Developing a programme for the implementation of the

2008 SNA and supporting statistics

Side event at the 2013 UNSCOrganised by UNSD

23 February 2013 New York, USA

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Outline

∙ Introduction

∙ 2008 SNA implementation programme

∙ Activities of ISWGNA members

∙ Developing a programme for SNA implementation and supporting statistics

∙ Discussion

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Introduction

∙ Increased concerns about data gaps and major revisions in national accounts and supporting statistics of developing countries

∙ Need to revisit the effectiveness of the implementation of the 2008 SNA and supporting statistics

∙ One option is to address the institutional arrangements, the statistical operations and the statistical infrastructure at country level

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NSOs committed to uphold UN Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics and 2008 SNA implementation goals

However, mobilising political motivation at the highest levels of government is encumbered by absence of adequate statistical management and communication strategies

The UNSC also recognised the need for scaling up the SNA implementation

Aim today: to discuss the UNSD approach to developing an implementation programme for the 2008 SNA and supporting statistics at the country level

Introduction

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Global 2008 SNA Implementation Programme

Global statistical initiative, mandated by the 40th UNSC following the adoption of the 2008 SNA, with dual objective to assist countries to:

– Change over to the 2008 SNA;– improve scope, detail and quality of the national

accounts and supporting economic statistics

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Develop national accounts that are responsive to:

– Macroeconomic and sectoral policy needs

– Global economic and financial interconnected environment (global production, trade and finance and their interdependency with national economy)

– Short term economic vulnerabilities (early warning indicators for tracing turning points in the business cycle

Objective of the Global Statistical Initiative

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The efficiency and sustainability of the initiative rest on the agreed principles of the implementation strategy:

(a) strategic planning

(b) coordination, monitoring and reporting

(c) improving statistical systems

Principles of the global initiative

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Strategic planning framework: NSDS as the strategic planning framework

Information structure: based on the integrated economic statistics approach (standards, statistical production process, institutional arrangements) and internationally agreed scope (MRDS) and compliance for the national accounts and supporting economic statistics

Modalities: Training and technical cooperation, publication of manuals and handbooks, research and advocacy

Stages of implementation: leading to the change over to the 2008 SNA.

Elements to operationalise the initiative

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Implementation stagesImplementation stages Three stages

o Stage I: Review of strategic framework and detailing of national and regional implementation programmes

• Statement of strategy – Development of an economic statistics programme for compiling the required scope and detail of the National Accounts to inform policy makers

• Diagnosis of current situation – Assessment of the national statistical system to support the national accounts compilation (self assessment diagnostic tool)

• Development of strategic vision for national accounts and supporting statistics shared among stakeholders

• Develop implementation plan based on agreed priorities with a minimum set of core indicators

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Implementation stagesImplementation stages

Stage II: Adaptation of classification frameworks, business registers and frames, surveys, administrative data sources and information technology infrastructure.

Stage III: Application of adapted frameworks and source data, backcasting and changeover to 2008 SNA

Each country will determine the duration of the various stages. – It is expected that from 2014 onwards, many Member

States will change over to the 2008 SNA following a gradual two or three year transition for each stage.

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Activities of ISWGNA members

Light coordination mechanism allows for flexibility

Active in statistical capacity building providing training and technical cooperation, publication of manuals and handbooks and research

Most recent activities of the ISWGNA members and the regional commissions described annually in the report of the ISWGNA to the UNSC

In addition, all these agencies also disseminate support material through their respective websites

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UNSD, in collaboration with RCs, conducted series of seminars to align regional and global implementation programmes

Country visits the next phase – to help countries develop strategic vision and implementation programme

Lead countries identified to support SNA implementation at a sub-regional level

– National seminar with lead country– (Sub) regional seminar with support from lead country

– Follow up with countries by UNSD, RCs and lead country

UNSD activities

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Objectives of the seminars are to

– Identify the macro economic policy needs to determine the scope and detail of the NA that needs to be compiled

– To prepare for an assessment of the adequacy of the statistical production process to provide the required data for the compilation of the NA

– To identify the required actions for implementation

– To develop a statement of strategy

UNSD activities

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a strategic planning frame work for the development of an economic statistics programme to meet policy needs

set of actions to accomplish statistical and institutional goals for the sustainable improvement of the economic statistics programmes

Statement of strategy

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Policy documents, NSDS, etc.Regional strategic frameworks for statistical capacity

building Regulatory and institutional framework – strengthening

the functioning of NSS, its programming, management and performance

Statistical infrastructure – strengthening of use of classifications, registers and frames and IT infrastructure

Statistical operations of data collection, compilation, dissemination and analysis

Statement of Strategy – take into account

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Mandate,

Mission statement

Values

High-level goals

Specific goals

Required actions

Elements of the statement of strategy

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High-level goals represent the overall accomplishments to be achieved

Improving scope, quality and timeliness of economic statistics

Minimizing response burdenIncreasing use of administrative data for statistical

purposesAchieving cost effectiveness using best practicesRaising public awareness and use of national accounts

and economic statistics

Statement of strategy

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Specific goals describe the ultimate results that need to be accomplished

– Compile national accounts according to milestone two or MRDS

– Develop a national central hub for short term economic statistics

Statement of strategy

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Required actions to be carried out:

Regulatory and institutional framework – strengthening the functioning of NSS, its programming, management and performance

Statistical infrastructure – strengthening of use of standards (2008 SNA), classifications (ISIC Rev 4), registers and frames

Statistical operations – strengthening of data collection, compilation, dissemination and analysis

Statement of strategy

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Improve statistical legislation, code of conduct, service agreements for NSS

Comply with standards: 2008 SNA, ISIC rev 4, etc.Upgrade of business registers and area framesExtend use of administrative dataIncrease periodicity and timeliness of data (price

statistics, production and turnover surveys)Integrate survey and questionnaire design of

economic activity surveys (structural business statistics and short term business statistics)

Integrate survey and questionnaire design of household surveys (labour and income and expenditure surveys)

Extend coverage of enterprises (informal sector surveys etc.

Examples of actions

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Confrontation of

– Goals – as determined by international recommendations – compliance

– Requirements to meet goals – administrative and survey resources

– Current status – present practices– Actions – to remedy the shortcomings

Consolidation of statistical requirements, assessments and actions

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Consolidation of statistical requirements, assessments and actions

Data item

Frequency 2008 SNA

Required sources

Principal data sources and compilation

methods

M Q A

N V N V N VNominal

Volumes

Nominal

Volumes

National accounts aggregates to comply to Milestone 2 - MRDS

Set of short term indicators

Blue – GoalsGreen – needsRed – current status

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Statement of strategy: requires agreement by the national statistical system

(data producer, provider and user), high political support and donor consultation

is basis for formulating a national implementation programme

is basis for actively seeking funding for implementation programmes from own sources and donors

Conclusions

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http://unstats.un.org/unsd/nationalaccount/default.asp

SNA@un.org

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Is the development of a statement of strategy an appropriate step for the development of a programme for the implementation of the SNA and supporting statistics?

Is the sub-regional approach with lead countries the right approach for developing multi-year implementation programme that could be scaled up to the regional and global level?

Do you have other suggestions to facilitate the implementation of the SNA?

Points for discussion

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Thank you