A Seminar commemorating the 60th Anniversary of the United Nations, New York, 23 February 2007

EVOLUTION OF NATIONAL STATISTICAL SYSTEMOF CAMBODIA

 

by SAN Sy ThanDirector General, National Institute of Statistics,

Ministry of Planning, Cambodia

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I. HISTORY

• 1948 Separate department titled Statistics Department of Cambodia

• 1975-1979 No Statistics Office- Khmer Rouge period

• 1979 Reestablished new office : starting from zero with young under graduates. No one statistician remained

• 1992: Opened the country. First project of NIS by ADB and UNDP.

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I. HISTORY “continued”

• Decentralized statistical system

• Staff strengh: 40 in 1992 to 260 in 2007at NIS central office.

• 450 staff at local office in 1992 to 376 staff in 2007.

• Clear tendency of sharply increase of staff at central level.

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II.STATISTICS LEGISLATION

• Sub-decree on Stat. Obligations in May 1997

• Statistics Law enacted in May 2005

• Statistical Sub-decree on Official Statistics Organization approved by COM in December 2006

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II.STATISTICS LEGISLATION “Cont”

• Coordination mechanisms: Statistics Advisory Council (SAC), Statistics Coordination Committee (SCC) will be established in early 2007. Several TWG.

• Sub-decree on specification of census date, organization and functioning of 2008 General population of Cambodia

III. RECENT ACTIVITIES

• Various statistical policies drafted

• Dissemination of Statistics Law to provinces and municipalities

• Annual CSES implemented since October 2006 will serve as bases for QNA.

III. RECENT ACTIVITIES “Cont”

• Subject matters analyses in various areas with technical assistance of SCB in the areas of prices, labour market, gender and housing.

• ICT plan for the improvement of IT at NIS including improvement of internet at NIS.

II. RECENT ACTIVITIES “Cont”

• Preparation of the Population Census 2008 with UNFPA, JICA/SBJ, Gvts of Japan and Germany and RGC. National Census Committee and Technical Census Committee established

• Started construction of new NIS building in November 2006 by Gvt of Japan

• Will release CDHS 2005 in early 2007.

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III. RECENT ACTIVITIES “Cont”

• Accident and Injuries survey with UNICEF prepared

• New version of CAMInfo Khmer version 2.2 released January 2007

• National accounts annual and quarterly with forecast often required by Government and other users

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III. RECENT ACTIVITIES “Cont”

• CPI change of base year 2006 started Jan 07

• ICP continued and will finalized mid 2007

• Priority Mission Groups received for National Accounts and CPI (Total 22 staff received good salary from Government in addition to DG, DDG, Directors & Deputies who received long time back- 27 persons).

• Study on Child labour with ILO

• So far training of more than 500 staff of NIS, line ministries and provinces by JICA on introduction to statistics, computers and softwares training, statistical analyses, uses of statistics, etc.

III.RECENT ACTIVITIES “Cont”

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III. RECENT ACTIVITIES “Cont”

• Improving the integration of NSS in the region and in the world e.g. by participating in workshop, meetings, study tours for NIS staff In 2004: 25persons in 2005: 61 persons and in 2006: 83persons participated in international workshops.

• In 2006 hosted 3 international meetings (Industrial statistics, 2010 Round of Population and housing censuses).

• In 2007 hosted 7th four partite meeting and SMP international workshop, AHSOM 8.

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IV. Future plans

• Pass sub-decree on designated official statistics and other statistical policies.

• Starting coordination mechanism with SAC, SCC, STWG and SMP.

• Creation of 3 more departments under NIS under way:- IT Department- National Accounts Department- Statistical Analyses Department.

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IV. Future plans “continued”

• Preparation for Population census 2008 including mapping, training

• Continue annual household survey and other surveys.

• Improve Quarterly National Accounts

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IV. Future plans “continued”

• New base year for CPI starting from Jan 07 (Gvt with assistance of SCB)

• Restart Quarterly PPI for Phnom Penh & selected provinces (UNDP)

• Continue the dissemination of Statistics Law and legislations.

IV. Future plans “continued”

• Start establishment listing and survey with JICA/SBJ

• Improvement of ICT, • Strengthening subject matter

statistics with assistance of SCB.

IV. CONCLUSIONS

- Using population census 2008 to strengthen further NSS

- The SMP: plan to share between the Government and stakeholders in the funding of statistical activities become now realistics

- The present strengthening of statistical legislation as statistical prerequisites seems work well.