Statistical Indicator and Data Dissemination in Western Asia Countries

Upon the request of the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) in Khartoum, the International Comparison Program (ICP) Regional Office for Western Asia (WA) region at ESCWA organized a workshop on “Statistical Indicator and Data Dissemination in Western Asia Countries,” on 17 and 18 February 2015, under the patronage of State Minister Jamal Ibrahim Mahmoud. The workshop was chaired by Head of CBS Yassin Al-Haj Abdin. The workshop aimed at raising awareness on the importance of the ICP and its results. The ICP team at ESCWA delivered a detailed presentation on the experience of Western Asia during the ICP 2011 round, and explained the concept of Purchasing Power Parity (PPP), laying out the achievements and interim activities of the Regional Office. Majed Skaini, the Program’s Regional Coordinator presented the initiative that was recently developed and implemented by the ICP regional team, which aimed at harnessing the experience of the 2011 round and estimating the PPPs for 2012 and 2013 marking. ESCWA is the first entity to implement such an activity. Skaini also shed light on the results of the 2011 round and the newly calculated 2012 and 2013 PPP estimates, which were analyzed and discussed with the participants. A number of sessions were also dedicated to discuss the possibility of implementing an interim project to produce PPPs regularly at the sub national level in Sudan. National accounts and price experts participating in the workshop noted the importance of such a project for socio-economic statistical work in Sudan, and expressed willingness to provide the requirements of the project and begin the practical phase as soon as possible. Participants in the meeting were the Governor of the Central Bank of Sudan, a delegation from the Ministry of Finance, a representative from the UN Development Program (UNDP), university delegations, experts and staff from the CBS and the media. The Head of CBS also praised ESCWA for the achievements of the ICP team during the last four years, and presented the team with a trophy for the Commission.