Modernizing Statistical Organization: Meeting Data Challenges

1. International Seminar on Modernizing Official Statistics:Meeting Productivity and New Data ChallengesTianjin, People’s Republic of China24 - 26 October 2013-------------------------Modern Management and Structure of Statistical Organization PhetsamoneSone Director General, Department of Economic Statistics Lao Statistics Bureau (LSB) Ministry of Planning and Investment ( MPI), LAO PDR.

2. Outline of Presentation • Driving forces for the improvement/ changes in management and organizational structure. • Management and organizational structure of National Statistics System (NSS) in Lao PDR. • Challenges and the Way-Forward.

3. Factors drive for the change/improvement • Emerging national and international demand on the quality official statistics to support evident-base policies formulation as well as the process of monitoring and evaluation the progress, output, outcome and impact as the result of the policies and programs implementation: • National Development Vision 2030/2040 ; • 7th Five years National Socio-Economics Development Plan (NSEDP), 2011-2015 and next 8th NSEDP as well as Strategy for NSEDP 2025; • Other National programs: National Growth and Poverty Eradication Program, National Nutrition and Food Security Program, Health and Education programs, etc,… • The Growth and Expansion of Private Sector Development; • Globalization and Regional Integration (AEC, WTO,…) and the acceleration of the achievement of MDG (2015), LSC status 2020; • Requirement for data exchange and data sharing to the international organizations and development partners as well as to the public’s users; • Others,….

4. Factors drive for the change/improvement(cont’d) • Support from international statistics communities, development partners and international organizations • The best practices on statistics international standard and methodologies has been developed and capacity building provided by all means as to facilitate the process of adaptation and adaptation at the national level implemented. • Financial and technical supports in number of areas including the management and improvement of the data sources. • Actively participate in assisting the country to build up the statistical awareness and literacy.

5. The way of thinking,… “ The law is not enough for statistics ” We also need: • Framework • Budget and other funding • Infrastructure/organisation • Cooperation/coordination of NSS • Training • Common understanding • Good will

6. Framework for Official statistics • Fundamental principles for Official statistics • Law and Decree • Development Strategies for NSS • International and regional methods, classifications and recommendations • Best practices

7. Statistical Outputs/Use Statistics production Dissemination Publication /Yearbook Programmes Survey’s Reports • Data collection, processing and analysis • Metatdata • Harmoniation and Classification • Adopt/adaptation of international recoganized methodologies • Quality Contro;,… News, Articles,…. Web site and Lao Info Database (micro data) Prodcucer and User Forum Enabling Mechanism • Institutional framework, Legislation • Infrastructure • HR and HRD /Capacity building • Data network /information system • Support Budget Development partners / Donors NSS Development Framework Statistical Framework Statistics Indicators Economic Social and Culture Others • NSA &Price • Agriculture • Industrial and manufacturing • Energy and mining • Transportation and Post and communication • Services • Others • Education • Health • Labor • Others ... • Population and demographics Gender • Environment • Poverty …. Administrative Survey Indicators National Sectoral

8. Factors drive for the changes/improvement ( cont’d) • New way thinking and commitment of management team on organizational development. • Pictured the statistical organization as a factory system where the “input-transformation-output” that need appropriate resources; • Shift from what we can do?  What we should do?  How we should do to it? To survive and prosper (especially in the circumstance of resources shortage); • How to get leadership support, active role of top management not only focus on the decision making but also building and maintain the relations, getting and giving the information and influencing relate people by good communicating and coordinating.

9. Factors drive for the change/improvement ( cont’d) • Political view/supports, legislation and institutional arrangement. • Legal frame work and Development Strategy: Statistics law approved by the National Assembly in June 2010 after the Strategy for Development of National Statistics System 2010-2010 endorsed in May 2010 by the Government of Lao PDR (updated from first Statistic Decree 127/PM issued in 1979 and Decree 140/PM,2002); • Physical infrastructure – Office building as to improve work environment premises (it is expected to be completed in FY 2015/2016); • Number of staff for LSB, Province and District Office Statistics And Line Ministry has been gradually increased. • Commitment in providing budget support for Statistics Activities, in particular the data collection and partial of capacity building program for the National Statistical System.

10. The wider National Statistics System (NSS)

11. Management and Organizational Structure of National Statistics System (NSS) in Lao PDR • National Statistics System is a Decentralize System • Vertical line ( system) includes provincial, district and village authorities • Horizontal line (system) includes ministries, ministry-equivalent agencies • The Department of Statistics (DoS) is an organ of the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI). Based on the Statistics Law, currently DoS upgraded its status to a sub-Ministry and renamed as Lao Bureau Statistics (LSB) under MPI. • The LSB is the coordinating body of production and dissemination of statistics and information within the national statistical system

12. Current Organizational Structure of Lao Statistics Bureau (LSB) Established structure as a mean of Delegating Authority and Sharing Responsibilities. LSB staffs: 106 (2013) by 2015 (160 ) and 2020 (200).

13. Structure of Statistics Organization: Vertical System ( Province Statistics Center ) Structure Provincial Statistics Center • At the provincial level head and deputy head of SCP ( 16 provinces and Vientiane Capital ) appointed. • Its staffing: 5-7( 2013), by 2015 (6-10) with possible expansion to 15 for some provinces.

