Tacis National Programme

Statistics

Mission to Kyrgyzstan

20 to 25 November 2000

Published 09/30/2018

Copyright © 2000 by Tacis Services DG 1A, European Commission

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Tacis National Programme

Statistics

Mission to Kyrgyzstan

20 to 25 November 2000

1

Table of Contents

A.Objectives of the Mission

B.Analysis of the current situation

B.1Statistics 3

B.2Statistics 5

B.3Country report

C.Meetings

C.1Tacis National Co-ordinating Unit

C.2EU Food Security Programme

C.3German Embassy

C.4Tajik Statistical Office

C.5Monitoring Unit

C.6World Bank

C.7IMF

D.Recommendations and remarks

D.1Support with the EU Delegation

D.2Agriculture Census

D.3Next High Level Seminar

E.Next Mission

F.Annexes

F.1Annex 1

F.2Annex 2

F.3Annex 3

Prepared by:Luca Pappalardo

Semi-Resident Adviser for Central Asia and Mongolia

Project code:

Archive No.:

  1. Objectives of the Mission

The mission took place in Bishkek from 20 November to 25 November 2000.

The purpose of the mission was the following:

  • To introduce the new semi-resident adviser to the Natstatcom top management and to the local team leaders.
  • Analysis of the current situation in implementing Statistics 3 contract.
  • Support to the definition and to the implementation of Statistics 5 contract, with particular concern for the component Non-Observed Economy (the first action of this component took place at the same time of the mission).
  • Visit to the Tacis Co-ordinating Unit and to the Tacis Monitoring Unit.
  • Discussion of the country report.
  • Meeting with other national and/or international bodies involved with Statistics.
  • Meeting with a representative from the State Statistical Agency of Tajikistan.
  1. Analysis of the current situation
  2. Statistics 3

The contract Statistics 3 is coming to an end and the deadline for carrying out the activities under this contract is 18 June 2001. The Natstatcom was aware of this deadline, since the issue was already discussed in September in Kiev during the Steering Group Meeting.

The component implemented by the Dutch Statistical Office (CBS) and for which a follow-up under the Statistics 5 contract is envisaged, namely Business Statistics, will probably face a slow down in the coming months. In fact, CBS decided to withdraw from Tacis co-operation and a new partner has to be chosen. It is important to choose as soon as possible this new EU partner in order to ensure continuity in the component implementation.

Most of the components are coming to an end and almost all activities were implemented according to the plan.

Business Register

Project leader:Mr Kenjebaev

EU Partner:CBS – Statistics Netherlands

A business register has been set up in Kyrgyzstan and is used as the basis for sampling surveys. Different databases exist at national level and at regional (oblast) level. Before January 1997, Natstatcom was responsible for the registration of enterprises and for the administrative register. Since then, this responsibility has been shifted to the Ministry of Justice. Natstatcom is still responsible for the identification code, and a statistical register is in the process of being developed. The semi resident adviser was witness of such a registration procedure, which appeared very efficient. NACE was adopted in 1997 and after a two years of probation period its implementation is fully operational since 1999.

Software for data input has been developed, though data input and processing needs to be improved. Namely, the software has to be updated for the most recent operating systems.

The quality of the register is being checked, with the collaboration of the Ministry of Justice and of the Tax Inspection Office. Surveys verifying the real existence of enterprises are also foreseen.

A census of the legal entities has been carried out in the city of Bishkek in July 2000. 20 thousands active enterprises were recorded. Similar censuses are foreseen in all the oblast in the coming year.

The introduction of a computerised procedure of registration at rayon level is also envisaged for the future.

Business Statistics – (follow-up under Statistics 5)

Project leader:Ms Abdildaeva

EU Partner:CBS – Statistics Netherlands

The project has been successfully implemented and the results of the project were described in a shooting script document presented during the formal closing meeting. It should be pointed out that for future shooting scripts, the EU project leader advised to introduce more information on the surveys and their organisation. This would help to better understand how they were organised, which problems had arisen and how they were solved.

