Global SNA Implementation Strategy Training Workshop on 2008 SNA for ECO Member States 14-17 October 2012, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran GULAB SINGH United Nations Statistics Division

Outline of presentation Introduction. 2008 SNA Implementation Global SNA Implementation Strategy Global Statistical Initiative Stages of implementation Short-term Economic Indicators and SNA SNA Implementation tools Monitoring the SNA implementation Lessons from 1993 SNA Implementation FOC Group Barriers to the implementation of 1993 SNA

Introduction UNSC endorsed the 2008 SNA at its 39th session in 2008 and requested the ISWGNA to formulate implementation strategy. ISWGNA formulated the 2008 SNA implementation strategy based on principles of (i) Strategic planning, (ii) Coordination, monitoring and reporting; and (iii) Improving statistical systems. UNSC at its 40th session supported the implementation strategy and encouraged countries to develop their own implementation programmes.

Global SNA Implementation Strategy Diagnosis of current situation – Assessment of the national statistical system to support the national accounts compilation (self assessment diagnostic tool) Statement of strategy – Development of strategy for an economic statistics programme with the required scope and detail of the national accounts and short term statistics to meet user demand. Development of implementation programme for statistical and institutional requirements scheduled on agreed priorities .

SNA Implementation - Global Initiative The Implementation Programme for the 2008 SNA and supporting economic statistics represents a global statistical initiative. Synergies with other programmes like ICP, FAO’s programme on improvement of agricultural statistics UNSD conduct series of seminars with RCs to align regional and global implementation programmes. Country visits the next phase – to help countries develop strategic vision and implementation programme.

Objective of Global Statistical Initiative To assist countries in developing the statistical and institutional capacity to: Make the conceptual change over to the 2008 SNA Improve the scope, detail and quality of the national accounts and supporting economic statistics.

Operationlising Implementation Strategy Use of National Strategies for the Development of Statistics (NSDS) as the strategic planning framework The programme information structure built around the statistical production process, scope and compliance for the national accounts and supporting economic statistics The modalities of statistical capacity building through training and technical cooperation, publication of manuals and handbooks, research and advocacy The stages of implementation leading to the change over to the 2008 SNA.

Operationlising Implementation Strategy Strategic Planning Framework Strategic planning is a key principle in mobilizing political and financial support for investment in statistics The NSDS is the most widely used strategic planning framework to connect national development objectives with a programme of work for statistical capacity-building Why a strategic approach? To align the 2008 SNA country programme with national policy priorities and regional requirements Consultative process is system wide Resources are limited Piece meal approach is not cost effective Donor coordination is critical

Frameworks Report on the Operationlising Implementation Strategy Coordination, monitoring and reporting To facilitate the coordination, monitoring and reporting on the SNA implementation in the multi-stakeholder environment. Frameworks Minimum Required Data Set (MRDS) based on UN-NAQ IMF GDDS and SDDS Report on the statistical process data quality

Institutional Setting Operationlising Implementation Strategy Improving statistical systems Structure for organizing the information base based on a stylized statistical production model Institutional Setting Information, Communication Technology (ICT) Management and internal policy Institutional arrangements Registers and Frames Surveys Integration Framework Dissemination

Implementation stages Three stages 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

Implementation 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.

Short-term Economic Indicators and SNA A series on meetings at the end of 2008 and beginning of 2009 in reaction to economic and financial crisis 2008 SNA the overarching framework for economic statistics, able to incorporates measurement issues arising from the financial crises The availability of structural and annual data tells us about the past Policy makers need information about the present to facilitate more timely policy responses

Short-term Economic Indicators and SNA Need to improve the availability, periodicity and timeliness of short term indicators in accessible and analytically useful formats Data collection practices need to be adapted to facilitate the dissemination of short term indicators Short term indicators are also relevant for expanding the scope and detail of the national accounts

Short-term Economic Indicators and SNA UNSC at its 42nd session considered an international programme of work on short-term economic statistics as part of a coordinated statistical response to the economic and financial crisis. The Commission, amongst other things, approved preparation of handbooks that provides guidance, best practices and harmonized principles to help countries compile and report internationally comparable short-term statistics: Rapid Estimates Business Cycle Composite Indicators Tendency Surveys Data Template and Analytical Indicators

SNA Implementation Tools UNSD and other ISWGNA members have developed a number of tools to facilitate the SNA implementation Website: To facilitate sharing of information UNSD developed a website with information supporting the implementation of the 2008 SNA and supporting economic statistics. (http://unstats.un.org/unsd/nationalaccount/default.asp) Handbooks: Prepared by the ISWGNA member organizations providing compilation guidance. Knowledge Base: a centralized repository of information on all aspects of methodology and best country practices for the collection, analysis and dissemination of all areas of economic statistics and macroeconomic standards. Self Assessment Diagnostic tool: To help countries self assess the status of their statistical system supporting compilation of economic statistics. Status of the NA: Outline provides information on each of the economic indicators, together with the international recommendation for compiling the indicators.

SNA Implementation - Monitoring For 1993 SNA implementation - A set of six milestones to assess the scope of accounts compiled by countries; plus Three data sets Minimum data set that need to be compiled - The minimum requirement data set (MRDS) - milestones 1 and 2 Recommended data set - importance in assessing developments of an economy, and Desired data set - comprises useful data that should be compiled if possible. To assess the compliance with major 1993 SNA concepts a set of questions The IMF quality assessment framework to assess the quality of the national accounts

2008 SNA Implementation - Monitoring For the purpose of 2008 SNA implementation monitoring MRDS now include: Quarterly accounts: (i) nominal and volume measure of GDP by industry or by expenditure, and (ii) integrated accounts until net lending for the total economy and the rest of the world. Annual institutional sector accounts until net lending: corporations, general government, households and NPISHs Recommended set include the annual compilation: sectoral financial accounts and balance sheets and other changes in assets accounts. Desired set include the quarterly compilation: sectoral financial accounts and balance sheets and other changes in assets accounts

2008 SNA implementation - process Vision Setting of goals Decide on scope and detail of national accounts compilation Where we want to be Political Commitment Assessment Assessment of the NSS to support national accounts compilation Where are we now Action Plan Actions to reach goals How to get there COUNTRY OWNERSHIP Statistical capacity Implementation How to stay there 20

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