue with the GA team in every important area of statistical production & dissemination
Strategic orientation and re-design of statistical system
Good Basis for work programmes and new projects
Planning of assistance by donors
Good Justification and core stone for development and budgeting
Clear statement that the statistical system is a much more complex organism than only an NSO
Measuring Progress - Other International assessments:
Business statistics Sectoral review; World Bank Capacity Indicator; IMF ROSC; FAO/SPAERS; SIDA/Statistics Sweden- covers different domains.
Improvement of methodology and field operations (online, CATI, CAPI is under development);
Dialogue with data users - Meetings in different regions
Award from Open Society Foundation(NGO) for assurance openness and public information access

8. Future plans and Challenges
Goal is The re-engineering of statistical system to produce more statistics in a more effective way.
Plans:
On 27 June 2014 the Association Agreement between the EU and Georgia was signed. The Association agenda envisages actions to prepare for approximation to the EU acquis in the field of statistics. To achieve the goal of full compliance with EU Standards, additional efforts and financial and human resources will be needed
Ask for New AGA in the nearest future
Snapshot tool is a lighter alternative for self assessment
International help –received by the twinning or cooperation project might play an important role
GeoStat still faces difficulties to fulfill its coordination role with other producers of official statistics in Georgia
Limited resources & Capabilities

9. Strategy of Statistics Georgia 2017–2020
New Strategy of Statistics Georgia 2017–2020 is under development
In Line with international recommendations (TAIEX TA -Statistics Lithuania)
Development of NSDS tailored to the SDG context & linkage with SDG Goals- It will set out how the Georgian Statistical System can be aligned more closely with the SDG
Covers a short-term action plan
Long-term perspectives and vision for the future
Detailed work programme, based on the main priorities
Assessment of the current situation, main constraints and challenges

10. Thank you for your attention!
Meeting the requirements of the users within quality
Thank you for your attention!
Maia Guntsadze
Deputy Executive Director
National Statistics Office of Georgia