A follow-up under Statistics 5 is foreseen. The project leader expressed her concerns about the delays in choosing a new EU partner. The semi resident adviser ensured her that the choice was underway. He drew her attention to the fact that the contents of the component could be revised in view of the different expertise of the new partner. The revision should be discussed during the first action, and he urged her to be prepared for this purpose.

Investment Statistics – (follow-up under Statistics 5)

Project leader:Ms Salakhitdinova

EU Partner:STABU – Statistics Germany

At the same time of this mission the local project leader was involved in a common action in Germany, to which also the Uzbek and the Kazakh Statistical Offices took part. Detailed information on this component was thus not available.

A pilot survey on investment with 1999 as reference period was carried out and the results are currently being evaluated. It is planned to prepare a publication about the results.

A follow up of this component under the Statistics 5 contract is foreseen, which is expected to start at earliest with the same project leader.

External Trade Statistics

Project leader:MrsKim

EU Partner:CBS – Statistics Netherlands

The component has been implemented almost completely. Natstatcom intends to spend remaining funds in organising a sample survey focussing on share of transport and insurance costs. It is intended to submit to Statistics Netherlands a detailed questionnaire asking their comments in view of its amelioration before starting the survey. A detailed budget should be submitted to Eurostat for approval.

Currently, Kyrgyzstan organises mirror figures exercise with Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.

Natstatcom would like to continue this component through developing statistical indicators for balance of payments purposes. As there are no funds foreseen under statistics 5 for such a component, and as this issue had already been discussed by the Eurostat mission of February 2000 with the National coordinating unit, investigations should be made if funds could be found on a special Tacis budget.

Publication and Dissemination

Project leader:Mr Baijoumanov

EU Partner:STABU – Statistics Germany

The component has been completed and Natstatcom is supposed to submit to the EU project leader a final report for assessment. Some difficulties arised because some software is only available in English. The Manual should be translated in order to make it available to more users.

Although this component will not benefit from further Tacis co-operation Natstatcom intends to develop and ameliorate the following issues in the coming period through their own means:

  • Marketing of publications
  • Computer graphics
  • Dissemination through internet
  • Dissemination through media

Price Indices in Construction –

Project leader:Ms Salakhitdinova

EU Partner:STABU – Statistics Germany

The component is proceeding according to the schedule.

A catalogue for the index has been developed and it includes 150 different items. A pilot survey was carried out within this component in March 2000 in the Bishkek area however covering not more than 20 construction firms. Problems were reported by the firms concerning the response burden. The results of the survey have been published. The publication describes also the methodology adopted in conducting the survey. Several proposals have been put forward by the EU partner in order to improve this publication.

Since the results of this first pilot survey were not considered completely satisfactory, a new, more complete, pilot survey will be organised in the first quarter of 2001. This survey will cover more regions in Kyrgyzstan and the prices for individual construction operation will be collected on a quarterly basis (with 2000 as reference year). The result will then be used for the construction of the price index.

B.2Statistics 5

The Statistics 5 contract is signed and some components have already started. Namely, the first action of the NOE component took place at the same time of the mission of the Semi-Resident Adviser. The other components are expected to start their implementation at the earliest.

Regional Structure

Project leader:Mr Gudkova

EU Partner:STABU – Statistics Germany

The project is expected to start soon.

From discussions with top management in Natstatcom arose the need to clearly define the objectives of the component. This issue was discussed in Kiev during the High Level Seminar, and the documents of the task force on regional structure should be made available to the local project leader. The project leader should get acquainted with these documents and try to adapt it to the specificity of Kyrgyzstan.

After the first action/fact-finding mission within this component the project component description must be adapted to the objectives identified by Natstatcom.

