1. International Seminar on Modernizing Official Statistics: Meeting Productivity and New Data Challenges Tianjin, People’s Republic of China October Modern Management and Structure of Statistical Organization
Phetsamone Sone
Director General, Department of Economic Statistics
Lao Statistics Bureau (LSB)
Ministry of Planning and Investment ( MPI), LAO PDR.

2. Outline of Presentation
Driving forces for the improvement/ changes in management and organizational structure.
Management and organizational structure of National Statistics System (NSS) in Lao PDR.
Challenges and the Way-Forward.

3. Factors drive for the change/improvement
Emerging national and international demand on the quality official statistics to support evident-base policies formulation as well as the process of monitoring and evaluation the progress, output, outcome and impact as the result of the policies and programs implementation:
National Development Vision 2030/2040 ;
7th Five years National Socio-Economics Development Plan (NSEDP), and next 8th NSEDP as well as Strategy for NSEDP 2025;
Other National programs: National Growth and Poverty Eradication Program, National Nutrition and Food Security Program, Health and Education programs, etc,…
The Growth and Expansion of Private Sector Development;
Globalization and Regional Integration (AEC, WTO,…) and the acceleration of the achievement of MDG (2015), LSC status 2020;
Requirement for data exchange and data sharing to the international organizations and development partners as well as to the public’s users;
Others,….

4. Factors drive for the change/improvement(cont’d)
Support from international statistics communities, development partners and international organizations
The best practices on statistics international standard and methodologies has been developed and capacity building provided by all means as to facilitate the process of adaptation and adaptation at the national level implemented.
Financial and technical supports in number of areas including the management and improvement of the data sources.
Actively participate in assisting the country to build up the statistical awareness and literacy.

5. The way of thinking,… “ The law is not enough for statistics ”
We also need:
Framework
Budget and other funding
Infrastructure/organisation
Cooperation/coordination of NSS
Training
Common understanding
Good will
For a well functioning system we need…

6. Framework for Official statistics
Fundamental principles for Official statistics
Law and Decree
Development Strategies for NSS
International and regional methods, classifications and recommendations
Best practices
The (paper) framework for the statistics includes:
The FPoS;
The law and decree;
The SDNSS, that we will come back to;
International and regional methods, classifications and recommendations, that we also will come back to;
Best practices: Besides the more formal recommendations, there is a huge amount of experience, good and bad. And as statistics are fairly universal, good solutions can be found elsewhere (bench marking)

7. NSS Development Framework Statistical Framework
Development partners / Donors
Statistical Outputs/Use
Dissemination
Publication /Yearbook
News, Articles,….
Survey’s Reports
Web site and Lao Info
Database (micro data)
Prodcucer and User Forum
Statistics Indicators
Statistics
production
Data collection, processing and analysis
Metatdata
Harmoniation and Classification
Adopt/adaptation of international recoganized methodologies
Quality Contro;,…
Enabling Mechanism
Institutional framework, Legislation
Infrastructure
HR and HRD /Capacity building
Data network /information system
Support Budget
Programmes
Economic
Social and Culture
Others
NSA &Price
Agriculture
Industrial and manufacturing
Energy and mining
Transportation and Post and communication
Services
Others
Education
Health
Labor
Others ...
Population and demographics Gender
Environment
Poverty ….
Administrative
Survey
Indicators
National
Sectoral

8. Factors drive for the changes/improvement ( cont’d)
New way thinking and commitment of management team on organizational development.
Pictured the statistical organization as a factory system where the “input-transformation-output” that need appropriate resources;
Shift from what we can do?  What we should do?  How we should do to it? To survive and prosper (especially in the circumstance of resources shortage);
How to get leadership support, active role of top management not only focus on the decision making but also building and maintain the relations, getting and giving the information and influencing relate people by good communicating and coordinating.

