1. Cambodia Statistical System and its Modernization Production Process
International Association for Official Statistics Conference “Meeting the demands of a Changing World” on 8-10 October 2014
in Da Nang, Vietnam
Cambodia Statistical System and its Modernization Production Process
Sok Kosal, Deputy Director General ,National Institute of Statistics
Ministry of Planning, Cambodia

2. Out line of Presentation
Historical context of statistics in Cambodia
National Statistical System in Cambodia
National Statistical Structure
Rule and Obligation
Resources and Capability Development
Coordination and Cooperation
Some prerequisites of Statistics
Modernization And Production Process
Key Challenges
Lesson Learnt
Future directions

3. Historical context of statistics in Cambodia
Cambodia was protectorate by French between the years 1863 to The central statistics office was established in 1948 called Department of Statistics. Since then, the Department has undergone many transformations due to political, economic and social circumstances.
it was titled the Statistics Department of Cambodia
it was named the Department of Statistics and Economic Study
it was known as the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Research under the Ministry of Planning
it was dismantled in the Khmer Rouge Regime
DOS restarted with new building with 21 young staff in 1979
(DOS) was under the Ministry of Finance
DOS was upgraded to NIS in 1994 under the Ministry of Planning

4. Cambodia’s National Statistical System
National Statistical System (NSS) of Cambodia is highly decentralized system
Present NSS is defined by the Statistical Law, “integrated statistics data and national statistical programmes; statistical organizations and units within line ministries and institutions of the Royal Government of Cambodia; and their statistical staff and infrastructure”
The system is a two tiered structure consisted of:
National Institute of Statistics (NIS) – the official statistical policy-making body and coordinating, and empowered to collect statistics under the Statistics Law
27 Line Ministries/Institutions and National Bank of Cambodia – collect statistics as by-products of administrative systems or/and jointly conduct setoral surveys with NIS

5. Cambodia’s NSS: Selected Key Line Ministries
National Institute of Statistics (NIS)
MoEYS
(EMIS Office)
Ministry of Health
(Bureau of Health Statistics)
Ministry of Tourism (Statistics Office)
National Bank of Cambodia
(Statistics Department)
MAFF
(Bureau of Agricultural Statistics)
Produces education statistics
Produces agricultural statistics
Produces health statistics
Produces money and banking statistics
Produces tourism statistics
Statistical policy-making, coordinating and produces general purpose statistics

6. National Statistical Structure
The NIS is headed by a Director General who is assisted by Deputy Directors General with eight Departments, NIS currently employed 342 staffs at central level and 380 staffs at local level.
Analysis Department and Statistical Policies and Cooperation
Economic Statistics Department
Social Statistics Department
Demographic Statistics, Census and Survey Department,
ICT Department
Statistical Standard and Analysis Department
National Account Department
Sub national Statistics (New)

7. National Statistical Structure (Con’t)
Organization Diagram of NIS

8. Rule and Obligation
NIS is the official national statistical institution under MOP ( Art. 17 of Statistics Law)
NIS is responsible ( Art. 11 of Statistics Law) :
Conducting censuses (Population, Agriculture, Economic)
Conducting surveys to collect basic statistics (Cambodia Socio-economic survey (CSES), demographic and health survey (DHS), demographic surveys, labor force survey, etc.)
Utilizing administrative data sources
Compiling national accounts and prices indices, as well as economic, environment and socio-demographic indicators
NIS is responsible Publishing and disseminating relative priorities various statistics and related surveys/data sources in consultation with major data users and producers

9. Resources
There are three main building equipped with good office equipment
The central level staff of NIS has increased considerably to 342 at central level and 380 at the local level.
The improvement in the quality of the NIS staff has continued. The number of staff with at least a master’s degree was 34 in 2011.
There have been significant increases TA and financing provided to NIS by development partner such as Government of Japan, JICA, UNFPA, SIDA Sweden, UNICEF, USAID and other donors described above.
Statistical Master Plan pointed that financing from the RGC will be significant
The SMP sets out a longer term, prioritized plan for Cambodia's national statistical system
The budget has reached 6 million US$ in 2010 (2011 is the Economic Census year).
The Government budget for NIS increased from 0.25 million US$ in 1999 to 2.1 million US$ in 2010 (including local offices, statistical bureaus) .
Donors budget for NIS increased from 0.7 million US$ to 4.0 million US$ including consultancies during the same period.