Information Technology

Project leader:Mr Kim

EU Partner:SCB – Statistics Sweden

The project is expected to start soon. The project leader stressed the need of new equipment. In particular, more powerful computers are needed (Pentium III) and the connection with the rayons has to improve (modems are needed).

The semi-resident pointed out the limit of 15% of implementation budget for equipment, and invited Natstacom to submit a detailed request to Eurostat.

Non-Observed Economy

Project leader:Mr Bajoumanov

EU Partner:ISTAT – Statistics Italy

The first action of this component took place at the same time of the semi-resident adviser’s mission. It was a fact finding mission, and it also finalised the component description.

The inception phase took place regularly and was closely monitored by the semi-resident adviser. Full details on the agreed working plan can be found in ISTAT mission report.

B.3Country report

Only little preliminary information for the Kyrgyz Country Report was collected during this mission, because of the very tight schedule. The availability of Natstatcom to provide the necessary information by e-mail has to be underlined.

The first country report on Kyrgyzstan is scheduled for 2001. No country report will be issued in 2000.

  1. Meetings

The semi-resident adviser was involved in many meetings where he had the chance to introduce himself and to explain the developments of the Statistics programme. The meetings were also a good opportunity to get acquainted with the social and political situation of the country.

C.1Tacis National Co-ordinating Unit

The semi-resident adviser introduced himself to Mr Uzakbaev and to Mr Antheunissens from the Tacis National Co-ordinating Unit. He described the current situation of Tacis Statistics Programme in Kyrgyzstan. Mr Uzakbaev and MrAntheunissens described briefly the projects in which Tacis is involved, with particular attention to those projects for which synergies can be envisaged with the Statistics programme. In particular, Tacis is financing a training centre in the Ministry of Social Security, and a project which aims to introduce international standards in the management of social funds. A project on forecasting was also carried out with the Ministry of Finance. The CU will make its final report available.

Mr Antheunissens explained the involvement of the CU and of the other Donors in drafting the Comprehensive Development Framework, sponsored by the World Bank. The CU will send by e-mail this draft document.

The use of the CU contingencies for a small project on external trade, as agreed during the Eurostat mission in February 2000, was also discussed. The CU expressed the preference to fund the project either under the PCA implementation project or under the Statistics project. The semi-resident adviser stressed the fact that it would be extremely difficult to fund this project under the starting contract, Statistics 5, and that there is a need to implement it quickly. Hence it is preferable to fund it either through the Tacis contingencies, or through the PCA project. The CU will check with the National co-ordinator the best way to implement the project.

C.2EU Food Security Programme

The semi-resident adviser introduced himself to Mr Ferrandes, from the EU Food Security Programme, and Ms Plugatyreva, country representative of Resal. He described the current situation of Tacis Statistics Programme in Kyrgyzstan. Mr Ferrandes explained the main activities of the EU Food Security Programme. Among those, the project Establishing a National Food Security Information System (FSIS) in Kyrgyzstan. FSIS would be established in Natstatcom, and would collect and analyse statistics related to food security. The analyses would then be published in a quarterly bulletin co-ordinated by an European expert.

C.3German Embassy

The semi-resident adviser introduced himself to Mr Wienard, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany. Germany is the only EU Country with an Embassy in Kyrgyzstan. The semi-resident adviser described the current situation of Tacis Statistics Programme in Kyrgyzstan. Mr Wienard briefly described the situation of the country. Concerning statistics, he expressed his satisfaction for the results of the population census, and his concern for the lack of funds for the coming agriculture census. Moreover, in his opinion there is a need to improve the presentation of the results achieved by Natstatcom.

C.4Tajik Statistical Office

A meeting with a representative of the Tajik Statistical office, Mr Silemynchoev, was also organised, in order to discuss the problems met in the implementation of the Statistics Programme in Tajikistan. The main problems are due to the fact that Tacis experts are not allowed by the EU Commission to travel to Tajikistan. Mr Silemynchoev complained for this ban. The semi-resident adviser pointed out that this issue should not be addressed neither to him nor to Eurostat, since the decision is a political one.

