CCSA_Best Practicies for Ensuring Quality in Int.stat.Ver2.2

7/31/2019 CCSA_Best Practicies for Ensuring Quality in Int.stat.Ver2.2

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Henri Laurencin

Head

Development Statistics and Information Branch

UNCTAD


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Mail received at UNCTAD in April 2011 from UN Headquarters:

Need urgent, quick assistance on question: there continues to be reluctance by the

xx delegate to resolve a between OHRLLS/UNCTAD on one side and

WTO on the other concerning LDCs exports as a share of world trade.

OHRLLS: UN Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, LandlockedDeveloping Countries and Small Island Developing States

CCSA: Best Practice for Ensuring Quality in International Statistics


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Gambia: total merchandise exports ($ millions)

Sources 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

IMF - Balance Of Payments 68 107 104 109 134 206 174 167

IMF - Direction Of Trade 46 27 31 18 38 28 35 43 51 55 61

IMF - International Finance Statistics 15 10 13 8 10 8 11 13 14 15 15

World Bank - WDI 15 10 12 8 10 8 21 13 14 15 15

UNSD - Comtrade 16 6 4 5 18 5 11 13 14 66 35

UNCTAD 15 10 13 8 10 8 11 13 14 15 15

WTO 15 10 12 8 10 8 11 13 14 15 15

Economic Intelligence Unit 15 4 5 8 10 8 12 13 14 21 17

Common Data Set 15 10 13 8 10 8 11 13 14 15 15

April 2011



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of merchandise trade statistics received from national

statistical systems, especially from developing countries

of International Organizations (IOs) to national

statistics by establishing effective cooperation



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on a definition of international merchandise trade statistics

Providing guidance to national data compilers on the collectionand compilation of international merchandise trade statistics inline with agreed definitions

Building statistical capacity in countries

Sharing knowledge and statistics at the international level



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Creation in of the

(TFIMTS) to improve international

cooperation in the collection, processing and dissemination ofinternational merchandise trade statistics.

The

is convened by the WTO and gathers specialists fromEurostat, FAO, IMF, OECD, UN Statistics Division, UNCTAD and

UN Regional Commissions.



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Establish international standards governing the measurement of

trade statistics. Publication of the

(last

version endorsed by the UN Statistical Commission in 2010);

Prepare data compilation recommendations set forth in the

+ National compilation and reporting practices in IMTS;

Support the organization of workshops, seminars and trainings

at the country and regional levels.



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IMF, Eurostat, OECD and UN Statistics Division are primary data compilers,thus collect data directly from different national sources (Central Bank, NationalStatistical Office, Ministry of Trade or Customs Department);


IMF BOP data (based on Balance of Payment Manual) may have differentfigures as the concepts are not 100% in-line with other sources data (based onIMTS Concepts and Definitions). EU Community concept is also slightlydifferent;

Methodology for estimating missing data is not fully harmonized.

IMTS Concepts and Definitions recommends to include re-exports and to

exclude goods in transit from official statistics. There is possible mix-up betweenre-exports and transit. If goods in transit are included, it inflates trade statistics. Ifre-exports are excluded, it minimizes trade statistics;


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Eurostat, OECD, UNSD, UNCTAD and WTO decided to joint their efforts and

to reconcile their time series on using

;

They created and maintain the


The CDS database gives access to (metadata) of. It covers annual total merchandise export

and import values of over 200 economies for the period from 1995 to 2010.

Each agency is in charge of supplying figures for a predefined set of reporting

economies. Reconciliations consist of scrutinizing significant differences between

the agencies' data to determine the best value. In many instances, this results in

finding an agreement on substitution of values and estimates;


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Gambia: total merchandise exports ($ millions)


Source 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

IMF Balance Of Payments 68 107 104 109 134 206 174 167

IMF Direction Of Trade 46 27 31 18 38 28 35 43 51 56 62 118

IMF International Financial Statistics 15 10 13 8 10 8 11 13 14 15 15World Bank WDI 15 10 12 8 10 8 21 13 14 15 15

UNSD-Comtrade 16 6 4 5 18 5 11 13 14 66 35 95

UNCTAD 15 10 13 8 10 8 11 13 14 66 1 35 33

WTO 15 10 12 8 10 8 11 13 14 66 35 40

EIU 15 12 15 8 10 8 11 13 14 15 15 16

Common Data Set CDS (Dec.2011) 15 10 13 8 10 8 11 13 14 15 15

Common Data Set CDS (Dec.2012)2 15 10 13 8 10 8 11 13 14 66 35 33

1Break in series starting 2009. Data includes partiall y re-exports.

2

Forthcoming


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No official statistics should be released without (cf. Principles

governing international statistical activities);

National agencies involved in data collection on a same subject matter(ex. Central Bank, National Statistical Office and Customs on IMTS)

need to their activities at the country level;

involved in the collection and dissemination of

statistics on a same subject matter should better (for instance to

minimize reporting burden and avoid the release of contradictory

statistics);



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Initiatives from IOs to create by reconciling their time

series (ex. CDS of IMTS) using international standards as benchmarks

should be encouraged;

A Common Data Set should not be seen by IOs as a restriction to therelease of their own sets:

IOs can refer to a different standard for any reason (for ex. in case of

the calculation of a derived indicator)

Coordination needs time and IOs should not be prevented torelease their advanced statistics



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Improved quality of statistics released by IOs and better use of resources

can be assured by sharing data, information, methodology and more

generally knowledge and expertise. UNCTAD and WTO are joining theirefforts to fully harmonize their statistics on trade in merchandise and

services;

Last but not least, never forget the and

properly assess their needs and expectations.



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CCSA_Best Practicies for Ensuring Quality in Int.stat.Ver2.2

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