10. Capability Development
Extremely difficult to build the capacity for NIS to carry out statistical activities in the country, with rebuilding with small young group staff and need for comprehensive, reliable and timely data for policy making and better planning was very much felt.
The efforts were started to build the capacity of NIS local ownership and other stakeholders in the statistical system of Cambodia.
First, has recognized the value of local ownership
Second, International capacity through development cooperation from the development partners such ADB, UNDP, WB, UNFPA, JICA, UNICEF, Sida, UNESCAP, UNSD, FAO and others international development counterpart.
Various kinds of methodologies in data collection, processing, analysing, disseminating from administrative and surveys were undertaken with assistance from International Agencies.
SMP were made in subsequent years to assess the requirements for strengthening the statistical system in Cambodia long-term, prioritized plan for national statistical system (NSS) for the period 2006 to 2015
Financing and technical requirements have been agreed, through extensive consultations, between line ministries and institutions and their development partners.

11. Coordination and Cooperation
The National Institute of Statistics, under the Ministry of Planning, shall be responsible for making official statistical policies in establishing an integrated National Statistical System, encompassing all designated official statistics and statistical organizational units within ministries and institutions. The Royal Government shall issue a Sub-Decree on the operation of the National Statistical System and designated official statistics.
Coordination in activities of statistical development, including training, with the ministries and institutions of the Royal Government, and the private sector, at the national and sub-national level.
Cooperative arrangements in statistical activities with international organizations, other national statistical offices, and other private institutions in accordance with the prevailing legislation.
National statistical standards pertaining to classifications, concepts, definitions and statistical units, so as to avoid confusion on the part of data users and any duplication of official statistical data on the part of data producers.

12. Statistics Advisory Council
Statistics Advisory Council (SAC) is the highest policy advisory on statistical matters in the country
SAC consists of Minister of Planning as a Chairperson and Secretary of State of the Ministry of Planning in Charge of Official Statistics as Vice Chairperson, and a representative Secretary of State from line ministries/institutions as Members, and the Director General of NIS as Permanent Member
A total of 19 members present in the SAC, including NIS

13. Statistics Coordination Committee
Statistics Coordination Committee (SCC), established to assist NIS in technical coordination of the official statistics
SCC consists of the Director General of NIS as a Chairperson, the Deputy Director General of NIS as Vice Chairperson and Director of Policies and Statistical Cooperation Department of NIS as a Secretary, and the heads of each statistical unit within line ministries/institutions as member
A total of 32 members present in the SCC

14. Framework of Coordination and Cooperation in Cambodia’s NSS
Statistics
Advisory Council
(SAC)
Statistics
Coordination
Committee
(SCC)
National Strategic
Development Plan
(General Directorate of Planning,
Ministry of Planning)
Statistical
Policy-making/
Coordinating
(NIS)
Data Users
(Line Ministries/Institutions,
IOs/NGOs and Private Sector)
Data Producers
(Line Ministries/Institutions,
Including NIS)
Data Suppliers/ Respondents

15. Some prerequisites of Statistics
Statistics Law – 9 May 2005, governs all matters related statistics
Under the Law, two Sub-decrees that define the work for the NSS:
Sub-decree on Organization and Functioning of the NSS
Sub-decree on Designated Official Statistics
Sub-decree on the Organization and Functioning of the NSS – 27 January 2007, creates Statistics Advisory Council (SAC) and the Statistics Coordination Committee (SCC)
Sub-decree on Designated Official Statistics – 19 July 2009, defines the responsible of statistical units within each ministry/institutions and obligations the NIS

