African Project on the Implementation of the 2008 System of National Accounts National Accounts

Status report on SADC (April – November 2014)

Ackim Jere

SADC Secretariat

Gaborone, Botswana

Meeting of the Continental Steering Committee, Tunis, Tunisia

8-9 December 2014

Outline of Presentation

1.Regional Strategy for Development of Statistics

2.2008 SNA in RSDS Context

3.Selected Proposed initiatives for 2008 SNA Implementation in RSDS context

4.The Planned Workshop on 2008 SNA for SADC

5.RISDP Reprioritization and RSDS

1.Proposed Measures for 2008 SNA implementation RSDS Context

2.SADC Planned 2008 SNA Workshop

3.Key proposed Measures to Assist Member States in 2008 SNA implementation

1 – SADC Regional Strategy for Development of Statistics (RSDS)

RSDS approved in principle by Council in February 2013.

RSDS Overall objective is to improve development outcomes and governance by strengthening National Statistical Systems in SADC.

Specific Objectives include to: Raise awareness of critical role of statistics information in planning, policy research,

monitoring and evaluation;

Promote greater use and adoption of evidence based decision making;

Improve capacity for statistical production;

Sustain statistical information systems in the region through adherence to best practice using state of the art technological innovations statistical development and resource mobilisation

1 – SADC Regional Strategy for Development of Statistics (cont’d)

Six Main Strategic Themes

1 - Widen the scope and range of available regional statistical data and indicators

2 - Increase comparability and quality of prioritised regional statistics;

3 - Improve services to users and promote wider use of regional statistics;

4 - Strengthen stakeholder partnerships and coordination of the SADC Regional Statistical System (SRSS);

5 - Harness the latest innovations in Information, Communications, and Technology for statistical development in the region; and

6 - Promote statistical capacity building in the region

2 – 2008 SNA in RSDS context

National Accounts top priority area among 10 areas for intervention under Strategic theme 2 – National Accounts top priority area among 10 areas for intervention under Strategic theme 2 – Increase comparability and quality of prioritized Increase comparability and quality of prioritized regional statisticsregional statistics

Expected Key Outputs under Theme 2:

Consensus built and core staff trained on concepts and definitions, standards and frameworks etcManuals and guidelines for production of standardized and harmonized statistics developedAgreed frameworks and common statistical standards and methods adopted

RSDS addresses two specific Statistical Areas for National Accounts:

(i) Harmonisation of National Accounts in SADC (ii) Migration to 2008 SNA

Proposed measures

To adopt regional approach for 2008 SNA implementation and harmonization of National Accounts

To develop a SADC training manual with common standards, sources and methods based on 2008 SNA

To generate harmonized data based on 2008 SNA for all Member States

Harmonization of CPI initiative in SADC member states dates back to 2002

EU/SADC Price and Economic Statistics Project (2002-2006) main vehicle

Financial support mainly from European Union (EU). PMU at Secretariat

Development and Implementation of HCPI not intended to replace national CPIs;

HCPI development for comparable CPIs across MS in region in terms of especially coverage of products, classification system used, geographical coverage and the periodicity of collection of data ”

CPI one of the macro-economic convergence indicators identified in the SADC Protocol on Finance and Investment for monitoring progress towards macro-economic convergence of the SADC region. Comparability is however deemed essential

3 – Selected Proposed initiatives for 2008 SNA Implementation in RSDS context

At National Level

Encourage establishment of National Accounts Committees comprising producers, users and others stakeholders ( including cooperating and development partners) to drive the 2008 SNA implementation for sharing experiences through regular meetings .

Organise awareness and advocacy programmes for high level government officials on importance of (2008) National Accounts

Promote development and implementation of tailor made training/capacity building programmes to address specific concerns of respective Member States. Member States encouraged to utilize training materials developed for basic course in statistics, programme of short courses on official statistics for SADC

Advocate for In service training type programmes for sub-professional staff .

Promote staff exchange programmes between Member States on 2008 SNA implementation within the south –south cooperation

Undertake audits of NSS of MS to determine current capacity for 2008 SNA implementation

Provide support for strengthening national legal frameworks for coordination and management mechanisms for statistics including National Accounts statistics.

3 – Selected Proposed initiatives for 2008 SNA Implementation in RSDS context (cont’d)

At Regional level

Mobilise appropriate technical assistance and support from partners for Member States to implement 2008 SNA

Advocate through SADC Council for more resources from National Governments generally for Statistics including National Accounts within RSDS framework

Strengthen SADC Regional National Accounts sub-committees to provide technical oversight on migration by MS to 2008 SNA taking into account the experiences of 1993 SNA implementation

Establish a regional user-producer forum for sharing experiences and knowledge on National Accounts

Promote the design and implementation of appropriate regional training/capacity building programmes aligned to the goals and key objectives of the 2008 SNA Regional project

Promote Peer Review Mechanisms among Member States focusing on National Accounts particularly 2008 SNA.

Develop advocacy programmes to support implementation of 2008 SNA in collaboration with Member States

Development of a regional legal framework for statistics

4- The Planned Workshop on 2008 SNA for SADC

Proposed dates 18-22 August 2014, Lusaka Zambia Jointly organised AfDB/UNECA/SADC AfDB offered to fund the workshop under SCB program arrangement General objective: To engage SADC Member States on Status quo on 2008 SNA implementation Specific Objectives:

• To follow up on various recommendations as formulated and agreed during UNSD, UNECA and AfDB meeting held 2012 and AGNA meeting in February 2014

• To provide support to SADC countries in preparation of Country Implementation Plans using self assessment tools and diagnostics frameworks

• To sensitize MS participants ( National Accounts Experts) on the RSDS priorities focusing on National Accounts

Workshop postponed on account of challenges to assess funds New dates not determined, but would be good by end first half 2015.

5- RISDP Reprioritization and RSDS(2008 SNA Implementation)

RSDS approved in principle in 2013 and Council directed determination of indicative cost implications for RSDS implementation;

Initial RSDS cost estimates referred to Finance Committee for review and alignment to re-prioritisation of RISDP exercise

RISDP re-prioiritisation finalisation initial thumbs up by Council expected August 2014

But Council in August 2014 further directed revised RISDP to shift focus to Industrialisation,

Now revised RISDP 2015-2020 expected to be approved by Council March 2015

Consequently RSDS Indicative cost estimates expected to be finalised next year

Plans for 2008 SNA implementation at SADC regional level as proposed in RSDS possible

for roll out next year. (Caveat – Approved RSDS indicative cost estimates, Dedicated capacity at Secretariat for N/Accounts, mobilised financial resources for 2008 SNA among key priorities)

END