Cambodia Statistical System and its Modernization Production Process

Sok Kosal, Deputy Director General ,National Institute of StatisticsMinistry of Planning, Cambodia

International Association for Official Statistics Conference “Meeting the demands of a Changing World” on 8-10 October 2014

in Da Nang, Vietnam

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

Historical context of statistics in Cambodia

Cambodia was protectorate by French between the years 1863 to 1953. 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.

1948-1953 it was titled the Statistics Department of Cambodia

1953 -1963 it was named the Department of Statistics and Economic Study

1963-1975 it was known as the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Research under the Ministry of Planning

1975-1979 it was dismantled in the Khmer Rouge Regime

DOS restarted with new building with 21 young staff in 1979

1979-1981 (DOS) was under the Ministry of Finance

DOS was upgraded to NIS in 1994 under the Ministry of Planning

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

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)

Cambodia’s NSS: Selected Key Line Ministries

Produces agricultural

statistics

Produces education statistics

Produces health

statistics

Produces tourism statisticsStatistical policy-

making, coordinating and produces general

purpose statistics

Produces money and banking statistics

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)

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

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

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 2008-2015 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.

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.

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.

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

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

Framework of Coordination and Cooperation in Cambodia’s NSS

StatisticalPolicy-making/Coordinating

(NIS)

Statistics Advisory Council

(SAC)

Statistics Coordination

Committee(SCC)

National Strategic Development Plan

(General Directorate of Planning,Ministry of Planning)

Data Producers(Line Ministries/Institutions,

Including NIS)

Data Suppliers/Respondents

Data Users(Line Ministries/Institutions,IOs/NGOs and Private Sector)

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

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

Statistical FrameworkStatistics Indicators

Demograhics

Socio-Economic

•Education•Health•Labor•NSA &Price•Agriculture •Industrial and manufacturing

•Energy and mining

•Transportation •Services•Poverty •Others

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

Development partners / Donors

Statistical Outputs/Use

rDissemination

Publication /Yearbook

Leaflets and Booklet

Surveys and Census Reports

Web site and Cam InfoDatabase

(micro data)Other linked

•Population•Age and Sex

•Gender •Other Demographic Characteristics

Administrative

Surveys/Census

Data Collection

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

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.

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

Future directions

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

Future directions Con’t

Thank you