The possible reallocation of the remaining funds under Statistics 3 contract was then discussed. It was agreed to start a new component in training the IT staff in setting up a Local Area Network (LAN). The training should take place in Almaty and the Tajik experts would be trained by Kazakh experts. The final decision on the project depends on the endorsement of Mr Smailov, chairman of the Kazakh Statistical Office.

The component implementation is foreseen for spring 2001, and it must take place within the deadlines of Statistics 3.

C.5Monitoring Unit

The semi-resident adviser introduced himself to Ms Shevchenko from the Tacis Monitoring Programme. He described the current situation of Tacis Statistics Programme in Kyrgyzstan.

C.6World Bank

The semi-resident adviser introduced himself to Mr Mudahar, Chief of the World Bank resident mission. He described the current situation of Tacis Statistics Programme in Kyrgyzstan.

Mr Mudahar explained briefly the main activities in which the World Bank is involved, specifying that there is no specific involvement in Statistics for the time being. He expressed his concern for the lack of funds for the coming Agriculture Census, foreseen for 2002. He also believes that there is a need for significant improvement in the field of labour statistics.

C.7IMF

The semi-resident adviser introduced himself to Mr Zaidi, IMF resident representative. He described the current situation of Tacis Statistics Programme in Kyrgyzstan.

Mr Zaidi explained briefly the main activities in which IMF is involved and the current Kyrgyz economic situation. He also explained that previously IMF had a resident statistical adviser, Mr Khwata, seconded to Natstatcom. His activity mainly concerned National Accounts and price statistics. There are also regular IMF missions advising in BOP compilation.

  1. Recommendations and remarks
  2. Support with the EU Delegation

The Delegation was very supportive to the mission. They provided a car for the trip to from Almaty to Bishkek and they were helpful in finding a car for the return journey.

Ms De Toledo, officer in charge of Tacis in the Delegation, took also part to the meetings scheduled for the first day of mission – Mr Kudabaev (Natstatcom Chairman), Tacis CU, EU Food Security Programme.

D.2Agriculture Census

Natstatcom is currently organising the 2002 Agriculture Census. This will absorb many resources, both financial and human. This fact must be taken into consideration in the implementation of the various components.

D.3Next High Level Seminar

Mr Kudabaev, chairman of Natstatcom, recalled the semi-resident adviser that Kyrgyzstan proposed its candidature for hosting the next High Level Seminar. Mr Kudabaev has already identified a suitable location on the Issyk-Kul Lake, where several international meetings have taken place. The Semi-resident adviser replied that the Kyrgyz candidature will be taken into consideration.

  1. Next Mission

The next visit of the Semi-Resident Adviser in Kyrgyzstan is foreseen for May 2001, in coincidence with the celebration for the 75th anniversary of Natstatcom.

  1. Annexes

Annex 1Persons met in Bishkek

Annex 2List of publications received from AoS

Annex 3Dissemination list

F.1 Annex 1

Persons met in Bishkek

Natstatcom

Mr. KudabaevChairman

Mr. BaijoumanovDeputy Chairman, project leader

Mr KimFirst Deputy Chairman, project leader

Ms ShayahmetovaInternational Relation Department

Ms AbdildaevaProject leader

Mr KenjebaevProject leader

Ms BirioukovaProject team member

Mr NyrmashevProject leader

Mrs KimProject leader

Ms TekeevaProject team member

Ms GydkovaProject leader

EU Delegation

Ms de Toledoprogramme officer

Tacis National Co-ordinating Unit

Mr UzakbaevConsultant

Mr AntheunissensTeam Leader

ISTAT

Mr FerrariProject leader

Ms RonconiEU expert

Tacis Monitoring Unit

Ms ShevchenkoLocal expert

World Bank

Msr MudaharChief of the Resident Mission