14. Structure of Statistics Organization: Vertical System ( Province Statistics Center ) Structure Provincial Statistics Center • At the District level head and deputy head of DCP ( 5 provinces and Vientiane Capital) appointed (on going) • Its staffing: 1-3( 2013), by 2015 (4-6) with possible expansion for some large districts. • Priority will be focused on 51 districts ( under the scope of Government pilot program of the decentralization policies implementation ) including the setting up the Village Statistics Unit. • Data collector at Village level ( 1-2 persons )

15. Ministry of Planning and Investment Statistics Centre of Ministry/ Organization All Line Ministries Statistics Centre of Province Statistics Centre of District Village Statistics unit Statistics Division of respective sector at Province Statistics Division of Province Government establishment Statistics unit Statistics Unit of respective office at District National Statistics System (NSS) Vertical organizational network Horizontal organizational network Lao Statistics Bureau Central levels Provincial levels District levels Report System Village levels Technical consultation Technical guideline and consultation 15

16. How do we coordinate ? • Coordination: • Statistical Steering Committee(SSC) created to oversee the implementation of NDNSS (chaired by Head of Lao Statistics Bureau(LSB) and include member of MDAs (DG/DDG level). • Statistics Working Group (SWG), which will be platform for donor coordination. It is under the Macroeconomic Sector Working Group. • Department level in LSB work and serve as secretary to SSC and lead the implementation of SD NSS. • National Implementation and Coordination Team designated each supporting project and report to the Project Steering Committee. • Technical working group on certain subject matter established ( IMTS, SITS, FDI statistics and Data Dissemination ). • Annual Statistics Forum organized on regular basis.

17. How do we organize ? • Use SDNSS as a road map and reference tool for entire NSS. • Planning: Action plan in respective line Ministries being prepared (Ministry of Agriculture( to be approved),… • AWP is prepared and discussed at the annual statistics meeting. LSB also present its AWP to MPI forum before submitting for budget approval. It is also include project and non-project financing support activities • HR and Staffing recruitment: Number of HR with job description identified by LSB and Line Ministries and Province Statistics Center respectively. Ministry of Home Affair(MOHA), MPI and Line Ministries are involved in the process of recruitment. MPI responsible and authorize staff allocation for vertical statistics system include LSB after receiving the staff quota from MOHA. • Budgeting(decentralize budgeting). LSB responsible budgeting the National activities (national surveys, training programs, promoting use of agreed standard ), while province, MDAs responsible for their own budgeting. • Resource Mobilization : Significant Supports received from development partners and international donors to support the Government in the implementation of SDNSS thru the foreign aids/ODAs mobilization mechanism.

18. Key Challenges and The Way Forward: From now: • Despite increasing in recent years but still insufficient of staff. • Shortage of competence. • Shortage of statistics and its disaggregation. • Insufficient Resource mobilization from Government and Development Partners/ Donors • Limited technology (Statistical Infrastructure ) • Limited efficiency and coordination To then (2020) and how: • Adequate staffing and capabilities • Human resources developed • Adequate coverage and frequency of statistics • Free resources , donor independence • All relevant statistical processes computerised • All partners within NSS fulfil there responsibilities in a coordinated manner …. How to manage one’s times, objectives and resources in order to accomplish tasks and implementation ideas with the new focus on connecting the head, heart and hand of people ,… how to motivate and build up the team ,…..

19. The Way Forward • Vision, Mission and Overall Goals are well defined SD NSS 2010-2020. • Directing and facilitating the implementation of 4 strategic objectives and 12 work programs with priority activities , SDNSS 2010-2020 thru the implementation of AWP: • Improving policy, regulatory and institutional framework (6 work programs); • Developing statistical infrastructure ( 2 work programs); • Data development and management ( 2 work programs); • Ensuring activities of statistical networks (2 work programs). Out of which the extension of SD NSS is required : - Formulate the HR management strategy for LSB, NSS and its implementation plan. - Formulate alight action plan for key sector ( economic and socio statistics domain). - Set up M&E framework and prepare for mid term review/assessment. - Improve the working mechanism and communication for better and effective coordination platform .

20. Remarks • It is very importance to note that increasing demand on statistics lead to an improvement in management and its organizational structure . As a result the Development Framework (SD NSS 2010-2020 ) is required. It is brought LSB great opportunities and challenges in the management and organizational development for entire NSS. • The successful implementation of SD NSS will require enormous commitment, comprehensive institutional arrangement, capacity building program; good coordination mechanism, sufficient human resources and financial support from the Government, Development Partners, International Donors and other stakeholders to perform work programs is critical. • It is anticipate that the implementation of SD NSS will gradually improve the structure of entire statistical organization at central-provincial levels as well as their managerial competence will be strengthened. • LSB and the NSS in transition, it is required considerable amount of time and investment toward the modernization. It is a learning process about the modern management and structure of statistics organization as to establish itself as national leading producer and provider of cost effective, timely and quality of offcial statistics.

21. Thanks you very much For your kind attention!