9. Factors drive for the change/improvement ( cont’d)
Political view/supports, legislation and institutional arrangement.
Legal frame work and Development Strategy: Statistics law approved by the National Assembly in June 2010 after the Strategy for Development of National Statistics System endorsed in May 2010 by the Government of Lao PDR (updated from first Statistic Decree 127/PM issued in 1979 and Decree 140/PM,2002);
Physical infrastructure – Office building as to improve work environment premises (it is expected to be completed in FY 2015/2016);
Number of staff for LSB, Province and District Office Statistics And Line Ministry has been gradually increased.
Commitment in providing budget support for Statistics Activities, in particular the data collection and partial of capacity building program for the National Statistical System.

10. The wider National Statistics System (NSS)
LSB
Other producers
Users
People
Data providers
An NSS is often defined in a narrow perspective including only the producers of official statistics. But in a broader sense it also includes the main users and the data providers. Main users include not only government policy makers, but also the private sector, the academic world, NGOs and international organisations.
Media are important mediators for disseminating statistics to the people. Schools can be other mediators. In daily management, the narrow perspective is most useful, but in planning it is important to keep the wider system in mind: Not to overload the data providers with work and to spread the statistics to as many as possible.

11. Management and Organizational Structure of National Statistics System (NSS) in Lao PDR
National Statistics System is a Decentralize System
Vertical line ( system) includes provincial, district and village authorities
Horizontal line (system) includes ministries, ministry-equivalent agencies
The Department of Statistics (DoS) is an organ of the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI). Based on the Statistics Law, currently DoS upgraded its status to a sub-Ministry and renamed as Lao Bureau Statistics (LSB) under MPI.
The LSB is the coordinating body of production and dissemination of statistics and information within the national statistical system

12. Current Organizational Structure of Lao Statistics Bureau (LSB)
Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI)
LAO Statistics Bureau (LSB)
Department of Administration
( 1DG, 2 DDGs)
Personel and Inspection Division
Integration and Cooperation Division
Finance Divsion
Adm.
Division
Economic Statistics Department
( 1 DGs, 1 DDG)*
National Accounts Division
Economic and Price Statistics Division
Research and Development Divsion
Social Statistics Department
( 1 DG, 2 DDGs)
Statistics Registration Division
Data collection Division
Research and analysis Division
Services Department
( 1 DG, 1 DDG)*
Dessimination Division
ICT Division
Training and method- ology DIV.
Current Organizational Structure of Lao Statistics Bureau (LSB)
Established structure as a mean of Delegating Authority and Sharing Responsibilities.
LSB staffs: 106 (2013) by 2015 (160 ) and 2020 (200).

13. Provincial Statistics Center
Structure of Statistics Organization: Vertical System ( Province Statistics Center )
Provincial Planning and Investment DiV
Statistics Center of Province
Economic Statistics section
Socio Statistics section
Administration office
Other offices 1,..n
At the provincial level head and deputy head of SCP ( 16 provinces and Vientiane Capital ) appointed.
Its staffing: 5-7( 2013), by 2015 (6-10) with possible expansion to 15 for some provinces.
Structure
Provincial Statistics Center

14. Provincial Statistics Center
Structure of Statistics Organization: Vertical System ( Province Statistics Center )
Structure
Provincial Statistics Center
At the District level head and deputy head of DCP ( 5 provinces and Vientiane Capital) appointed (on going)
Its staffing: 1-3( 2013), by 2015 (4-6) with possible expansion for some large districts.
Priority will be focused on 51 districts ( under the scope of Government pilot program of the decentralization policies implementation ) including the setting up the Village Statistics Unit.
Data collector at Village level ( 1-2 persons )
District Planning Office
Statistics Center of District
Statistics production unit
Village Statistics Unit ( 1,… N)
Administration unit

15. National Statistics System (NSS)
Government
Vertical organizational network
Horizontal organizational network
Ministry of Planning and Investment
All Line Ministries
Lao Statistics Bureau
Statistics Centre of Ministry/ Organization
Central levels
Statistics Centre of Province
Statistics Division of Province
Statistics Division of respective sector at Province
Statistics Unit of respective office at District
Provincial levels
District levels
Statistics Centre of District
Village Statistics unit
Report System
establishment Statistics unit
Village levels
Technical consultation
Technical guideline and consultation 15

