COMPILATION OF COMPILATION OF INTERNATIONAL MERCHANDISE INTERNATIONAL MERCHANDISE TRADETRADE STATISTICS (IMTS) IN STATISTICS (IMTS) IN BOTSWANABOTSWANA

Prepared for;Experts Group Meeting On the Compendium of Intra African & Related Trade Statistics; 5-7 October 2011; Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

By;Onneetse GaosekelwePrincipal StatisticianExternal Trade StatisticsCentral Statistics Office; BOTSWANA

1

OutlineOutline

Introduction Institutional

arrangement Experience and Practice Challenges Conclusion

2

IntroductionIntroductionPurpose of the presentation

To share Botswana’s experience in compilation of international Merchandise Trade Statistics (IMTS)

Specifically looking at;Current Institutional ArrangementExperience and PracticeChallenges Conclusion

3

Institutional ArrangementInstitutional Arrangement Customs & Excise Mandate

Collect duties related to trade, including customs and excise dutiesCollect and capture all raw data on external trade transactionsHas to ensure that all transactions are lodged correctly so as to collect correct revenuePasses electronic data on monthly basis for compilation of international merchandise trade statistics

4

Central Statistics Office Only government department

mandated to compile official statistics including IMTS

Ensures the necessary confidentiality in compilation of all statistical information

Adheres to UNSD guidelines on compilation of IMTS

5

Central Statistics Office Continued;

Aware Customs data may not cover complete IMTS but currently no other sources used

Currently no Memorandum of Agreement with Customs & Excise but supply of raw data running smoothly

6

Experience & Practice Uses raw data provided by

Customs Receives data from

computerized borders not later than 15th of the month following the reference period

Data captured using HS 2007 at eight digits

Data processed using Eurotrace for Windows 7

Experience & Practice Continued

UNSD guidelines in IMTS compilation followed and inclusions & exclusions observed

Errors corrected working hand in hand with customs officials

Data disseminated by HS 2007, SITC & BEC Rev 4 classificasions

8

Experience & Practice Continued Dissemination through three

reports; External Trade monthly Digest;

released within eight weeks after reference period

External Trade Quarterly Digest; released 90 days after reference period

External Trade Annual Report; released six months after reference period

9

Experience & Practice Cont’d

The three reports posted on the CSO website (www.cso.gov.bw)

Data also availed to users in various formats according to their specific requests

Main users include Ministry of Trade & Industry, Ministry of Agriculture, Division of Customs & Excise, Bank of Botswana and international organizations and the public at large

10

Challenges Staff exodus leading to few

experienced staff being moved around quite often

Officers not able to stay enough time with the Unit to fully understand concepts & definitions of IMTS

Inadequate knowledge of Eurotrace by IT staff

Poor quality of quantity data

11

Challenges Continued Misclassification of commodities Under reporting of values so as

to pay low duties Smuggling of goods to evade

paying taxes

12

Conclusion Botswana now able to compile timely

& comparable IMTS as a result of integrating with the world through attending regional & international workshops

Transformation of CSO to semi autonomous organization (Statistics Botswana )will assist in attracting & retaining skilled personnel

Thank you for your attentionThank you for your attention

13