16. Modernization And Production Process
According to the Cambodia Statistical Vision is provide “Relevance, Integrity, Accessibility, Professionalism and Trust in Statistical Areas”, so it’s mmodernization and production process is to promote the following
Improvement to the mechanism both formal and informal by which producers of data in a country share information and data
Improvement in the ICT infrastructure to support the production and dissemination of statistics
Improvement to the accessibility of statistical data and publication which users use
Identifying new and innovative ways of communication with statistical users
Promotion of statistical literate among the populace in the country
Introducing new and better ways of data collection and processing
Standardization of statistical output, clear definitions and concepts

17. Statistical Framework
Development partners / Donors
Statistical Outputs/User
Dissemination
Publication /Yearbook
Leaflets and Booklet
Surveys and Census Reports
Web site and Cam Info
Database (micro data)
Other linked
Statistics Indicators
Statistics production
Data collection, processing and analysis
Metatdata
Harmoniation and Classification
Adopt/adaptation of international recoganized methodologies
Quality Contro;,…
Mechanism
Institutional framework, Legislation
Infrastructure
HR and HRD /Capacity building
Data network /information system
Support Budget
Programmes
Demograhics
Socio-Economic
Population
Age and Sex
Gender
Other Demographic Characteristics
Education
Health
Labor
NSA &Price
Agriculture
Industrial and manufacturing
Energy and mining
Transportation
Services
Poverty
Others
Administrative
Surveys/Census
Data Collection

18. Key Challenges
Funding gap still persists at roughly 65 per cent of the total budget requirement for statistics with only a minor part of the priority statistical activities being financed.
A significant amount of financing provided by the donor community however, is critical important to ensure a sustainable statistical system; more funding is required from the government.
Further development is needed on methodological issues, standardized questions, common approaches to analysis, and use of National Institute of Statistics (NIS) field work capacity
Enhancing further the capacities and skills of the NSS to carry out surveys and censuses is necessary

19. Lesson Learnt
Improving the integration of National Statistical System in the region world by participating actively in international workshops, meetings, study tours overseas and in various short term, medium term and long term training. The knowledge creation occurred subsequently.
The strengthening of statistical legislation as statistical prerequisites works well.
Increase the credibility of NIS, improve the quality of official statistics released.
Increase the commitment of Government in financing the statistical capacity.
The most efficient and organized way to develop the National Statistical System is the implementation of Statistics Master Plan.
Using population census to strengthen further the National Statistical System.

20. Future directions
Fully implementing of sub-decree on designated official statistics without any delay
Continuing improve the statistical coordination and cooperation among national and international counterpart
Strengthening statistical coordination through SAC, SCC, Statistical Technical Working Group (STWG) and SMP
Developing and implementing an improving national data dissemination policies for official statistics is another high priority project
Continue improving buildings, equipment, facilities, and technology infrastructure, especially for NIS provincial and district offices and establishing new RGC statistics units
Improving institutional capacity development for both central and local level through participation local and international training workshop and in house working experience with all project
Continue improve scope, time of statistical products

21. Future directions Con’t
Fully implementation national sub-decree on designated official statistics
Provide the Relevance, Integrity, Accessibility, Professionalism and Trust in Statistical Areas
Coordinate and improved national statistical system through SAC, SCC, Statistical Technical Working Group (STWG) and SMP
Informed and increased use of official statistics
Active participant in international statistical activities
Encourages learning, innovation, and high performance for all its statistical activities and development
Trust and cooperation of NIS data providers
Strong recognition and support for the NIS amongst decision makers and the community
Continue improving buildings, equipment, facilities, and technology infrastructure, especially for NIS provincial and district offices and establishing new RGC statistics units

22. Thank you