16. How do we coordinate ? Coordination:
Statistical Steering Committee(SSC) created to oversee the implementation of NDNSS (chaired by Head of Lao Statistics Bureau(LSB) and include member of MDAs (DG/DDG level).
Statistics Working Group (SWG), which will be platform for donor coordination. It is under the Macroeconomic Sector Working Group.
Department level in LSB work and serve as secretary to SSC and lead the implementation of SD NSS.
National Implementation and Coordination Team designated each supporting project and report to the Project Steering Committee.
Technical working group on certain subject matter established ( IMTS, SITS, FDI statistics and Data Dissemination ).
Annual Statistics Forum organized on regular basis.

17. How do we organize ?
Use SDNSS as a road map and reference tool for entire NSS.
Planning: Action plan in respective line Ministries being prepared (Ministry of Agriculture( to be approved),…
AWP is prepared and discussed at the annual statistics meeting. LSB also present its AWP to MPI forum before submitting for budget approval. It is also include project and non-project financing support activities
HR and Staffing recruitment: Number of HR with job description identified by LSB and Line Ministries and Province Statistics Center respectively. Ministry of Home Affair(MOHA), MPI and Line Ministries are involved in the process of recruitment. MPI responsible and authorize staff allocation for vertical statistics system include LSB after receiving the staff quota from MOHA.
Budgeting (decentralize budgeting). LSB responsible budgeting the National activities (national surveys, training programs, promoting use of agreed standard ), while province, MDAs responsible for their own budgeting.
Resource Mobilization : Significant Supports received from development partners and international donors to support the Government in the implementation of SDNSS thru the foreign aids/ODAs mobilization mechanism.

18. Key Challenges and The Way Forward:
From now:
Despite increasing in recent years but still insufficient of staff.
Shortage of competence.
Shortage of statistics and its disaggregation.
Insufficient Resource mobilization from Government and Development Partners/ Donors
Limited technology (Statistical Infrastructure )
Limited efficiency and coordination
To then (2020) and how:
Adequate staffing and capabilities
Human resources developed
Adequate coverage and frequency of statistics
Free resources , donor independence
All relevant statistical processes computerised
All partners within NSS fulfil there responsibilities in a coordinated manner
…. How to manage one’s times, objectives and resources in order to accomplish tasks and implementation ideas with the new focus on connecting the head, heart and hand of people ,… how to motivate and build up the team ,…..

19. The Way Forward
Vision, Mission and Overall Goals are well defined SD NSS
Directing and facilitating the implementation of 4 strategic objectives and 12 work programs with priority activities , SDNSS thru the implementation of AWP:
Improving policy, regulatory and institutional framework (6 work programs);
Developing statistical infrastructure ( 2 work programs);
Data development and management ( 2 work programs);
Ensuring activities of statistical networks (2 work programs).
Out of which the extension of SD NSS is required :
- Formulate the HR management strategy for LSB, NSS and its implementation plan.
- Formulate alight action plan for key sector ( economic and socio statistics domain).
- Set up M&E framework and prepare for mid term review/assessment.
- Improve the working mechanism and communication for better and effective coordination platform .

20. Remarks
It is very importance to note that increasing demand on statistics lead to an improvement in management and its organizational structure . As a result the Development Framework (SD NSS ) is required. It is brought LSB great opportunities and challenges in the management and organizational development for entire NSS.
The successful implementation of SD NSS will require enormous commitment, comprehensive institutional arrangement, capacity building program; good coordination mechanism, sufficient human resources and financial support from the Government, Development Partners, International Donors and other stakeholders to perform work programs is critical.
It is anticipate that the implementation of SD NSS will gradually improve the structure of entire statistical organization at central-provincial levels as well as their managerial competence will be strengthened.
LSB and the NSS in transition, it is required considerable amount of time and investment toward the modernization. It is a learning process about the modern management and structure of statistics organization as to establish itself as national leading producer and provider of cost effective, timely and quality of offcial statistics.

21. Thanks you very much For your kind attention!